Mika - Here's an article from the Singapore Business Times (on-line version). Not exactly the same info as in the Yahoo post from the Global Mobile daily digest, but covers some of the same material. Sorry, no mention of dwarves or bulky handsets. Only concern over upgradability and IPR rights.
To read for yourself business-times.asia1.com.sg and search for CDMA.
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SingTel Mobile shelves launching of CDMA network
By Teh Hooi Ling
No tender award; slowing subscriber growth among factors
[SINGAPORE] SingTel Mobile has decided not to launch a new Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile phone network for the time being, due to slowing subscriber growth, among other reasons.
SingTel Mobile yesterday held a briefing for the six bidders of the tender it called to install a CDMA network in November 1997, explaining its decision for not awarding a contract.
This is the second time SingTel Mobile has called a tender for a new mobile phone network with no award. In 1994 it called for a closed tender, drawing bids from five parties including Ericsson, Northern Telecom and Motorola. But at the close of the tender in 1996, SingTel Mobile said it was still evaluating the suitability of available digital technology for use in Singapore. It finally decided on the US-developed CDMA but is now concerned about the upgradability of existing narrowband CDMA networks to third generation broadband systems.
Tay Soo Meng, SingTel Mobile's senior director of mobile technology, told BT yesterday that the International Telecommunications Union has yet to decide on the standard for third generation mobile communications system which not only supports voice but also multimedia with a data speed of up to 2 megabits per second (Mbps).
"This has created much doubt and uncertainty for mobile phone manufacturers and operators as well as network manufacturers and integrators," he said.
"The issue of Intellectual Property Rights over CDMA technology also hampers the standardisation effort."
There is also a corresponding increase in concern over the compatibility of narrowband CDMA system with the third generation system and its ability to upgrade into one, he added.
Furthermore, Mr Tay said SingTel Mobile's current GSM capacity of 1.1 million lines is sufficient to cater to the projected subscriber growth rate for the next couple of years.
"The economic downturn has dampened the growth rate of mobile phone subscribers in Singapore."
In addition, SingTel Mobile's existing GSM network is able to support a third generation mobile phone system in the near future.
The decision not to award the CDMA contract, however, does not imply that SingTel Mobile is abandoning the CDMA technology, Mr Tay hastened to add.
"We believe that it is an important technology that would gain popularity in the next millennium, thus overcoming its current disadvantages of limited roaming destinations and handsets.
"The question for us is therefore not whether we will install" but when and which CDMA system to install, said Mr Tay.
SingTel's decision means that rival Mobile One will remain the lone CDMA operator in Singapore. This will not help M1's efforts to drum up more interest in the network. CDMA users now account for less than 3 per cent of M1's total subscriber base. The bulk are GSM users.
The third operator to enter the market next year will offer a GSM 1800 network. |
