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TOKYO-Amid harsh competition among mobile carriers, Japanese cellular handsets have been evolving rapidly. Most handsets currently used are light, tiny, fashionable and smart. Internet-ready capabilities and color screens are almost standard functions.NTT DoCoMo is selling only i-mode-enabled handsets, all J-Phone's handsets have color screens...

In a move to transform itself into the chief platform enabler among software developers and carriers, Qualcomm Inc. has developed an open, CDMA-based technology that will allow third-party users to write applications for mobile phones from a variety of vendors.The product, known as Binary...

TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo Inc. and America Online Inc. last week announced their long-expected business alliance. The combination of the largest mobile carrier in Japan and the largest Internet service provider in the world will give NTT DoCoMo a foothold to launch its popular i-mode services,...

TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo and America Online Inc. are reported to have reached a basic agreement about forming a joint venture, Yomiuri Shimbun reported last week.NTT DoCoMo denied the report, saying there was no such agreement as of Aug. 21.During the last few weeks, additional press...

TOKYO-Tokyo Telemessages Inc. (TTM), a paging company suffering from huge debts due to a sharp drop in customers because of strong competition from mobile phone operators, went bankrupt at the end of May. The beeper operator has debts of around 25 billion yen (US$206...

TOKYO-NTT International Corp. (NTTI), a subsidiary of NTT Corp., promotes overseas telecommunications projects in developing countries using Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding. Since it was founded in 1985 as an operational squad for NTT's overseas business, NTTI has promoted a total of 400...

The first GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) network in Zambia is scheduled to be commercial at the end of October. At its launch, Zambia will join more than 20 African countries that have GSM networks.The new operator, Zamcell, is a joint venture of...

TOKYO-The number of Personal Handy Phone System (PHS) subscribers in Japan has decreased for six straight months since last October. Suffering from a total of 590 billion yen (US$4.42 billion) in accumulated deficit, the PHS industry is being required to take drastic restructuring measures.Top...

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-The national wireless alliance of AirTouch Cellular, Bell Atlantic Corp., Nynex Corp., U S West NewVector Group and PrimeCo Personal Communications L.P. announced they have signed a contract with Independent Telecommunications Network Inc. to provide Signaling System 7 seamless roaming and enhanced...

A Korean company has allied with an Indian manufacturer to build pagers and paging systems in India, and directly compete with U.S. manufacturers that claim strong inroads into that nation.Seoul-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is pooling money and expertise with Larsen & Toubro Ltd....

JAKARTA, Indonesia-The government of Indonesia could issue several new personal communications services licenses next year in the 1.8-1.9 GHz frequency band, according to international news reports.Three new cellular operators were licensed in the last two years to build Global System for Mobile cellular communications...

Short forms are due today for designated entities, marking a giant and-finally-tangible step toward the Federal Communications Commission's C-block auction of nearly 500 personal communications services licenses set for Dec. 11.About 25 DEs will actually make it to auction, and only a handful will...

Telemac Cellular Corp. agreed to license its patent-pending debit technology to Trimax Inc. of Taiwan. Trimax will use the technology to manufacture a switch independent cellular debit phone. The license is expected to result in the distribution of 500,000 phones into China during a...

Other Iridium investors include: Iridium Canada Inc.China Great Wall Industry Corp.Iridium Africa Corp.Iridium Andes-Caribe of VenezuelaIridium India Private Ltd.-a consortium of Indian financial institutions, investing $32 million, one seat on the Iridium board, rights to gateway service covering Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri...