Martin,
<< I also feel that with VOIP around the corner >>
VOIP is certainly a part of the digital future and and in light of Vodafone AirTouch's announcement today, a 1 month old press release from their web site pertaining to the Gorilla Cisco might be of interest:
VODAFONE AIRTOUCH TEAMS WITH CISCO, HYUNDAI ELECTRONICS, AND TELOS TECHNOLOGY ON SUCCESSFUL WIRELESS IP DEMONSTRATION
16-Dec-1999
System is Industry's First Competitive IP Approach to Wireless Network Design.
Vodafone AirTouch Plc (LSE: VOD, NYSE: VOD), the world's largest mobile telecommunications company, has joined with Cisco Systems, Hyundai Electronics™, and TELOS Technology, Inc. on a success ful demonstration of an Internet Protocol (IP) core network for wireless communications. This new network is a cost-effective solution for carriers to offer next generation voice and data wireless ser vices. The demonstration took place in Reno, Nevada in the United States.
Vodafone AirTouch, a leader in advanced communications technologies, Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, Hyundai Electronics, a leading CDMA networks provider, and T ELOS Technology, Inc., an expert in telecom switching, collaborated on this demonstration to integrate new, more cost-effective elements for wireless networks. The program is part of Vodafone AirTouch 's ongoing effort to increase competition among wireless equipment suppliers.
Commenting on the successful trial, Arun Sarin, Chief Executive of Vodafone AirTouch USA/Asia Pacific Region said, "The success of this trial marks a historical event in the development of wireless Internet technology, potentially offering a cost-effective way for wireless carriers to provide the next generation of voice, information and Internet services over a total wireless IP core network s olution.
"Working in collaboration with some of the world's most advanced companies in this field, this represents the type of technical development being undertaken at the Vodafone AirTouch Global Technolo gy Headquarters in San Francisco."
Cellular and PCS service providers traditionally transport voice and data through a circuit switched network and purchase vertically integrated systems from large infrastructure manufacturers. Voda fone AirTouch is taking a different approach. Rather than using the traditional transport method for a wireless system, the entire demonstration network is connected through IP. IP is the fundamental technology enabler that forms the backbone of the Internet. The goal is to improve cost, interoperability, and services between a variety of competitive wireless equipment suppliers.
While the Reno demonstration was completed in the US PCS frequency bands, Vodafone AirTouch expects multi-supplier IP wireless systems to become available at other cellular frequencies as well. Hyu ndai Electronics' CDMA Pico Base Stations (BTS) were used in the demonstration between mobile subscribers and the IP network. The IP network transport capability was provided by Cisco Systems, Inc. an d TELOS Technology, Inc. provided IP-based support for wireless mobility.
The voice quality on mobile to fixed and mobile to mobile calls during the demonstration frequently approached fixedline quality. The trial system demonstrated that suppliers could successfully col laborate to generate a total IP core network solution.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Vodafone AirTouch, based in the United Kingdom, is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company. It has mobile operations in 24 countries on 5 continents, with more than 31 million pro portionate customers. In the United States, AirTouch serves more than 9 million proportionate cellular and PCS customers in 25 states and 22 of the top 30 U.S. markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dal las, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at cisco.com.
Hyundai Electronics provides sales and technical support for CDMA wireless networks for North America and the Caribbean from its office in San Jose, California. CDMA networks and handsets are produ ced in Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.'s ISO 9001 certified large-scale production facility in Ichon, Korea. In 1996, Hyundai Electronics provided wireless systems for the first commercially deployed CDMA network. Korea continues to account for a large portion of the world's CDMA subscribers. Building on this experience, Hyundai Electronics offers a full line of CDMA wireless network solu tions deployed world-wide for mobile voice and data, wireless offices, and for wireless local loop in traditional and packet networks at 800, 1800, and 1900 MHz.
TELOS Technology, Inc. provides cost-effective scaleable wireless systems for cellular, PCS and wireless local loop applications supporting AMPs, IS-136, GSM and CDMA wireless standards. Since the introduction five years ago of TELOS' family of wireless system products, TELOS has successfully deployed over 70 systems worldwide in North America, South America, Central Asia, Africa and several As ia Pacific locations. TELOS' other telecommunications products include a small Equal Access Tandem/IXC exchange, a standalone HLR and an integrated Prepaid/Debit platform. All these capabilities can c o-reside within a single MSC.
- Eric - |
