Fujian Posts and Telecommunications Administration of China will trial Motorola Inc.’s fixed wireless telephone system using Fujitsu Ltd.’s switching system, announced Motorola’s Wireless Access Systems Division. The trial will be the first application in China of Motorola’s Code Division Multiple Access digital wireless local loop system at 1.9 GHz. China’s MPT has included wireless local loop systems as an essential element of its five-year plan to install up to 14 million lines annually through the year 2000, Motorola said.
Thailand’s plan to liberalize its telecommunications sector has come under fire because the government is still allowed to maintain a dominant role in providing phone services. Jonathan Price, senior executive director of Bangkok-based Siam City Merchant Banking, told attendees of a conference on privatization in Thailand that the policy “goes completely in the wrong direction” because the government’s plan formulated in March of last year allows the country’s two state-owned telecommunications companies to retain their monopolies until 2002. The plan had called for free competition in the provision of services among public and private firms beginning in late 1997. In addition, Thailand’s Ministry of Finance will be allowed to hold a 49 percent share in the privatized state entities.
Relm Communications Inc. and Stanilite Electronics Pty Ltd. of Australia announced they have signed a technology agreement to jointly develop trunked radio terminal products for the 400 MHz band. The radios will be marketed under the Relm and Stanilite brand names and will operate using the global MPT 1327 trunking protocol, the companies said. The new products will be software intensive with strong features and are compact in size.
The Brazilian government has decided to remove a controversial proposed restriction on foreign investors in the privatization of the country’s state-controlled telecommunications system. The Brazilian congress had been contemplating a bill that established the criteria for private sector firms to qualify for telecommunications concessions. The bill called for 15-year concessions to be granted to the highest bidders, but only companies with 51 percent of their capital in the hands of Brazilians would be awarded concessions.
Millicom International Cellular S.A. announced its worldwide operations experienced record growth during the first quarter 1996, adding 50,281 net cellular subscribers. During the first quarter ended March 31, MIC said its worldwide subscriber based grew from 251,277 to 301,558 subscribers. The company said it is continuing to accelerate the development of its cellular systems worldwide in order to meet the significant demand for cellular service in its markets, particularly in Asia and Latin America.
Precision Systems Inc. announced it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Vicorp N.V., a Brussels, Belgium-based privately owned company. Vicorp develops and distributes software and integration services for intelligent network-compatible interactive voice, data and videotext applications. Combined, the companies will be the world’s largest software-based enhanced services platform provider, with more than 35 percent market share worldwide, Precision said. Precision said customers around the world now will have one-stop shopping for all of their enhanced services requirements, including voice activated dialing, single number service, short message service, enhanced routing control for 800 services and virtual private networks.
