Handsets
Nokia
Nokia announced a new NMT 450 analog handset, to be available in the third quarter, that features true 3-volt technology and the Nokia NaviKey concept. The Nokia 640 weighs 195 grams and has a standby time of up to 80 hours and talk time of up to 90 minutes, according to Nokia. The handset supports 22 languages, has 20 ringing tones, an alarm clock, calculator and four games. It supports the NMT 450 Plus features, such as short message service, calling line identification and real-time clock. www.nokia.com
Ericsson
Ericsson confirmed that it plans to launch a CDMA handset in the second quarter of 2000 using components from Qualcomm. www.ericsson.com
Infrastructure equipment
Nortel
Nortel Networks released the CDMA Rural Cell, a long-range 800 MHz cdmaOne base station designed to improve the economics of rural digital cellular service. The product provides a coverage radius up to 180 kilometers under suitable conditions. Recent field trials with Telstra in Australia reportedly achieved coverage of more than 120 kilometers on land and 130 kilometers for marine service under typical conditions, using standard CDMA handsets and car kits. The product can reduce the number of cell sites required to provide rural coverage by as much as 50 percent, making it appropriate for sparsely populated areas, said Nortel. www.nortelnetworks.com
Siemens
Siemens’ PowerCP coordination processor can triple the capacity of Siemens’ mobile radio switching systems. Carriers can upgrade their existing Siemens switching systems with the PowerCP and have more than 1 million subscribers per mobile switching center (MSC) and 2.5 million subscribers in the home location register (HLR). The system also efficiently controls data and Internet traffic. The product is based on the architecture of the CP113C currently in use by GSM carriers. www.siemens.com/ic/networks/
Harris
Harris released Constellation, a medium-capacity, point-to-point digital microwave radio. Measuring just more than 3 cubic feet, the product’s first version is available for North American applications in the lower frequency bands. The radio has a 13.8-year meantime between failure rate and is configurable for different frequency and capacity upgrades. Automated maintenance capabilities and reduced spare parts requirements minimize operational costs. The product can be managed by one person from one location and features other remote software downloads, remote electronic inventory and remote control of test circuitry between sites for improved fault isolation management. Performance options include a service channel to provide one voice and one data channel and a keypad that enables users to configure the system, monitor alarms or diagnose a problem. The radio’s SNMP open network management system makes it compatible with FarScan and Harris Network Management systems. www.harris.com
Paging Equipment
Motorola
Motorola released the CP1250 word message pager with information service capability designed to receive a selection of content data delivered by Motorola’s i Kno! Internet-based information service architecture. With an eight-line display screen and 117,000-character message memory, the pager can receive personal paging messages and information services from carriers using the i Kno! system available on the Metrocall OnTheGoInfo service. The pager stores information by creating 15 super maildrops, similar to books containing related topics, each capable of holding 24 topics per address. Quickview serves as a bookmark and allows users to access pre-selected topics. Optimax EL automatically illuminates the display in low-light conditions, and a zoom functions allows users to select a larger font size. www.motorola.com/pagers
Canamex Communications
Canamex Communications released the Quikpager wireless system. The unit is available with a 1-, 2- or 5-watt crystal-controlled or synthesized UHF or VHF transmitter. It includes a POGSAG encoder for paging to alphanumeric, numeric and tone/vibrate pagers. Quikpager has an internal 5,000 pager database and uses smart voice prompts to receive pages from a touchtone phone. An internal modem sends messages to paging or PCS text phone companies or receives messages from other remote entry devices. A directory holds up to 200 names. An optional PageAlert unit monitors the status of up to 96 ports and pages programmable canned messages to individuals or groups of people. www.canamexcom.com
Wireless data
pc-plus Computing
pc-plus Computing announced IDA.wap (Internet Directory Access with Wireless Application Protocol), allowing WAP-enabled mobile phones or devices to access nationwide telephone directories. With the product, carriers can offer subscribers directory assistance without an operator. Wireless customers access the telephone directory databases and conduct directory searches using the keypad and display on their mobile phones. The resulting telephone number can be immediately dialed with one keystroke. SFR Cegetel, a telecommunications provider in France, purchased the product and plans to offer a nationwide directory assistance service using pre-WAP technology. IDA.wap is integrated into more than 30 databases around the world, the company said. www.pc-plus.com
