ISTANBUL, Turkey-The GSM Association has announced a restructuring and renewed focus on speeding the implementation of third-generation networks amid continued W-CDMA delays across Europe. The group plans to establish a wireless network operator chief executive officer-level board to replace its current structure and to work together to speed 3G services.
The 21-member CEO board will include representatives of 12 of the world’s largest mobile operators by subscriber numbers. The association said more than 90 percent of its members supported the proposal to make fundamental changes to its decision-making process, which will become effective in 2003, at its plenary meeting in Istanbul.
The changes come amid heightened criticism from the CDMA community of W-CDMA technology rollout delays and take-up rates.
The association also addressed GPRS roaming and multimedia messaging service offerings. The group said 95 percent of the world’s countries have now adopted GSM technology, with only eight “major” countries not adopting the standard. Those countries include Colombia, Djibouti, Ecuador, Eritrea, Haiti, Iraq, Uruguay and Zaire.
