News
Issue #2002 - 43 (November 2002)
(Updated Nov. 13, 2002)

TECHNOLOGY

3G News

1.Qualcomm Ships Dual CDMA/GSM MSM6300 Phone Chip
Qualcomm's new MSM6300 chip -- shipped to manufacturers earlier this month -- allows handsets makers to create phones capable of using both CDMA and GSM networks. The MSM6300 chip is aimed at enterprise-based handsets. No carrier has yet to commit to using phone using the new chip. For more information, go to detailed description on our site. 

2. KDDI to Post Solid Half-year Driven by 3G
Japan's KDDI is expected to post solid half-year results this week, boosted by strong demand for the carrier's 3G "au" mobile phone service. Corporate researcher Toyo Keizai has forecast a group net profit for KDDI of 14.5 billion yen ($118.9 million) for the half-year -- more than double the 6.7 billion yen net earned a year earlier. KDDI's au service - which uses CDMA2000 technology -- had attracted 2.65 million users as of September, beating rival NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 3G service and making it the first 3G success story of the mobile Internet. 

Go to http://www.Reuters.com  for more on this 

3. Hutchison may be beaten to 3G punch by  TIM of Italy
After all the hype, it appears Hutchison may not be able to deliver 3G handsets in Europe before Christmas. Hutchison this week was forced to admit that a handset bottleneck could delay its 3G roll out. Previously, Hutchison had said that it would have 3G handsets available for the Italian market both on its Web site and in stores in Italy before the holiday. Meanwhile, Telecom Italia Mobile has said that it will have operational 3G service before the end of the year. TIM has already installed roughly 1,000 3G base stations and expects to have these up and running. No word yet if TIM will have operational 3G handsets in time for launch.

For more information: http://www.3G.Co.UK and http://ww.reuters.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory:  Success of 3G at KDDI is remarkable considering the much-exalted DoCoMo that did not make the grade with Japanese 3G enthusiasts. Should we give kudos to Qualcomm for this or for the migration chip that it has come up with to ease migration woes from GSM and relatively poor spectral efficiency of GSM/GPRS?

As for Hutchison's sad face in front of Santa, we know that you have to be good and working hard till the last day to get your prize. We are not serving our customers by oft-repeated and often-missed promises. To console Hutchison's customers and those from TIM perhaps, we could say that in the wonderful world of wireless communications, we should expect minor surprises. Santa Claus will come back to town in 2003 as well. Hutchison, you better be good. You better watch out. Santa Claus is coming back to town next year!. Subscribers, please pardon our taking liberties with Christmas songs for children.

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