TOKYO—Vodafone Group announced that its Spanish and Japanese subsidiaries completed what it called the world’s first third-generation (3G) roaming call.
The call was made between an executive of Vodafone Spain, formerly called Airtel, and an executive of J-Phone Company in Japan using a Japanese single-mode 3G mobile phone.
The call demonstrated mobile-originated and mobile-terminated 3G roaming calls, Vodafone said. The call was carried to and from Vodafone’s Spanish and Japanese 3G networks using Cable & Wireless’ signaling links and global network. Ericsson provided the 3G infrastructure system for J-Phone, and Nortel Networks provided the 3G system for Vodafone Spain.
Vodafone said Vodafone Spain has a network of 120 masts with 3G coverage in 20 cities in Spain and is on target to launch its network in the second half of next year.
J-Phone is scheduled to launch its 3G service in the Tokyo metropolitan area in June 2002, and is planning to expand its service area to all major cities around the nation in October. A spokesman for J-Phone, however, told Global Wireless that the carrier has not yet decided when it will launch the international roaming service for its 3G users.
