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Technology Stocks : Nokia (NOK) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elmatador who wrote (19530)	4/12/2002 1:40:05 PM
From: JohnG	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 34857

NOK CDMA phone FLUNKS at Telestra. Nokia phone fails Telstra CDMA test itnews.com.au By Michael Sainsbury, iTnews Thursday, 11 April 2002 The first CDMA handset from Nokia has failed to make the grade in Telstra's network approval process. This follows the continued hold up with Telstra approval of Nokia's GPRS 8310 unit. Cracks are appearing in Nokia's sales strategy after years of sweeping all before it and garnering an unprecedented market share of around 60 percent in the Australian mobile market. Telstra CDMA boss Tim Buckley said: "We have a Nokia in test that we haven't elected to go with." Buckley explained that the problems have emerged because Nokia did not use the chipset from US-based CDMA market leader Qualcomm on which Telstra's Nortel Networks built network is based. "We are not sure how it is going to work with our boomer cells [special long range base stations developed by Nortel for the Australian market]. We are not convinced that it will work as well as other handsets," Buckley said. But he added that he was encouraged by a new range of CDMA phones from Nokia using the Qualcomm hardware, planned for 2003. One of the problems the CDMA network has experienced is a lack of branded handsets. Buckley revealed that a low end Sony Ericsson unit is "by far the biggest selling" CDMA phone. Sony Ericsson, the Australian markets distant number two, has just released a new high end CDMA phone that has the capability to use the CMDA fast data upgrade 1xRTT which Telstra is considering rolling out as its first third generation mobile network. Another 1xRTT unit by Kyocera has also been approved by Telstra. With 1xRTT units already in the hands of subscribers, the launch of such a network, by Telstra would obviate the traditional problems of handsets being six to twelve months behind network rollout. Meanwhile, Telstra has still failed to approve Nokia's 8310 GPRS phone. With Telstra holding around 46 percent market share, ongoing problems with the leading carrier's networks could see Nokia's market share chipped away. Sony Ericsson has already claimed over 50 percent market share in the emerging GRPS market. More problems for Nokia also emerged recently with the company admitting software flaws in its 6310 unit. Copyright 2002 Penton Media. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.