UMTS

BRAZIL ADC Telecommunications Inc. announced it signed a $16 million contract to supply GVT Brazil with a broadband access bundled solution for the southern and central regions of Brazil. ADC …

BIENNE, Switzerland-The auction of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses in Switzerland ended quickly last week, with only four companies bidding on four licenses, raising $120 million for the government. Swisscom; …

PARIS-Matsushita Communications Industrial Co., Ltd. and Nortel Networks moved to push the standards set by 3G Partnership Projects and their own products and services. Under a new agreement, the two …

OSLO, Norway-The Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the winners of the country’s four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses, which were awarded through a beauty contest. The license winners …

With AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s announcement that it will overlay its existing TDMA-based network with a GSM network supporting GPRS, the pressure is on other TDMA carriers, specifically the largest …

MADRID, Spain-The Spanish government said it will tender two additional GSM licenses by 2002, according to international press reports. The country’s four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) license winners are …

London-based mobile phone giant Vodafone Group plc reported strong interim results for the six months ended Sept. 30, including a 55-percent increase in proportionate customer additions compared with the same …

LONDON-Vodafone Group plc and France Telecom’s Orange both acquired stakes in the Swiss wireless market ahead of the country’s Universal Mobile Telecommunications System auction, set to begin next week. Vodafone …

BUCHAREST, Romania-Slovakian operator Globtel prefers a “beauty contest” process of licensing the country’s third-generation (3G) licenses. Eva Forraiova-Guttlerova, the company’s public relations manager, said the beauty contest system is more …

VIENNA, Austria-Europe’s fifth auction of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses ended after less than two days of bidding. All six participants gained licenses to operate UMTS systems in Austria, drawing …

WARSAW, Poland-The three Polish wireless operators are unhappy with the terms of the government’s Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) tender and are reported to be considering boycotting the process or …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Operators in the Middle East are focusing on extending coverage and considering networks upgrades. The region offers enormous potential, considering the cellular penetration is only 3.5 percent-very low …

DUBLIN, Ireland-Having spent vast sums on third-generation (3G) mobile licenses, operators are hoping terminals will live up to expectations. Unlike GSM, where handsets are broadly similar in appearance, it seems …

BUCHAREST, Romania-Although most of the third-generation (3G) licensing attention in Europe is focused on Western Europe, Eastern European countries are also moving forward with licensing plans. The region, with lower …

CHICAGO, United States-One of the first commercial deployments of Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology could be in Mexico next year based on presentations and interviews at the …

Alcatel Europe. With Orange as a strategic supplier for its third-generation networks throughout Europe. Value: Undisclosed Italy. With Wind Telecomunicazioni as a preferred third-generation network supplier. Value: Undisclosed Ericsson China. …

The controversy surrounding European third-generation (3G) spectrum auctions reached a new peak with Dutch and Italian competition authorities launching investigations in early November into possible collusion between rival bidders. These …

ROME-The results of the Italian third-generation license auction are unfortunate for the Italian government and British Telecommunications plc, while most opportune for the five companies that have unofficially won licenses …

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. could have a more difficult time offering bundled services to its customers after the business unit is separated from the parent group, according to one analyst. …

BUCHAREST, Romania-Hungary is preparing to launch an auction for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) licenses in second-quarter 2001. According Andras Somogyi, the director of the International Organization Communications Authority, the …

ROME-The Italian auction for five Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses began last Thursday. Italy is Europe’s largest cell-phone market, with six groups participating in the auction process, which is expected …

WOODBURY, Spain-Comverse Network Systems demonstrated its third-generation-capable unified messaging service, including video messaging, over Nortel Network Corp.’s Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network at the UMTS Conference in Barcelona, Spain. The …

BARCELONA, Spain-Nokia Corp. introduced several new third-generation network solutions and mobile Internet application platforms designed for wireless operators and service providers at the UMTS 2000 Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Nokia …

BARCELONA, Spain-Nortel Networks announced new Internet Protocol core network, base station and management offerings as part of its `Wings of Light’ strategy last week at the UMTS 2000 show in …

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-InterDigital Communications Corp. plans to expand its UMTS product portfolio during the next five years to serve the third-generation wireless market with the addition of base station …