Northern Telecom Ltd. announced Telemig, a Brazilian telecommunications provider, has signed two contracts valued at $95 million to purchase Nortel cellular network infrastructure equipment. According to the first contract, Telemig will buy DMS-MTX SuperNode switching, cell site equipment and voice channels to expand its Advanced Mobile Phone Service network in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais. The expansion is expected to double current system capacity. Telemig said it also plans to use Nortel equipment to expand its network capacity in three regions in the interior of Minas Gerais by late 1997.
Singapore police cars now are equipped with mobile data terminals and Mobitex radio modems from L.M. Ericsson. The terminals are linked to a central computer via the Mobitex network operated by ST Mobile Data. The modems are capable of obtaining data on people or cars from the central database, allowing officers to determine a suspect’s criminal record or if a particular car has been stolen. The system also helps police coordinate their response to crimes. Data sent through the network is digitized and encrypted.
Pilipino Telephone Corp. announced it will be the first operator in Asia to deploy Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group’s Home Location Register technology in its cellular network. The HLR will be part of Piltel’s expansion of its Mobiline Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service network launched earlier this year. It provides centralized, stand-alone management of subscriber data and location plus fraud management functions, the company said. Piltel also said it has arranged for an international roaming connection for its AMPS subscribers with cellular networks in North America.
American Portable Telecom Inc. will use billing mediation device software supplied by Oy Comptel Ab of Finland in its digital cellular personal communications services network, which it hopes to launch in early 1997. Comptel’s Mediation Device Solutions is designed to support Global System for Mobile communications, which APT has selected for its digital wireless communications services. The software, which collects subscriber billing data and converts it into a compatible format, will be installed at switch sites in each of APT’s networks, as well as at the company’s national operations center in Tampa, Fla.
AVIC Group International Inc. has acquired a 31 percent interest in a joint venture company that is building a Global Service Mobile cellular network in China’s Hebei province. AVIC said commercial operations in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, should begin in October. Service to three other cities is expected by the end of the year, and seven more cities are expected to have commercial service by mid-1997.
