Re AWE switching to GSM? This could explain it to an extent.
Toward the end of the article it seems to indicate WCDMA and a big footprint.
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However, the price AT&T is asking for an investment in its wireless unit is understood to be the biggest obstacle in the talks.
Like other US wireless carriers, AT&T Wireless needs cash because it is expected to bid aggressively in two US auctions of wireless spectrum due late this year and early next year. It also emerged last week that the wireless unit will have to repay debt to its parent when it is spun off next summer.
DoCoMo's overseas investments to date reflect an attempt to spread the use of its third generation technology, W-CDMA, as the global standard for high-speed wireless internet access.
In continental Europe, where carriers plan to adopt W-CDMA, it has taken a 15 per cent stake in KPN Mobile and a 20 per cent stake in Hutchison 3G in the UK.
AT&T Wireless and Cingular, which use current generation TDMA technology, are likely to adopt W-CDMA for third generation services, DoCoMo believes.
The Japanese carrier, which has said it is interested in joining hands only with a US partner that will use W-CDMA and that has a national foot print, believes AT&T Wireless and Cingular satisfy its criteria.
AT&T Wireless has 14m customers while Cingular has 19m, second in the US only to Verizon Wireless.
However, AT&T Wireless could be the more attractive partner, given its brand recognition.
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