re: GSMA Member Expansion
>> 57 New Members Join GSM Association In Seattle
Latest in-take brings ten new countries - including Korea, Argentina, Mexico, Peru & Cuba - into the GSM family for the first time
Seattle, Washington
March 29, 2001 -
Fifty-seven new members have joined the GSM Association during its 45th Plenary Meeting in Seattle, USA this week (March 26-29 2001). The in-take includes the first wireless networks to deploy elements of the GSM family of technologies (GSM, GPRS, EDGE & 3GSM) in Korea, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Cuba, among others taking the number of countries under the GSM umbrella to 168.
The Association latest in-take reflects the accelerating pace of convergence toward 3GSM, as the world's preferred route to a 3G global wireless standard. Five new 3GSM licensed operators, including two from Korea and three major TDMA players are among the new members, with some of the world's leading hi-tech companies that are working with the GSM community today, joining as Associate Members.
Reflecting the growing trend of TDMA operators deploying the GSM family of technologies, several major TDMA players have joined the Association this week. Telecom Personal becomes the first Argentinean network to join, along with Radio Movil (Telcel), the first Mexican network to deploy GSM and GPRS technology.
TDMA operator Rogers Wireless Inc of Canada also comes into the Association fold this week, again underlining the significance of the GSM family's evolutionary roadmap to 3GSM. Recent announcements by Cingular Wireless (the mobile joint venture of SBC and BellSouth) that it is also to deploy a high-speed GPRS network further adds to the heavyweight presence of GSM in North America today.
"We are delighted to welcome our new members to the GSM world, they join a global wireless community that is unique in terms of its depth and breadth of experience, as well as its approach to creating and defining leading edge communications services for customers around the world," said Jim Healy Chair of the GSM Association.
'It is fitting that they join us in Seattle, a place where much of the world's wireless and computing industry has been developed, and continues to develop.'
Hutchison 3G, winner of the UK's fifth 3G licence, Xfera Moviles SA of Spain, H3G of Italy, Mobilcom Multimedia GMBH of Germany and KT ICOM of Korea are all new 3G licensed network operators, which take the Association's total 3G operator licensed membership to 29. Of the Association's members' 440 networks, some 34 already have GPRS networks in commercial deployment, with a further 20 in testing and implementation phases.
'Our membership today reflects the incredible potential for the GSM family of technologies as we unite to work together in creating and delivering globally seamless services that customers demand,' commented Rob Conway, CEO of the GSM Association.
Microsoft Corp, Intel Corp & Psion are just three of the 'new wave' technology suppliers to the wireless industry that join existing Associate members such as Compaq, Cisco, IBM, EDS and Bull in the premier global wireless industry representative body.
Microsoft announced it's intentions to join at the 3GSM World Congress recently; 'We are excited to become a member of the GSM Association,' said Mike Dusche, product manager for the Smart Card Group at Microsoft. 'This will accelerate our ability to realize our goal of making SIMs an easily programmable platform for developers who want to deliver rich functionality to the GSM wireless family.'
Tony Sica, director of marketing for Intel's Wireless Communications and
Computing Group said: "We are working with the industry to speed application development for next-generation wireless clients through our Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture, so it's natural for us to participate in the GSM
Association as the industry heads toward a next-generation network."
Associate membership of the GSM Association provides organisations with the opportunity to network closely with their customers through attendance at the Association's global gatherings of members, and through participation in Working Groups, Interest Groups & Regional Groups. It also provides access to essential GSM Technical Documentation and potential involvement in Industry Leader Summits that are shaping the wireless industry's future along with many other benefits.
'The Association's membership is continuing to grow stronger and more diverse, establishing a solid foundation for one global wireless standard in the 3G world that will bring benefits to hundreds of millions of customers throughout the world,' said Conway.
Ten new countries join the GSM world this week including: Bermuda, Sao Tome and Principe, Myanmar, Gambia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Niger, Cuba & Korea.
New Members & Associate Members joining the GSM Association this week:
AA Technologies - Egypt, Associate Member
Aicent Inc - USA, Associate Member (GRX Carrier)
C_Com - Cuba, Network Operator (GSM 900)
CELTEL Niger - Niger, Network operator (GSM 900)
Cescom - Canada, Associate Member
Coleman County Telecommunications Inc - USA, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
Companhia Santomense de Telecomunicacoes SARL - Sao Tome & Principe, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Compudigm International Limited - New Zealand, Associate Member
Digital Telecommunications Phils Inc - Philippines, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
Eliska Wireless, Inc - USA, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
Entel SA - Bolivia, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
Gambia Telecommunications Cellular Company Ltd (Gamcell) - Gambia, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Global Crossing - UK, Associate Member (GRX Carrier)
H.O. Systems - USA, Associate Member
H3G - Italy, Network Operator (3G)
Hallo! - Frjals Fjarskipti hf - Iceland, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
Hutchison 3G UK Ltd - UK, Network Operator (3G)
Hutchison Telephone (Macau) Company Limited - Macau, Network Operator (GSM 900/1800)
ID Data Systems Plc - UK, Associate Member
I'M Technologies Private Limited - Singapore, Associate Member
Intel Corporation- USA, Associate Member
Intercel - Congo - Democratic Republic of Congo, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Islandssimi GSM ehf - Iceland, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
IS-TIM Telekomunikasyon Hizmetleri Anonim Sirketi - Turkey, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
Joint-stock company 'Orensot' - Russia, Network Operator (GSM 900)
JSC Uralsvyazinform - Russia, Network Operator (GSM 900)
KEDR RMS - Russia, Network Operator (GSM 900)
KT ICOM - Republic of Korea, Network Operator (3G)
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd - India, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Metawave Communications - USA, Associate Member
Microsoft Corporation - USA, Associate Member
Millicom Ghana Limited - Ghana, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Millicom SL - Sierra Leone, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Mobilcom Multimedia GMBH - Germany, Network Operator (3G)
Multiregional Transit Telecom (MTT) - Russia, Associate Member
Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications - Myanmar, Network Operator (GSM 900)
Prisma Engineering S.R.L. - Italy, Associate Member
Psion - UK, Associate Member
PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler - Indonesia, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk - Indonesia, Network Operator (GSM 1800),
Radio Movil DIPSA de C.V. (Telcel) - Mexico, Network operator (GSM 1900)
Research in Motion - Canada, Associate member
Rogers Wireless Inc - Canada, Network Operator (1900)
Setel NV, Netherlands Antilles - Network Operator (GSM 900)
Smartone Mobile Communications (Macau) Ltd - Macau, Network Operator (GSM 900/1800)
Sun Tec Business Solutions - India, Associate Member
Suomen 2 G Oy - Finland, Network Operator (GSM 900/1800)
Tanzania Telecommunications Co Ltd - Tanzania, Network (GSM 900/1800/400)
Telecom Personal SA - Argentina, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
Telecommunications (Bermuda & West Indies) Ltd - Bermuda, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
TIM Peru S.A.C. - Peru, Network Operator (1900)
TMP Corp - USA, Network Operator (GSM 1900)
White.Cell Inc - Israel, Associate Member
Wireless Communications Services Company Limited - Thailand, Network Operator (GSM 1800)
Xfera Moviles SA - Spain, Network Operator (3G)
Yemen Mobile Phone Company 'Sabafon'- Yemen, Network Operator (GSM 900),
Zao Mobicom-Kavzaz Joint Stock Company - Russia, Ne <<
- Eric - |
