Mexico
Mexican wireless company Unefon launched initial service Feb. 10 in Toluca, a city outside Mexico City. The company plans to begin services in 20 cities during the next year and plans to go public by mid-2001. The company expects to have 1.5 million users within five years. It also owns a nationwide personal communications services license. Unefon is owned 50 percent by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca.
Italy
Nokia announced it signed a $175.5 million turnkey contract with Italy’s new Global System for Mobile communications operator, Blu, to supply and roll out network solutions for its GSM 1800 network. Under the agreement, Nokia will provide Blu with its national radio access network infrastructure, including high capacity Metrosite solutions, base stations, high capacity base station controllers and cellular transmission equipment. Nokia will also supply its Network Management System, bringing complete network management capabilities to the network.
France
France Telecom reported consolidated operating revenues were $26.9 billion for 1999, up from $24.3 billion for 1998. The company attributed the growth to the success of its Itineris wireless telephony service in France, the aggressive expansion of France Telecom’s international business and significant development of Internet-related businesses. At the end of 1999, France Telecom’s Itineris service had more than 10 million subscribers, representing an annual increase of 4.5 million customers.
Hungary
Motorola Inc. implemented for Hungary’s Westel 900 a General Packet Radio Service mobile data network using Wireless Application Protocol, enabling mobile Internet access for subscribers on the carrier’s Global System for Mobile communications network. The system solution for Westel includes a complete Internet Protocol-based GPRS core network infrastructure solution using routing technology from Cisco Systems Inc. and Motorola’s GPRS WAP-enabled Timeport 7389i handsets.
