Handsets

WASHINGTON-As the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau prepared to celebrate its one-year anniversary, the agency fined Qualcomm Inc. $25,000 for not complying with the 911 strongest-signal rules. The fine, which was agreed to as part of a consent decree, was the second …

BEIJING-Amiosonic’s new range of GSM mobile phones will be able to interoperate with Lucent Technologies Inc.’s GSM network infrastructure under a deal announced by the two companies. Mobile operators in China will now have an end-to-end solution starting next year, …

HONG KONG-The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is generally regarded with something between scorn and indifference in Hong Kong among industry sources, and mobile operators will not even reveal subscriber numbers for the service. This contrasts with the bullish claims of …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Operators in the Middle East are focusing on extending coverage and considering networks upgrades. The region offers enormous potential, considering the cellular penetration is only 3.5 percent-very low in comparison with world standards. However, penetration rates in some …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Israel is determined not to be shaken from its pristine position of having one of the highest cellular penetration rates in the Middle East by the current unrest in the region. “Penetration in Israel is growing steadily at …

OXFORD, United Kingdom-Unlike the hype that surrounded the launch of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services, European mobile operators are taking a conservative approach to how General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) will be commercially deployed. This time, no TV advertisements proclaim …

The satellite-based telecommunications market made headlines again as Globalstar Telecommunications released disappointing financial results and bankrupt provider Iridium endorsed a US$25 million buyout bid from former airline executive Dan Colussy. Globalstar’s results were based on what it called “unacceptably slow” …

DUBLIN, Ireland-Having spent vast sums on third-generation (3G) mobile licenses, operators are hoping terminals will live up to expectations. Unlike GSM, where handsets are broadly similar in appearance, it seems likely 3G handsets will come in a number of shapes …

PRAGUE, Czech Republic-Cesky Mobil, the Czech Republic’s third mobile telephone operator, is seeking to differentiate itself from its competition by offering low start-up costs and emphasizing ease of use. The formula has paid quick dividends. In its first four operational …

SAO PAULO, Brazil-Although trunked radio regulations were handed down in May, Brazil’s trunking industry is still awaiting detailed definitions before moving forward with their strategic plans. The market, with two major competitors, Nextel and Metrophone, could change dramatically with the …

TOKYO-The third-generation (3G) business plans and service strategies of three Japanese cellular carriers are becoming more concrete. NTT DoCoMo and J-Phone Group, the mobile business of Japan Telecom, are going to launch 3G services based on wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) technology in …

NEW YORK-More than any other part of telecommunications, the handset business “will go through the most severe changes in the next several years,” said Jeffrey Schlesinger, wireless technology analyst for UBS Warburg in New York. Slowing rates of growth in …

Not one operator around the world has rolled out third-generation services yet, but discussion of fourth-generation technology is already under way. An industry that began offering a basic communications tool is evolving into something much flashier, much more futuristic and …

After pioneering efforts to bring Bluetooth technology to market, Ericsson dropped plans to launch the T36 cell phone, its first Bluetooth-enabled handset, in an attempt to pull its handset division back toward profitability. The T36, announced in June, was one …

CHICAGO, United States-One of the first commercial deployments of Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology could be in Mexico next year based on presentations and interviews at the PCIA GlobalXchange event in late September. Mexico’s largest wireless carrier, …

TOKYO-Japanese vendors are in the final stages of developing third-generation (3G) terminals. Japanese 3G services are scheduled to be launched earlier than any other country in May 2001 by NTT DoCoMo, followed by J-Phone, the mobile business of Japan Telecom …

TORONTO-Now that the C$6.6 billion (US$4.3 billion) Telus deal to acquire Clearnet Communications has been finalized, engineering issues are starting to surface. The challenge? How to combine the wireless operations of Telus and Clearnet and determine the best path for …

TOKYO-The mobile music distribution business is going to take off in Japan, according to industry representatives. Some carriers have already revealed their services, while others are promoting field tests in cooperation with vendors. NTT DoCoMo at the beginning of 2000 …

SAN DIEGO-Kyocera Wireless Corp. and Lucent Technologies Inc. reported an agreement to work together to accelerate global deployment of third-generation CDMA wireless services by aligning development of Kyocera’s wireless handsets and accessories with Lucent’s wireless network equipment. The collaboration will …

WASHINGTON-Network-based solutions to meet the wireless enhanced 911 Phase II mandate may be winning the battle with handset-based solutions because handsets are not available as the deadline looms for carriers to make a choice. While many of the largest carriers-including …

In an agreement announced today, outsourced service provider Brightpoint Inc. will provide handset procurement, online order processing, inventory management, handset programming and distribution of wireless handsets for buy.com’s Wireless Store. buy.com is an Internet store with close to 3 million …

BEIJING-Zhang Fan, head of mobile communications at China Unicom, this week said his company would definitely build narrowband networks based on the CDMA standard. After Qualcomm Chairman Irwin Jacobs recently met Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and China Unicom Chairman Yang …

NEW YORK-Motorola Inc. has begun carrier trials of its first Bluetooth-capable wireless phone, the Timeport 270, and expects to begin shipping the CDMA handsets by year-end. Depending on “carrier testing regimens,” the manufacturer expects to ramp up to full production …

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Baltimore Technologies Inc. and Motorola Inc. announced a strategic agreement to provide security solutions for Internet-enabled wireless devices. Under the agreement, Baltimore will provide mobile root digital certificates which Motorola will embed in its upcoming wireless handsets and gateways. …

WASHINGTON-VoiceStream Wireless Corp. fully expects to meet the extended deadlines the Federal Communications Commission set out for it to implement enhanced 911, said the GSM carrier recently. “All of VoiceStream’s infrastructure vendors have confirmed that they will have products available …