3G
3G

3G

Alcatel Selected By China Netcom to Deploy 3G Trial Network in Beijing

Alcatel today announced that it has been selected by China Netcom Group, one of China’s incumbent operators, to deploy a 3G field trial network in Beijing. This agreement strengthens Alcatel’s position in 3G in China, having already successfully deployed a similar 3G trial network with China Telecom earlier in the year. This contract was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, Alcatel’s flagship Chinese company. Alcatel will provide China Netcom with Alcatel’s end-to-end field-proven Evolium(TM) UMTS solution based on the successful 3G products from Evolium SAS, Alcatel’s joint venture with Fujitsu. This solution includes the state- of-the-art UMTS Multi-standard Base Stations (Node B), a Radio Network Controller (RNC) and the core network elements.

NEC's New 3G Strategy

NEC says it will employ additional platforms from Qualcomm and Ericsson Mobile Platforms as part of their new dual-mode, W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS, 3G handset strategy for global business. NEC recently announced a strategic move to jointly develop system LSIs for 3G; with this platform, they plan to offer a wider range of handsets to meet the demands of 3G mobile operators and end users as 3G market expands globally.

Symbian 3G Collaboration

Sharp has signed an agreement with the Japanese division of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications [Press Release in Japanese] to collaborate on development of cell-phone handsets based on the Symbian operating system for NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA 3G service in Japan. The two companies plan to share selected hardware while developing 3G phones that will be unique to the Sharp and Sony Ericsson brands.

Q&A with Vodafone Japan CEO

Wherein Dr. Brian Clark fields questions from the Japanese media at a presser [WWJ Video here] held 16 November 2004; the good CEO responds to queries related to expected 3G subscriber numbers (“We don’t issue forecasts for customer numbers ahead of time”), sourcing 3G terminals from Korea (Korean terminals are not appropriate), and what percentage of customers use prepaid — and how will a ban affect overall performance (“Current base is about 11 percent; prepaid is a fundamental customer benefit”), among others. For wireless watchers, today’s Portable Reportable — a direct look at the inner workings of Japan mobile — is not to be missed.

mmO2 AND NTT DoCoMo ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON i-mode

mmO2 plc, a leading European mobile operator, and NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Japan’s largest mobile communications provider, today signed a long-term strategic agreement under which O2 will launch the i-mode mobile internet service in the UK, Germany and Ireland. This partnership will complement O2’s existing expertise in data services with DoCoMo’s experience in non-sms data and its extensive research and development capabilities. Customers will benefit from easy to use services, rich content applications and messaging across a range of advanced handsets.

DoCoMo to Abolish 2G by 2012

There hasn’t been much noise about it, but several media outlets are reporting that NTT DoCoMo has said it will stop offering 2G service by 2012 as 3G technology goes mainstream; Kyodo, Yahoo News, and AFP have all carried this item. If you’ve seen the popularity of 3G FOMA and CDMA WIN in Tokyo, the news of 2G’s slow demise on Japan’s biggest carrier will come as no surprise.