CDMA CONGRESS>
CDMA 1998 Americas Congress Recognizes Key Industry
Players; Perry LaForge Hosts Awards Ceremony With a
Special Message From Former FCC Chairman, Reed Hundt
BUSINESS WIRE
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov.
19, 1998--The CDMA Development Group
(CDG) Thursday announced the winners of the
First Annual CDMA Industry Achievement
Awards during the 1998 CDMA Americas
Congress, hosted by Perry LaForge, executive
director of the CDG.
Reed Hundt, former FCC chairman, also participated, delivering a message
honoring the recipients and the global success of cdmaOne. The awards
ceremony was held at the Museum of Flying and focused on 1998's
cdmaOne achievers throughout the world.
"We are proud to recognize the cdmaOne achievements of key wireless
industry leaders," said LaForge. "Their contributions to the CDG have led to
the commercialization and globalization of cdmaOne, resulting in phenomenal
success for cdmaOne operators, manufacturers and subscribers worldwide."
The 1998 CDMA Industry Achievement Award winners include:
-- Past President and Founder -- F. Craig Farrill, AirTouch
Communications, Vice President Strategic Technology
Farrill, past president and co-founder of the CDG, has served on the
executive board as president since 1994. His telecommunications systems
engineering and management career of 21 years has played a significant role
in the success of the CDG. He has also proven to be an instrumental leader
in strategic matters before government and regulatory bodies.
-- Overall Subscriber Growth Award -- SK Telecom
This award is given to the company that has demonstrated significant
subscriber growth over the last year.
[ SK Telecom ] launched the world's first commercial CDMA service in
January 1996. They are one of the world's largest service operators with 5.5
million customers -- 4.7 million are digital and 800,000 million are analog
customers. The company is a world-class integrated operator in the
information and communications field and is well positioned for the next
millennium, while keeping customer satisfaction a top priority.
-- Wireless Local Loop Subscriber Growth WLL Award -- Centennial
Communications
This award is given to the company that has demonstrated outstanding work
in deploying cdmaOne WLL systems.
[ Centennial Communications ] is the seventh largest independent cellular
provider. The company's wireless telephone subscribers was 354,100 on
Aug. 31, 1998, compared with 231,600 in August of 1997, which is a
52.9% increase. Puerto Rico serves 43.3% of that growth. Overall, 45
cdmaOne WLL systems are now deployed in 23 countries.
-- Subscriber Product Innovation Award -- QUALCOMM
This award is given to the company that demonstrates forward thinking in
terms of services supported and terminal design. Resulting products take
advantage of the inherent benefits and latest technological developments of
cdmaOne, offering consumers state of the art handsets.
The company exceeded seven million cdmaOne phones shipped since the
company's inception, with shipments doubling from 1997 to 1998. They also
were the first to introduce the pdQ CDMA digital smartphone, which
combines the functions of the PalmPilot and a CDMA phone. Mass
production of Q phones began in a new manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo,
Brazil.
-- Innovative Solutions Through Teamwork -- Repeater Technologies
and Nortel Networks
This award is given to the companies that have brought new ideas and
different approaches to product development by working together to
leverage strengths and expertise of their different companies. Resulting
solutions provide value added, cost effective implementations for operators
supporting the advancement of cdmaOne.
Repeater Technologies and Nortel Networks have worked together to
standardize CDMA repeater products and to accelerate the deployment of
cdmaOne in outlying suburban and rural areas.
Nortel has optimized six base stations and also modified BTS parameters to
work with repeaters. Repeater Technologies is a global repeater provider
and utilizes network designers to ensure customer satisfaction.
-- Infrastructure Product Innovation Award -- Samsung
This award is given to the company that has introduced network elements
that allow operators flexible and cost effective solutions for urban, suburban
and rural implementations incorporating today's advanced cdmaOne features
with an easy evolution path to future enhancements.
PicoBTS provides cellular and PCS operators with an exceptionally small
and high capacity platform, allowing for maximum deployment flexibility. It is
easily installed in non-traditional areas including sides of buildings, tunnels,
bridges as well as telephone and utility poles. In addition, it provides
operators with a compact product that's flexible in designing mobile
networks and offers reduced operational and deployment costs. It also
provides open architecture to make CDMA an affordable option for smaller
carriers.
-- Technical Achievements -- Dr. William Lee, AirTouch
Communications and Dr. Andrew Viterbi, QUALCOMM
Dr. Lee has been heavily involved with setting standards in the digital cellular
area. He assisted and supported the pursuit of CDMA for cellular systems,
which he also introduced in Korea. In 1990, he invented and patented a
new microcell system that reduced frequency reuse and increased capacity.
Under Dr. Viterbi's leadership, QUALCOMM has received international
recognition for innovative technology in wireless telephone systems and
CDMA products. Dr. Viterbi received international honors for his work in
digital communications theories and has written numerous research papers
as well as two books. He was also one of the first communication engineers
to recognize the potential and purpose of digital transmission techniques for
space and satellite communications.
-- Exceptional cdmaOne Branding Award -- DDI and IDO
This award is given to the company that most effectively utilized the
cdmaOne brand.
DDI and IDO incorporated solid branding in their service launch in Japan
with the use of the cdmaOne name on phones and as the name of service.
They have introduced the cdmaOne brand name in consumer marketing with
their advertising featuring "Titanic" star, Leonardo DiCaprio to promote the
technology. In addition, the brand name is on all package and collateral
materials.
-- International Leadership -- Lucent Technologies
This award is given to the company that has successfully helped in the
development and/or implementation of cdmaOne outside of the company's
headquarters region. Qualifications included assisting international operators
for the good of the technology (regardless of financial interest) and
promoting the adoption of cdmaOne by participating in international
delegations and speaking opportunities.
[ Lucent Technologies ] has manufacturing facilities in 21 countries and 60
sites with a strong presence in the Americas and Asia Pacific region. The
company has been recognized globally for its scientific discoveries and
technological innovation. They have also effectively marketed cdmaOne
outside of its headquarters' region.
The CDMA Development Group is a nonprofit trade association formed to
foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of cdmaOne.
The 100 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest
wireless operators and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of
the CDG include development of cdmaOne features and services, public
relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international
support. Currently there are more than 500 individuals working within
various CDG subcommittes on cdmaOne-related matters. For more
information about the CDG, contact Christine Bock of the CDG News
Bureau at 714/540-1030, Ext. 11, e-mail chrisbock@bockpr.com or visit
the CDG Web site cdg.org.
NOTE TO EDITORS: cdmaOne is a trademark of the CDG.
(Copyright 1998)
_____via IntellX_____
Publication Date: November 19, 1998
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