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Wireless Trade Group Applauds Operators' Endorsement of
TDMA, Multiple Standards for Third Generation
Communications
BUSINESS WIRE
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb.
24, 1999--The Universal Wireless
Communications Consortium (UWCC)
Wednesday applauded the decision by the
technology committee of the Transatlantic
Business Dialogue (TABD) to support multiple
technology standards and other key principles
related to the deployment of third generation
(3G) wireless services.
Key U.S. and European wireless operators
participated in the committee's proceedings last
week in Washington.
"3G communications are closer to becoming a
reality today because of the operators who
forged this consensus in support of multiple 3G
wireless technologies," said Gregory G. Williams,
chairman of the Universal Wireless
Communications Consortium (UWCC) and vice
president - wireless systems [ SBC
Communications, Inc. ]
"The industry now agrees that multiple third generation standards, including
Time Division Multiple Access, should compete in a fair and open
marketplace. This approach makes winners of millions of consumers who
will benefit from greater innovation and from having a choice among
technologies."
Currently, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is studying
various 3G proposals and will make a critical decision in March on
standards for cellular and wireless air-interface components.
A statement of recommendations released Monday by the TABD
committee, the Electronics, Electrical, Information Technology,
Telecommunications (EETISI) Sectors, declared that "there was broad
consensus that a single global standard is not achievable for 3G wireless.
In addition, it was noted that competition and the ability to choose among
technologies provide incentives for innovation. Operators expressed their
desire to choose between standards according to their needs... "
The statement goes on to endorse a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
3G standard, as well as an umbrella CDMA standard with three modes of
operation that allows operators "to choose which of the modes of operation
to deploy in their networks that will best serve their needs."
The TABD, a U.S.-European industry forum, which plays an influential role
in bilateral business issues, agreed on other principles essential to the
deployment of 3G services, including:
-- a smooth evolutionary path from second to third generation systems,
so-called "backward compatibility";
-- achieving global roaming;
-- maintaining the ITU timeline for the deployment of 3G systems; and
-- resolution of outstanding intellectual property right disputes by private
parties.
Participants also agreed that government involvement should be limited and a
US move to institute a "Super 301" action would be "counterproductive."
"The ITU should give close consideration to these industry recommendations
as well as the numerous calls by the Clinton Administration for a
market-driven approach towards selecting 3G standards," said Frank
Urbany, BellSouth's vice-president, International.
"The TABD decision gives credence to the notion that government bodies
should not intrude into the standards-setting process and should allow
consumers and market forces to work their will."
Companies and groups participating in the TABD proceeding included: the
Information Technology Industry Council, the Universal Wireless
Communications Consortium, [ Qualcomm, Inc. ] , Telefon AB [ L.M.
Ericsson ] , [ Omnipoint Corp. ] , [ Bell Atlantic Corp. ] , [ Sprint Corp. ] , Oy
Nokia, [ France Telecom ] , [ GTE Corp. ] , IBM, Seimens AG, [ Deutsche
Telekom ] , [ Lucent Technologies, Inc. ] , [ Motorola ] , Nortel, SBC
Communications, Inc., and [ BellSouth Corp. ]
The UWCC is an international consortium of more than 115 wireless
carriers and vendors supporting the TDMA and WIN technology standards.
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 ] , Ericsson
Radio Systems, Cable and Wireless (United Kingdom), 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), SBC Wireless, Telecom New Zealand (New Zealand),
and VimpelCom (Russia).
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