UMTS

BERLIN-Siemens AG and NEC Corp. announced a joint venture to develop infrastructure equipment for third-generation systems. The joint venture, in which Siemens will hold 51 percent and NEC will hold …

Global System for Mobile communications providers met last week in Montreal for the 42nd plenary meeting of the GSM Association to discuss the technology’s evolution and products and services, though …

OXFORD, United Kingdom-Most cellular operators now recognize that to ensure their businesses continue to experience breakneck growth, they must compete more directly with fixed operators. According to industry analysts, this …

Austria The Austrian telecom control and licensing authority has started consultations with telecom providers on introducing third-generation systems. Austria must license at least one 3G standard to the UMTS specifications, …

The Austrian Telecom Control and Licensing Authority is seeking comments from operators on how to award third-generation licenses. The Austrian government said it has not yet decided on how many …

WASHINGTON-The European Commission said it supports industry efforts to harmonize third-generation mobile phone standards, but refused to retreat from plans to deploy home-grown technology for a pan-European 3G network and …

Third-generation technology standards groups say they accept the tri-mode Code Division Multiple Access standard recommended by mobile-phone operators worldwide. The 3G Partnership Project 2, a standards group established in North …

MONTE CARLO, Monaco-Seemingly lost in the breakneck expansion of the cellular industry is a largely forgotten fact-it was cellular operators wanting a common digital voice standard that drove the rapid …

AUSTRALIA Telstra will extend its CDMA network in Australia to include country locations currently covered by its GSM network but lacking in analog coverage, said the company. Hutchison Telecoms in …

SWINDON, U.K.-Lucent Technologies Inc. and Vodafone Group plc announced they made their first third-generation over-the-air trial calls using Lucent’s Global Third Generation Code Division Multiple Access technology at Vodafone’s headquarters …

MONTE CARLO, France-Nine global wireless communications companies formed a focus group to promote an Internet protocol-based wireless system for third-generation mobile communications technology. The group, called 3G.IP, consists of AT&T …

NEW YORK-Moody’s Investors Service, London, assigned a speculative grade rating of Ba3 to Orange plc’s planned private placement of $562 million in 10-year senior notes. “The Ba3 rating factors in …

Industry executives in February hailed the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue agreement as a major breakthrough in the 3G debate, but today it appears standards bodies have made little progress to pursue …

The U.K. government now plans to auction five third-generation mobile phone licenses early next year, explaining that more competition will drive down prices and spur innovative services. Last year, the …

Lucent Technologies announced three technical initiatives designed to increase capacity in TDMA equipment. The company announced a series of software enhancements developed by Bell Laboratories to increase frequency re-use; as …

OXFORD, United Kingdom-If an Olympic games in cellular communications were ever staged, there is little doubt who would head the medals table. Finland would take gold in almost every event. …

The telecommunications authority in France is asking the mobile phone industry to comment on licensing procedures for third-generation mobile phone systems with the goal of issuing licenses by 2000. The …

The Finnish government moved swiftly to award four third-generation mobile phone licenses. All four companies plan to use the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s chosen 3G standard, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications …

CANNES, France-Motorola Inc. and Global System for Mobile communications operator Vodafone Ltd. announced a collaborative agreement to implement Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems technology, a third-generation standard chosen by the European …

The Finnish government said it will be the first European country to grant third-generation mobile phone licenses by spring, and one company’s bid to use cdma2000 technology remains. Finland’s Ministry …

A Finnish Internet service provider will test the European Commission’s claim it has not shut competing mobile phone technologies out of Europe. Clari Net Oy, wholly owned by Finnish ISP …

PARIS-Alcatel and Motorola Inc. announced a global agreement to work together to develop, market and deliver integrated Code Division Multiple Access network infrastructure to customers worldwide. The companies also have …

COPENHAGEN, Denmark-Reaching agreement on a single work item within a standards organization can be a long and laborious process. Reaching an agreement between five standards organizations across the world is …

OXFORD, United Kingdom-Second-generation cellular has not been an entirely satisfactory experience for the United States. “We pulled up the beaches and said we are Island America,” said Tom Wheeler, chief …

Microcell Telecommunications Inc. said it completed the final phase of its 1998 expansion in Canada with the launch of Fido personal communications services in London, Ontario. The PCS service, operating …