Network Technology
Network Technology

Network Technology

Vodafone K.K. to Offer Japan's First 3G Data Card Roaming Service

Vodafone K.K. announces today that from early September 2005 it will market a new version of its currently available VC701SI Vodafone Connect Card (manufactured by SII) with upgraded firmware*1 to let customers roam on W-CDMA networks overseas at high packet transmission speeds of up to 384kbps for downlinks (on a best effort basis*2). Marking a first in Japan*3, this upgrade will enable customers to enjoy mobile internet access abroad on PCs or PDAs using 3G data cards. The Vodafone Connect Card, which is currently available as the W-CDMA (3G) compatible VC701SI CompactFlash® (Type II) data card terminal, was launched in April 2004 exclusively for data usage in Japan, is popular among individuals and business customers in particular.

NEC Develops Mobile Router for 3G Network

NEC Corporation announced that it has succeeded in the development of a mobile router that enables seamless broadband communication from high-speed mobile vehicles such as train and cars through the employment of wireless LAN and a 3G network. Use of this mobile router achieves a next-generation ubiquitous networked environment where uninterrupted communication is allowed even on high-speed moving objects. This development enables real-time transmission of large volumes of image and voice data from mobile vehicles such as trains and cars, which is expected to realize the creation of a variety of solutions in the future. NEC plans to proceed with this research toward further verification tests of solution cases optimally employing this router.

Japanese Carrier Plans WiMax Network

ARNnet; A new Japanese telecommunications carrier plans to launch a national wireless network by the end of 2006 that will offer voice and data services using the emerging WiMax network technology combined with city-based WLANs (wireless LANs), a company backing the carrier said on Wednesday. The WiMax network will consist of about 200,000 access points (Must be a typo! – Ed.) each with a range of up to 3 kilometers. They will offer connection speeds of around 75 Mbps (bits per second) and cover 80 percent of Japan’s population by the end of 2007, according to Kaori Ogawa, a spokeswoman for Heisei Denden, a Tokyo-based communications carrier.

Vodafone K.K. Acquires New 3G Trial License for 1.7GHz Spectrum

Vodafone K.K. announced today that it has acquired a preliminary license from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which was applied for on 27 April 2005, to operate W-CDMA experimental radio stations on the 1.7GHz frequency band, marking the first time for an existing mobile operator in Japan to receive such a license. Vodafone K.K. currently offers 3G services on the 2GHz frequency band. However, due to an increasing number of 3G customer contracts and the proliferation of packet communication flat-rate services, a rapid increase in 3G traffic is expected, which would make current 2GHz frequency band capacity insufficient.

NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1Gbps Packet Transmission in 4G Field Experiment

NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it achieved 1Gbps real-time packet transmission in the downlink at the moving speed of about 20km/h in a field experiment on fourth-generation (4G) radio access. The experiment took place in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture on May 9, 2005. This is the latest achievement in DoCoMo’s ongoing development of key radio access technology for 4G mobile communications.

WLAN, 3G Handoff Tests Successful

The mobile phone industry Tuesday heard loud and clear from Nortel and BB Mobile, a Softbank Group company, when the pair announced test calls demonstrating uninterrupted high-speed voice and data sessions. The test calls, completed on a live (UMTS) 3G network and an 802.11 wireless LAN, exhibited a seamless hand-off of voice and data services between a 3G network operating in the 1.7-GHz frequency band and a WLAN, the companies said, claiming the development dials up a new benchmark in convergence.