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To: gdichaz who wrote (3352)	1/21/2000 8:29:00 AM
From: Mika Kukkanen	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

Chaz; I know the question was addressed to Eric, but I would like to make a couple of points in response. I am sure NTT DoCoMo can wait, their "i-mode" service has helped them reclaim the initiative. You are right that WCDMA can't be described as GSM, however, this simple fact is overlooked or just not understood. One of the reasons for the success of GSM was its specifications. WCDMA utilises these, i.e., most of it apart from the air-interface. GSM describes the backbone not just the (TDMA) air-interface. Now that is the point, when you realise that, then you would then realise that the air-interface part is actually not THE major component. The GSM kit that is being deployed today from most of the manufacturers will basically need a software upgrades to complete most of the migration to WCDMA. However the WCDMA transceiving part will have to be deployed. As for WCDMA terminals, you obviously were not at Geneva last October. The Japanese companies are quite far ahead in terminal development...the one that struck me most was from NEC. From handheld to a communication portal with Bluetooth connectivity to a video conferencing unit (each would fit in your shirt pocket). As you well know, there is currently no WCDMA commercial operation anywhere in the world. And just to make sure that we don't get into the vapour ware syndrome. WCDMA is supported by more manufacturers than a competing technology we know well. Personally, I have used WCDMA systems by 5 different suppliers. Yes it does work, and if you are a GSM operator it still provides the best to the ultimate destination, mainly due to re-use costs. Clear? M

To: gdichaz who wrote (3352)	1/21/2000 7:42:00 PM
From: Eric L	Respond to of 34857

Chaz, << "Very soon" might be just a bit ahead of reality >> 2001? << you follow GSM closely Eric, could you tell me if the final specifications are yet agreed to? >> I know that you have seen this release below. My interpretation was and is that Release 99 allows manufacturers to start to design to standardized (as opposed to a nonstandardized) version of WCDMA. Comments from you and others welcome on this. 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP) APPROVES RELEASE 99 SPECIFICATIONS IN RACE TOWARDS GLOBAL STANDARD FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM. Nice, France, 17 December 1999 – Standards bodies from China, Europe, Japan, Korea and the United States today agreed upon a set of specifications for 3rd Generation Mobile communications. At the invitation of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, ETSI, over 400 of the world's leading mobile communications experts gathered in Nice, France, at a meeting of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to approve "Release 99", the comprehensive set of 300 specifications which will enable the launch of third generation (3G) mobile communications. Complete text at: 3gpp.org << since Tero"s key test is commercial operation, is WCDMA in commercial operation anywhere in the world? >> No. << is there a terminal that doesn't require a truck to transport it? >> LOL! There will be a commercial launch time. << whether WCDMA is properly described as GSM is an interesting question, since it is CDMA in its airface >> UTRA is the CDMA air interface of UTMS. I am more intersted in the standardized or soon to be standardized versions of 3G than the nonstandardized versions. Although a bit dated I have not seen anything in print that contradicts this below. Have You? - "Confident that their network will ultimately be fully compliant with ETSI standards, Mr. Kuramoto reassured that they are even prepared to regress to make modifications in their network if necessary. "We are projecting, though, that this will not entail any hardware modifications; we can cope with any changes through software modifications." nokia.com - Eric -

To: gdichaz who wrote (3352)	1/21/2000 9:55:00 PM
From: Eric L	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

Chaz, The UMTS Forum has just updated their home page. Text below. umts-forum.org The timely completion by 3GPP of Release 99 was a major milestone in the evolution of technical specifications for UMTS/IMT-2000. Thanks to the intense preparatory work by regulators, we have entered the new Millennium with the stage set to capitalise on the opportunity of more than 1 billion users that UMTS/IMT-2000 will enable over the next five years. The first UMTS licences have been granted, spectrum is being identified and assigned, and experimental systems from leading manufacturers are already in field trials. The UMTS Forum is committed to assist in the development of future specification releases with increased focus on applications and services to support the successful market launch of UMTS/IMT-2000 globally. Commercial operation of the first UMTS/IMT-2000 networks will begin in 2001 and by 2005, we expect these will be widely deployed around the world supported by a vast choice of exciting new user terminals and applications. All this is just around the corner! - Eric -