Seven companies set up a TD-SCDMA Technical Forum in Beijing. TD-SCDMA is a third-generation (3G) mobile-phone standard developed by the China Academy of Telecommunications Technology (CATT) and Siemens. The seven companies that set up the forum are China Mobile, China Unicom, Datang, Huawei, Motorola, Nortel and Siemens.
Geoworks said the International Trade Commission (ITC) has begun an investigation into whether Phone.com, Sanyo Electric and Sanyo North America are violating Geoworks’ U.S. patent for its Flexible User Interface. The investigation includes wireless devices and components, including Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) cell phones that contain Phone.com’s UP.Browser, Geoworks said. Geoworks contends Phone.com built the UP.Browser using Geoworks’ technology and has not paid Geoworks a licensing royalty.
British Telecommunications and AT&T are still in talks concerning a merger, international press reports said.
The GSM Association held its first-ever roundtable of leaders of its member group to discuss the future direction of the association and its activities relating to third-generation (3G) technology. The meeting reportedly drew an ultimatum from operators stating the GSM Association should take a lead in several issues, including 3G, or risk losing members. The group determined to take a more active role globally in issues of regulation. Discussions also centered around the environment and roaming, the association said.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) established guidelines for streamlining its procedures. The 135-year-old organization has been looking to reform to help it become more flexible and keep pace with the dynamic telecom market.
New working methods include holding “virtual” meetings through electronic means and a new fast-track approval procedure for technical standards. Under the new procedure, adopting a standard could take as little as two months, the ITU said.
