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To: DaveMG who wrote (19939)12/17/1998 4:19:00 PM
From: Ruffian  Respond to of 152472
 
3G Compromise Coming>
sted 17/12/98 12:49pm by John Lettice

Cellular outfits plan 3G compromise statement

Asian and European cellular companies are to issue a joint statement regarding third
generation (3G) wireless technology, according to Japanese reports. The content of
the statement is not as yet known, but the companies involved suggest that it will be a
further attempt to isolate/tame Qualcomm.

Qualcomm, Ericsson and the ITU last week got involved in strange manoeuvring over
the convergence of rival standards for high speed wireless (see Ericsson plots
Qualcomm's demise). The ITU has issued an edict threatening to remove squabbling
parties from consideration for the global IMT-2000 standard, while Ericsson has made
what it claims is an offer of a compromise. The CDG (CDMA Development Group)
has rejected this out of hand, saying the offer is deliberately incompatible with its own
preferred option. Qualcomm has meanwhile been fingered by the ITU for being less
than generous with its intellectual property, and Ericsson is trying not to get into trouble
(and therefore, possibly, out of consideration) for similar sins.

The companies making today's announcement will likely include most of those
involved in the compromise over the European UMTS standard last year. This
grouping included Ericsson, Alcatel, Nokia and Siemens, while NTT is also involved,
as its technology is a key part of UMTS.

Nokia made neutral noises when Ericsson made its compromise offer last week, so
although it might seem that the UMTS grouping is getting ready to squash Qualcomm,
it's by no means certain that they'll support Ericsson entirely.

Qualcomm, however, has few friends, so it's still likely that whatever deal they come up
with will put further pressure on the US company. ®