Ctia Update>
Cellular-Phone Makers to Show New Products in New Orleans
Cellular-Phone Makers to Show New Products in New Orleans
New Orleans, Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, Motorola Inc.,
Qualcomm Inc. and other cellular-phone makers will show off new
phones and related gear this week at the 1999 Cellular
Telecommunications Industry Association trade show.
The CTIA Wireless '99 show will be tomorrow through Wednesday
at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson AB and others are looking to tap
growing demand for wireless phones and other devices that let
consumers stay in touch when they travel. The companies are
pushing to get sleeker phones to market faster, and the show this
week is expected to be a showcase for what will come this year.
''There will be plethora of new handsets,'' said Brian Modoff, a
wireless-equipment analyst at BT Alex. Brown Inc.
Modoff estimates the U.S. alone will add 14.4 million more
wireless users this year.
Nokia, the No. 1 cell-phone maker, is expected to unveil phones for
the code-division multiple access, or CDMA, digital standard
popular in the U.S. and parts of Asia. Korean makers like
Samsung Corp. are also expected to show off new CDMA models.
Qualcomm, which developed CDMA, will be presenting its new
Thin Phone, which weighs about 4 ounces.
The companies, including No. 3 cell-phone maker Ericsson AB, will
also have demos of their next-generation wireless networks that
are expected to include more data services, such as Internet
access and e-mail.
Ericsson also plans to show its new product that offers dispatch
and group-calling features to rival Motorola and Nextel
Communications Inc.'s service that combines cell phones with
walkie-talkie functions.
Wireless Internet Access
One of most popular topics at the show will be connecting wireless
phone and computer users to the Internet and other networks.
International Business Machines Corp. plans tomorrow to unveil
new products that make it easier for users of hand-held computers
to connect to corporate computer networks.
Qualcomm and top software maker Microsoft Corp. have a joint
venture with similar aims. John Major, who heads the venture, is
scheduled to speak Tuesday to give an update of the companies'
progress.
Microsoft is also expected to announce a new partnership with a
European phone company to offer wireless Internet access to
compete with a joint initiative of Motorola, Ericsson, Nokia and
Britain's Psion Plc.
Executives from wireless-phone companies will also be on hand to
discuss changes in the industry and expectations for new services
and calling plans. Bell Atlantic Corp. Chief Executive Ivan
Seidenberg, AirTouch Communications Inc. Chairman Sam Ginn
and Daniel Hesse, president of AT&T Corp.'s wireless division,
are all scheduled to speak.
NYSE/AMEX delayed 20 min. NASDAQ delayed 15 min.
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