w-cdma
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w-cdma

DoCoMo and MTS Form Strategic i-mode Partnership

NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Japan’s leading mobile communications provider, and Mobile TeleSystems OJSC, the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS, today announced that have formed an exclusive strategic partnership under which MTS will launch i-mode in Russia and other CIS countries. As a result of this agreement, i-mode will become available through 13 operations. This long-term agreement, signed today by these two leading mobile operators, will allow MTS to offer i-mode services to its in Russia via its GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, with DoCoMo providing its brand name, know-how and technology. MTS plans to introduce i-mode in Russia before December 2005.

DoCoMo's Global 3G Handset

DoCoMo has introduced the N900iG [.jpg image], the first 3G FOMA handset compatible in approximately 115 countries/regions. The handset goes on sale 25 December 2004. N900iG users who want to use the handset abroad must subscribe to DoCoMo’s World Wing 3G roaming service for i-mode packet communications, videophone, SMS and voice calls in other countries/regions.

Sanyo Selling 3G Overseas

Hong Kong mobile network operator SmarTone Telecommunications Holdings said it has signed an exclusive agreement with Japan’s Sanyo Electric to develop 3G handsets for Hong Kong customers. The first Sanyo 3G handset exclusive to SmarTone, SX813, will be available in early 2005, but the two companies will introduce more models in 2005, said Sanyo Electric Senior Officer Takenori Ugari. SmarTone and Sanyo didn’t reveal the price nor the number of handsets to be sold under their agreement.

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.

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.

Dual-Mode 3G/4G Solution

UbiNetics and Renesas Technology Corp. have signed an agreement for the development of the first RF (radio frequency) solution capable of supporting W-CDMA and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) in the frequency bands used in Japan, Europe, and the US. HSDPA is the high-speed data transmission system which accelerated W-CDMA. Its system realizes 14.2-Mbps maximum high-data transmission speed. The announcement marks the second time the companies have partnered for joint RF solution development.