Network Technology
Network Technology

Network Technology

Web Surfing from Tokyo to New York

Japan Airlines says it will expand its in-flight Internet connection service to flights between Tokyo and New York (JL006/005) from 10 May 2005; this will be the world’s first service on a transpacific flight according to the company. Provided by Connexion by Boeing Inc. (CBB) — a business unit of Boeing — the “JAL Inflight Internet Service” enables passengers to use their own wireless LAN-compatible personal computers to enjoy real-time Internet access during flight. Initially the service will be available on alternate days but towards the end of June it will be available daily. JAL’s Tokyo-New York route is popular with business travelers, who represent a high percentage of total passengers.

Vodafone K.K. Applies for 1.7GHz W-CDMA 3G Field Test License

Vodafone K.K. announced that today it has applied to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for licenses to operate W-CDMA experimental radio stations on the 1.7GHz frequency band, marking the first time in Japan for an existing 3G mobile operator to apply for a field test license on this frequency band. After receiving a field test license, Vodafone K.K. plans to conduct field tests for approximately 6 months in Chiba prefecture to investigate radio wave propagation characteristics and building shadowing effects, as well as measure in-building penetration loss while operating on the 1.7GHz frequency band.

Fujitsu Launches WiMAX Chip

Fujitsu Microelectronics has introduced a highly integrated WiMAX system-on-chip (SoC), the MB87M3400 [ .jpg image ], which complies with the IEEE802.16-2004 standard and that will enable development of a new generation of WiMAX-compliant broadband wireless access (BWA) equipment.

QUALCOMM Comples Interoperability Testing on DoCoMo's 3G Network

QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced the successful completion of WCDMA interoperability testing (IOT) on NTT DoCoMo’s 3GPP WCDMA-compliant FOMA network. The IOT began in June 2004 using QUALCOMM’s Mobile Station Modem(TM) (MSM(TM)) MSM6250(TM) chipset and software solution. The successful testing included extensive network performance, standby-time and talk-time evaluations. In addition to the existing interoperability of QUALCOMM’s solutions with global WCDMA networks, the successful conclusion of IOT with DoCoMo ensures that the software for the MSM6250 chipset and all future QUALCOMM WCDMA chipsets will also be fully compatible with the FOMA network.

Wireless Networks in Japan Vulnerable

Wireless computer networks across Japan are still vulnerable to illegal access, the National Police Agency said in an annual survey released Thursday. An increasing number of companies and local government offices have information security policies in place, but many of them have yet to establish measures to protect wireless local area networks, the NPA said. The NPA has conducted an annual survey since 2000 when Japan implemented a law making unauthorized access to computer networks illegal.

DoCoMo Sets Ambitious 3G Goal

DoCoMo has set a target of selling more than 20 million high-speed data handsets this year, twice the number of its customers using such services, to help win a dominant market share. “More than 80 percent of the handsets we sell this year will be 3G, and the total number of 3G subscribers will be more than our competitor for sure,” Takeshi Natsuno, DoCoMo’s managing director of multimedia services, said Monday in an interview. [We noted this strategic move when they announced the low-cost 700i-series in February. — Ed.]