UWCC/ETSI Agreement Enhances TDMA Convergence Worldwide
Misssed this last Friday and may have some bearing on the recent 3G soap opera:
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Universal Wireless Communications Consortium
UWCC/ETSI Agreement Enhances TDMA
Convergence Worldwide
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Universal Wireless Communications Consortium (UWCC) today unveiled a cooperative agreement with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), that will enhance the current level of cooperation between the two organizations. The agreement also will strengthen the role of TDMA standards in providing a technical foundation for the next generation of wireless communications.
''This is a major step forward towards the convergence of TDMA with the world's other dominant wireless formats. It also demonstrates that industry groups can work together to resolve technology issues and advance the interests of consumers without the intervention of governmental bodies,'' said Gregory G. Williams, UWCC's Chairman and Vice President - Wireless Systems SBC Communications, Inc. ''TDMA's future is bright and it is competing aggressively in the global market place. This dynamic technology will serve the needs of millions of customers into the next millennium.''
TDMA, which stands for Time Division Multiple Access, was developed in the United States and is the second most widely used digital wireless standard in the world.
The announcement comes as the debate over a ''Third Generation'' (3G) standard is growing in Washington and European capitals. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Geneva-based specialized agency of the United Nations, is coordinating efforts to select the technology standard for the next generation of wireless products, which will offer consumers high- speed data and Internet access, full motion video and other sophisticated multi-media services.
The UWCC contends that the ITU should adopt ''a family of standards'' to allow consumers, rather than government, to choose the technology that best meets their needs. The U.S. Government, in submitting four IMT-2000 3G- technology proposals, including TDMA, to the ITU, has endorsed a multiple standards policy. The Federal Communications Commission and the Departments of State and Commerce have all made strong expressions of support for ITU adoption of multiple
standards.
Specifically, the UWCC/ETSI agreement provides for:
* Increased exchanges of information and technical documents,
* The appointment of "observers" from both the UWCC and ETSI to
participate in each others technical working groups; and
* The use of each organizations text, graphics, and data in the
publications of the others.
''The bedrock principle of U.S. telecommunications policy is 'Let market forces and the consumer decide what is best,''' said
Leo Nikkari, the UWCC's Vice President of Strategy & Programs. ''Competition is good for the marketplace and leads to better quality, service, performance and price. As in other global industries, the government correctly supports the principle of a fair and open marketplace, including the right to choose from multiple technology options. ''
The UWCC/ETSI formal agreement evolved from the progress of both organizations' goals and objectives considering:
* A common objective to promote, directly or indirectly, international standardization with the aim of contributing to the establishment of a global standard in the mobile telecommunications domain;
* A reciprocal interest in avoiding duplication of technical work; and
* Adopting a complimentary approach to the standardization process.
The UWCC is a consortium of more than 115 U.S. and foreign telecommunications wireless carriers and vendors. The UWCC
supports the TDMA technology standard. Its Board Members include: Alcatel USA, Argentina TDMA Association, AT&T Wireless Services (USA), BellSouth Cellular Corp. (USA), Cellcom (Israel), Celumovil (Colombia) Compaq Computer Corporation [NYSE:CPQ - news], Ericsson Radio Systems, Hong Kong Telecom CSL (China) Hughes Network Systems, Industar Digital PCS (USA), Lucent Technologies, Mobikom SDN BHD (Malaysia), Motorola Consumer Products, Movilnet (Venezuela), Nokia, Nortel, Philips Consumer Communications, Rogers Cantel (Canada), Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems (USA), Telecom New Zealand (New Zealand), VimpelCom (Russia), and Sun Microsystems.
ETSI is Europe's telecommunications standard-setting body. It is a non- profit telecommunications standard making organization
for Europe. It is an open forum uniting 490 private sector network operators, service providers, and users from 34 countries.
SOURCE: Universal Wireless Communications Consortium
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