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To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (23653)	6/26/2000 5:21:00 AM
From: techguerrilla	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 35685

Sprint PCS/Nokia CDMA deal . . . . while a Senior Techincal Staff Member goes to CDMA Wireless Academy San Diego. This is paradoxical to me. I don't understand why Sprint PSC last week placed a $500 million order for two Nokia CDMA models (6185 and 5170). The 6185 has a web browser and sells for $180. Can Nokia really make that sophisticated a cellphone. wirelessweek.com From the June 21, 1999, issue of Wireless Week Nokia Notches CDMA Deal By Brad Smith The lack of choice among digital handset models has been one of the black marks against carriers using code division multiple access technologies in the United States. Until this year, the top three handset manufacturers virtually ignored CDMA. That's changed now. Retail outlets offer new models from Motorola Inc. and Nokia Corp., which just entered the underserved CDMA market in a big way. Nokia, the Finnish manufacturer, last week signed its biggest CDMA handset deal to date when Sprint PCS agreed to buy up to $500 million worth of two Nokia models. The contract is among Nokia's largest and helps it meet a challenge from No. 2 Motorola in the growing CDMA market. Nokia may have been the world leader in handset sales last year with 23 percent of the market, but CDMA made up just a tiny portion of its sales. "This is a major contract for them," said telecom analyst Brian Modoff of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown in New York City. "We've estimated they had less than 5 percent of the CDMA market share. They just haven't had much product for CDMA." Under terms of the contract, Sprint PCS will buy at least $360 million of dual-band, tri-mode 6185 and single-band 5170 models. The 6185 is the CDMA version of the Nokia 6160, which has been a hot seller for time division multiple access carrier AT&T Wireless Services Inc. Sprint PCS, like AT&T a national carrier, may buy more than $500 million worth of the handsets. Several other carriers also have signed up to buy the 6185, but not in such quantities as Sprint PCS. Among them are AirTouch Communications Inc., Bell Atlantic Mobile Inc., PrimeCo Personal Communications LP and GTE Wireless Inc. Motorola sales remain strong, however, with BAM's announcement last month that it will buy 1 million digital handsets from Motorola. Sprint PCS declined to say how many handsets were involved in its contract with Nokia or the breakdown between the 6185 and 5170 models. The 6185, which Sprint PCS has started selling for $179.99, also is the carrier's entry into Web browsing. The handset is capable of using the Wireless Application Protocol microbrowser to access specially designed Internet sites and content. Initial shipments of the 6185 won't have the WAP browser, which will be available next fall, but buyers can have the browser software added to the phones later at Sprint PCS stores. The carrier recently signed a pact with WAP software leader Phone.com Inc. Sprint PCS also recently signed a deal with Internet powerhouse Yahoo! Inc. to offer Yahoo! Web content and co-branded services to the carrier's 3.35 million subscribers. Sprint PCS spokeswoman Ashley Pindell said more announcements on Internet services would be made in the near future. Nokia and Motorola were among the founding members of the WAP Forum, and Nokia has said it expects WAP phones to comprise up to 15 percent of its handset sales next year. Several carriers have announced they will offer WAP handsets this year, including Bell Mobility Inc. of Canada, Bell Atlantic Mobile, Pacific Bell Wireless Inc., U S West Wireless Inc. and Nextel Communications Inc. Sprint PCS has added many new handsets to its arsenal this year, including the dual-band, voice-activated Samsung SCH-1500 and Motorola's CDMA version of its popular StarTAC. Sprint PCS signed a contract with Samsung three years ago valued at $600 million, as well as a $500 million contract with Qualcomm Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------ A senior technical staff member at Nokia recently attended courses at the CDMA Wireless Academy in San Diego. cdma-wirelessacademy.com Here's a rlevant excerpt from that link: To Whom It May Concern: Subject: CDMA Wireless Academy Training Courses I recently attended the following courses provided by the CDMA Wireless Academy: 1. Introduction to CDMA (B30-01) 2. The CDMA Standard: IS95-A/B (A30-01) Both courses were presented in a professional manner and the contents, pace and training materials were excellent. All the instructors were of a very high standard and very knowledgeable about the subject matter they were presenting. Senior Member of Technical Staff Nokia Mobile Phones, Inc. www.nokia.com ------------------------------------------------------------ I don't get it. It has been my understanding that Sprint PCS has been pulling its Nokia CDMA cellphones from its shelves. What CDMA chips is Nokia planning to use in these cellphones for Sprint PCS? Is it possible the Telson deal could help get Nokia quicker access to chips for these phones? Everyone knows Nokia's CDMA chips don't work? Does the Sprint PCS deal for Nokia signal a panic for them to get their hands on some workable chips? Could last week's Sprint PCS deal for Nokia command Nokia to deal with Qualcomm for workable chips. Sprint PCS has high demands in the CDMA area. Just porchin' John