Motorola Inc.’s Messaging Systems Products Group licensed its FLEX technology to paging infrastructure manufacturers EcoSoft GTCO and Tecnomen Oy. EcoSoft said it will use the technology to make inexpensive paging terminal equipment for Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States markets. Tecnomen Oy plans to develop FLEX-based equipment for worldwide distribution, including the United States, as early as next year, Motorola said.
Millicom International Cellular S.A. increased its equity ownership in Celltel Lanka Ltd., Millicom’s cellular operation in Sri Lanka, from 81.4 percent to 99.8 percent. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Celltel’s cellular network covers the entire island of Sri Lanka, including 21 of its largest cities. Millicom has operations in Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa, according to the company.
Indonesian network provider PT Satelindo awarded Siemens AG a contract to expand its mobile radio network using Global System for Mobile communications technology. According to the agreement, Siemens’ Public Communication Networks Group will install switching systems and base stations for the country’s islands of Sumatra, Irian Jaya, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. PT Satelindo said it has 180,000 subscribers and expects to reach 2 million subscribers by 2000.
The Farinon Division of Harris Corp. opened an Asian regional center in Kuala Lumpur, which will provide business development, sales and marketing, engineering, proposals and customer service support to Harris customers and partners in the region. The Farinon Division manufactures microwave communications systems and products. Harris said it has more than 4,500 employees based in Kuala Lumpur.
Korea Mobile Telecom said it expects to have 4 million subscribers on its Code Division Multiple Access system by 1999. The CDMA network was built to work with the existing Advanced Mobile Phone Service network in metropolitan Seoul and it currently supports 375,000 subscribers, KMT said. The company said it hopes to cover 1 million subscribers across the country with the CDMA system by the end of the year.
Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. signed agreements with China’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications’ China Telecommunications Broadcast Satellite Corp. to provide mobile satellite services in China by 1998. Under the agreement, Chinasat will be the sole distributor of Globalstar services in China, will own and operate four Globalstar ground stations and will be responsible for interconnecting the Globalstar system to China’s existing wireline and wireless infrastructure. Globalstar, a venture that includes Loral Corp. and Qualcomm Inc., said it expects to serve more than 200,000 subscribers in China by 2002.
