Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on those sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Canadians and SMS? Meh.
TORONTO—Canadians are not getting too excited about the possibilities for short message service (SMS), according to a report released by the Yankee Group in Canada. Its research claims only 5 percent of Canadian cellular users are very interested in SMS, while 42 percent have no interest at all in the service. As well, less than 15 percent of Canadian cellular users are willing to pay as little as C$5 (US$3.14) monthly for text messaging. Currently, 9 percent of Canadian cellular users subscribe to text messaging. Last November, Canada’s four major wireless carriers, Rogers AT&T Wireless, Bell Mobility, Telus Mobility and Microcell Telecommunications, agreed to a cross-carrier plan to allow SMS. The carriers went live with the interoperability plan, a North American first, this week. “Despite the anticipation, it is still unclear as what role SMS messaging will play in the lives of Canadians,” said Jeremy Depow, the Yankee Group senior analyst who authored the firm’s SMS report. … Read more
But their texting is interoperable, at least …
TORONTO—Canada’s four national wireless carriers launched commercial availability of inter-carrier mobile text messaging. The four operators, Bell Mobility, Microcell PCS, Rogers AT&T Wireless and Telus Mobility, are all using technology from CMG Wireless Data Solutions. Each carrier will route out-of-network short message service messages to the CMG Inter-Short Message Service Center Router, which will then instantly route the message to the appropriate carrier and then to the recipient’s wireless handset. Each carrier will offer different bill plans. Plans range from per-message charges to unlimited use. … Read more
Verizon jumps on the interoperable SMS bandwagon
BEDMINSTER, New Jersey, United States—Through a deal with message interoperability company InphoMatch, Verizon Wireless is now the last of the nationwide, consumer-focused carriers to allow its users to send short message service (SMS) messages to subscribers of rival carriers using only a phone number. Verizon said it will open its network to messaging with other wireless carriers as part of its much-advertised Mobile Messenger service. Customers will pay US$0.10 for sending and US$0.02 for receiving SMS messages from fellow Verizon customers or subscribers of other carriers. AT&T Wireless Services in November became the first carrier to offer cross-carrier messaging. Cingular Wireless, Sprint PCS and VoiceStream Wireless followed soon after. Analysts have pegged messaging interoperability as one of the main reasons behind the massive growth in text messaging in Europe and Asia. Without network interoperability, it was either impossible to send messages to subscribers of another carrier, or customers had to type in recipients’ long and obscure carrier server addresses. … Read more
Cooperative vs. competition in SMS interoperability
MobileSpring Inc. and InphoMatch Inc., rival vendors for short message service interoperability solutions, have been working together during the past few months to ensure their cross-carrier messaging systems are themselves interoperable. The teaming comes as no real surprise. By making sure their systems can work together-a process dubbed “peering”-both InphoMatch and MobileSpring can assure their carrier customers of true cross-network interoperability. “If you don’t cooperate with your competition, things don’t work,” said Mark Caron, MobileSpring’s president and chief executive officer. Vendors throughout the wireless industry must engage in similar procedures. For example, companies that provide GPRS roaming exchanges, or GRXs, also must conduct peering meetings among themselves, and even have gone so far as to select a city-Amsterdam-as the location for such agreements. MobileSpring jointly offers its Metcalf Global Messaging interoperability product with its partner, VeriSign Inc. a subsidiary of Illuminet. The company has deals with Cingular Wireless and Sprint PCS. InphoMatch manages SMS interoperability services for VoiceStream Wireless Corp. and for AT&T Wireless Services Inc., which in November was the first carrier to launch inter-carrier text messaging. … Read more
KDDI launches cdma2000 1X
TOKYO—KDDI, the second-largest mobile operator in Japan, launched third-generation (3G) service based on cdma2000 1x on 1 April. NTT DoCoMo, the leading mobile carrier in Japan, which launched its 3G service called FOMA in October 2001 expanded its service area to all major cities around the country on the same day. By employing 1x technology, an evolved system based on cdmaOne, KDDI’s second-generation (2G) technology, KDDI launched the 3G service in 477 cities in 33 prefectures. KDDI is targeting to win 7 million users by the end of March 2003. … Read more
EDGE tech focused on North America
ORLANDO, Florida, United States—Following on a meeting of operators and vendors with an interest in Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology at the 3GSM World Congress in France last month, the EDGE Operators Forum officially formed and met in Orlando in March at CTIA’s Wireless 2002 conference and exhibition. The forum, composed of six mobile operators in the Americas and five main vendors initially, will have a strong North American focus, forum officials said. The group is offering a timeframe for initial dual-band EDGE services of year-end 2002, with volume EDGE equipment and tri-band services for the Americas in 2003. “We’re not a new group, but working with current industry groups,” said Leo Nikkari, director of third-generation (3G) industry relations with AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and an executive in the forum. Operators that have formally announced EDGE plans include U.S. carriers AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless and VoiceStream Wireless. In addition, Canada’s Rogers AT&T Wireless, Mexico’s Telcel and BTC Mobility of Bermuda have announced EDGE rollout plans. Vendors Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel and Siemens also have committed to EDGE equipment for the 2002-2003 timeline. The group plans to continue its closed, invitation-only meetings throughout 2002 in locations around the world from Rome to Singapore, with representation from regulators as well as operators and vendors, Nikkari said. … Read more
Globe Telecom launches wireless internet service
MANILA, The Philippines—Globe Telecom, one of the Philippines’ leading mobile-phone operators, has launched a wireless broadband service that offers a wireless Internet connection. Jesus Romero, Globe assistant vice president for the wireline data group, said the broadband Internet service uses a modem that is totally wireless. Instead of cables, it uses a hub that emits radio waves to connect to the computer. He added that the connection also employs digital subscriber line (DSL) over existing copper infrastructure to simultaneously deliver data, voice and video. Using existing telephone lines, it delivers download speeds of up to 70 times faster than standard 28.8 modems, enabling users to download Web pages in an instant and watch streaming video, among other applications. … Read more
Virgin Mobile expected to hit the US market
Nearly six months after United Kingdom-based Virgin Group and Sprint PCS announced they formed Virgin Mobile USA, the U.S. wireless industry continues to wait for the launch of the highly touted mobile virtual network operator venture. But, since the announcement last October, there has been little hint of the partnership that was going to shake up the U.S. wireless industry the same way it did in the United Kingdom when Virgin launched as the fifth wireless carrier, piggybacking on One 2 One’s wireless network. While both Virgin Mobile, which invested $50 million in cash in the venture, and Sprint PCS, which invested $50 million in services, declined to comment on the status of the partnership, saying they were in a quiet period, many analysts expect the service to launch soon. “I think they plan on launching services this year,” said Tole Hart, senior analyst at Gartner. Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, said recently at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France, that the partnership plans for Virgin Mobile USA would be announced imminently. Sprint PCS also hinted during the recent Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association show that the venture would launch this year, perhaps as early as summer. One of the proposed advantages of the venture is Virgin’s ability to tap into the rapidly growing youth market with its prepaid offering. A report from The Strategis Group projected the 15- to-19-year old wireless consumer market is expected to increase 184 percent by 2007, with the 20- to 29-year old market rising 93 percent in the same period. … Read more
Trade friction in 3G wireless tech exports
WASHINGTON—The Bush administration said various foreign governments continue to sanction trade barriers to U.S wireless exports, a claim likely to further fuel trade friction in the aftermath of recent White House decisions to impose tariffs on steel and softwood lumber imports. The report, released by the U.S. Trade Representative, said competition in Japan’s $130 billion telecom sector remains stifled by high interconnection charges for wireless and wireless service; the absence of an independent regulator; burdensome filing and licensing requirements for competitors; and weak dominant carrier regulation. The U.S. said it continues to be concerned about the Korean government’s excessive influence and involvement in the telecom industry. … Read more
Japanese company plans to launch wireless IP-based service
TOKYO—Yozan, a Tokyo-based software developer, on 2 April announced that the firm is going to launch Internet Protocol (IP)-based wireless service in the fourth quarter of 2002 by fully using both PHS networks that Yozan acquired from Tokyo Telecommunication Network earlier this week and wireless local area network (WLAN) networks. According to Sunao Takatori, president of Yozan, the firm will construct WLAN networks in the Tokyo metropolitan area by putting a WLAN device on each of 4,000 PHS base stations in the area. The service will provide 32 kilobits per second (kbps) service for moving users, 2 Megabits per second (Mbps) service for users on the street and 8 Mbps service for indoor users. To launch the service, Yozan will provide a PC card-type terminal, an embedded terminal and a PHS-type terminal. Last year, Yozan acquired a beeper business unit from Japan Telecom for 1.6 million yen (US$12,100). … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
