News
Issue #2002 - 41 (October 2002)
(Updated Oct. 29, 2002)

INFRASTRUCTURE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

3G Keeps on Moving Forward 

We bring the following news items from around the world, courtesy 3G website in UK.

1) South Australia Unveils 3G Mobile Network

South Australia has become one of the first locations in the world to offer a third-generation (3G) mobile network capable of providing the high-speed transmission of video and other media-rich services to the next generation of mobile phones.

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2002/4270.htm

2) J-Phone Creating a Japan-wide 3G WCDMA Network

Nokia has signed a contract with J-PHONE for the expansion of the company's WCDMA radio-access network (RAN) in Japan.

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2002/4281.htm

3) World's First 3G UMTS Calls Using an IP-based UTRAN

Nortel Networks demonstrated the world's first UMTS calls using an IP-based UTRAN (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network).

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2002/4279.htm

For more information: http://www.3g.co.uk

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: 3G vendors have been beaten up by the analysts (including us), shareholders and the enterprise community for a number of valid reasons. While we can find fault with their hype, stubborn nature and unrealistic expectations, we must appreciate the need for 3G network in all their forms (2.5G, 2.75G and true 3G) for our future needs. We can quibble about GSM/GPRS and CDMA as incompatible technologies but we must applaud innovation and spectrally-more efficient network technologies. If in the past, we found satisfaction in standardization and widespread roaming but poorer capacity out of the same spectrum, we must find ways to migrate from GSM to GPRS to Edge onwards to W-CDMA - howsoever disruptive it might be. We need 3G, 4G and 5G in future. We call upon our academic community and R&D labs to continue to produce more advanced signal propagation schemes, coding methods and intelligent antennas that will give us more efficiency and capacity out of a limited spectrum. 

Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures.  All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners.