w-cdma
w-cdma

w-cdma

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.

Motorola Launches M1000 3G SmartPhone Developed Jointly with NTT DoCoMo

Motorola, Inc. a global leader in wireless communications and a mobile phone market leader in North Asia today announced the launch of the FOMA M1000, the world’s first-ever WLAN-integrated W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS dual-mode smartphone. Developed jointly by Motorola and NTT DoCoMo, the new handset is modeled on Motorola’s 3G A1000, which won high acclaim from consumers in Europe and Asia. The M1000 will be available in Japan from July 1, 2005 through NTT DoCoMo channels. (See Wireless Watch Japan’s Video Report from the press launch)

Motorola Debuts 3G Smartphone in Japan

Motorola Debuts 3G Smartphone in JapanDoCoMo’s hybrid 3G-PDA M1000 handset is off the showroom floor and finally on the street. WWJ was at the launch event and we’ve put together a quick video program showing just what sort of hoops this smartphone jumps through. Previewed at an April 15 press conference, the tri-band business-use handset from Motorola juggles W-CDMA, GSM and GPRS for global roaming, opens Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs as well as PDF files, and allows multiple email functions including POP and IMAP email. Internet access channels through the Opera 7.5 browser. DoCoMo took the (daring) step of dropping i-mode capability for the M1000 in favor of global compatibility. More PDA than phone, all navigation is through the bright, 2.9-inch touch screen.

Lucent Technologies and Japan's eAccess Complete Successful HSDPA 3G Tests

Lucent Technologies and eAccess Ltd., today announced that the two companies have completed successful High-Speed Downlink Packet Access data calls as part of a third- generation (3G) Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) network trial announced earlier this year. The testing took place in May and used the 1.7 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band that is being made available in Japan for the deployment of mobile service. Following these successful tests, the two companies plan to conduct a field trial in commercial and residential areas of Tokyo in the coming months. The trial will include deployment of an HSDPA-enhanced W-CDMA network in the 1.7 GHz spectrum band, and also will incorporate Lucent’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution.

DoCoMo and LG to Develop 3G Phone

DoCoMo and LG to Develop 3G PhoneNTT DoCoMo, and Korea’s LG Electronics just announced a basic agreement to jointly develop a dual-mode 3G FOMA handset that works on both W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS networks. The new handset will be capable of international roaming and equipped for all basic FOMA functions, including videophone and even i-mode mobile Internet access. Commercialization is targeted for spring of 2006. Though this move may seem rather like MSN and Yahoo coming out and agreeing to create joint web pages, DoCoMo needs to hustle up more offshore business even if it means sleeping with the enemy.

Softbank Gets Test Service License

Though Softbank seems to be making more headlines with their pro baseball team, the Hawks, than Internet and broadband ventures, the company is moving decidedly forward in its long-range plan to provide mobile W-CDMA phone service in the domestic market. On 30 May, the company received its hard-fought for license to test service in the 1.7-gigahertz band. This is not yet a license for full operation as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is still working on allocation policy for this and one other bandwidth.