China
L.M. Ericsson announced it signed a $64 million contract with the Shanghai Posts & Telecommunications Administration to expand its Global System for Mobile communications dual-band network. Ericsson said it provided SPTA’s first commercial GSM 1800 trial system, which was implemented last year. The network expansion will provide new services like wireless Internet access to as many as 550,000 subscribers. It is scheduled to be in service by the end of June.
Thailand
Orbcomm Global L.P. announced it signed a satellite service agreement with Loxley Public Co. Ltd. of Thailand, in which Loxley’s Infra division will establish an operating company called Orbcomm Thailand to provide a two-way data and messaging communications system in the country. Orbcomm is launching a constellation of low-earth-orbit satellites and hopes to begin offering mobile satellite-based data and messaging services next year. With the Thai agreement, Orbcomm has agreements with 13 licensees covering 97 countries.
India
Qualcomm Inc. announced plans to open an international corporate center in Chennai, India, to support a variety of business efforts, including software development, training, regional customer support and deployment services. Qualcomm plans to move expanded software development for the QCTest family of Code Division Multiple Access network-optimization tools and QEDesign, the company’s wireless network-planning software, to the Chennai center. The new facility, scheduled to open in June, will employ nearly 100 people by the end of the year, said the company.
Philippines
Pilipino Telephone Corp. launched digital cellular service in the Philippines using a Code Division Multiple Access network provided by Motorola Inc.’s Cellular Infrastructure Group, Motorola CIG said. The service will debut in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila. Network subscribers will be able to roam throughout most of Piltel’s existing analog network with a dual-mode phone.
