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ITU approves radio interfaces for third generation mobile systems
At a meeting of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which took place over
a two week period in March in Fortaleza, Brazil, decisions were reached to provide a
single standard for IMT-2000 terrestrial radio interfaces. The new standard is broken up
into CDMA and TDMA or combinations of the two, and will allow the licensing process
of IMT-2000 to start in some countries. Finland has already granted licenses to four
companies (see following article).
Related links:
ITU and IMT-2000
3GPP
Local and global impact for world's first 3G licenses
The International Telecommunications Union's recent agreement on radio standards for
third-generation (3G) mobile technology has laid the platform for global harmonization of
standards, giving the green light for countries to grant licenses for the new technology.
And Finland has wasted no time. It gave out the world's first 3G mobile technology
licenses on March 18.
Four licenses were granted, each for a 20-year period. They were awarded to Finland's
majority state-owned Sonera, Radiolinja, owned principally by Helsingin Puhelinyhtiö,
Sweden-based Telia Mobile and Suomen Kolmegee, which is made up of regional
Finnish telecom companies. The Swedish company Tele2 owns a 20 percent stake in
Suomen Kolmegee.
The first licensee, Sonera, (formerly Telecom Finland) is No. 1 in GSM. The second
licensee, Radiolinja, is No. 2 among GSM operators in Finland. Telia, the third licensee,
is currently operating GSM 1800 networks in several cities in Finland.
Suomen Kolmegee is more of an unknown quantity, according to Rantala, especially
since Tele2 recently bought into the group. "It's unclear whether the regional telecoms
will build their own separate systems or a single network," Rantala says.
Ericsson is open to working with all of the licensees. "I believe we have a strong
portfolio for all of the four," Rantala says. "And we can help not just in providing
hardware but also with strategy and ideas. In the future the world won't look the same
as it does now. Everyone will need a partner to help them get ahead."
It is well known that Finland has the highest mobile phone penetration in the world,
Rantala says, as well as equally high internet use. "It will be interesting to see how fast
3G grows keeping these two factors in mind."
The granting of the licenses in Finland has broader implications for 3G technology as
well. "There have been worries that the licensing process was 'asleep' due to
trans-Atlantic trade discussions," says Thomas Sidenbladh, LM Ericsson. "It is
important that the 3G process continues to move forward. The hope is that the Finnish
decision will break the ice and serve as inspiration for all countries that hesitate to start
licensing because of perceived trade problems. It will also encourage pioneering
countries such as the Netherlands and Britain, where the process seems to have been
slowing down."
Related links:
Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications
Sonera
Radiolinja
Telia (English version available)
Tele2 (Swedish only)
International Telecommunications Union
Ericsson a leader in 3G at CeBIT Conference
Ericsson further established itself as a leader in the world of wireless Internet
technology at this year's CeBIT conference, presenting live system demonstrations,
e-commerce solutions and devices to enable multiple third-generation (3G) services.
Some hightlights:
Systems
Edge
Ericsson took a step into wireless multimedia with its Edge technology for 3G. Edge
makes services like multimedia emailing, Web infotainment and video conferencing to
be easily accessible from wireless terminals.
Edge is designed for migration into existing GSM and TDMA networks, enabling
operators to offer multimedia and other IP-based services at speeds of up to 384
kilobytes per second in wide area networks. An important attraction of Edge is the
smooth evolution and upgrade of existing network hardware and software, which can be
introduced into an operator's current GSM or TDMA network in existing frequency
bands. Commercial introduction could start in less than two years.
Mini-Link BAS
Ericsson also launched a wireless access system optimized for IP-based services that
offers speeds up to 37 megabytes per second. The point-to-multipoint access system
bridges wireline and wireless networks, handling bandwidth-hungry IP services,
multimedia emailing and video conferencing. Together with the less demanding
bandwidth requirements of telephony services, it provides an efficient new solution to
smooth the convergence of datacoms and telecoms.
With Mini-Link BAS, users get instantaneous bandwidth allocation appropriate to their
needs, using available spectrums efficiently to handle datacom services. The system
offers significant cost savings in relation to commonly used solutions.
Go to Ericsson at CeBIT for more information.
E-commerce
Wireless wallet
Ericsson demonstrated the "wireless wallet" that communicates with mobile phones
and the Internet. Using infrared technology (and soon Bluetooth), consumers will be
able to access smart card services, making secure transactions, payments and
purchases wirelessly. Providers such as banks, travel agencies, airlines and brokers
can use the technology to allow consumers to access their services.
MobileSmart
MobilSmart is a payment system that provides end-to-end security ensuring safe
transactions for both the content provider and the end user. Using a normal GSM
phone, the user enters a PIN code that generates a digital signature that can be
authenticated by the existing Internet interface at the service provider, such as a bank,
stock exchange or other financial institution. The MobilSmart proxy handles protocol
conversions and adaptations of data between the mobile phone, GSM network and the
service provider's system.
MobilSmart makes minimum impact on the systems content providers currently use
and is designed to be easily adapted to WAP, GPRS, USSD or WCDMA systems.
MobileSmart is available today and can be used with GSM phones currently sold on the
market.
Jalda payment method
Ericsson also introduced Jalda, a non-proprietary Internet payment method. The highly
secure, multipurpose payment method is an account-based system, associating every
user with a specific account. Ericsson will distribute Jalda as freeware and will release
and promote Jalda as an open, nonproprietary standard for Internet use.
Jalda can handle payments from stationary or mobile terminals, such as PCs and
mobile phones. Its functionality can be embedded into virtually anything that can be
connected to the Internet. Users can be charged according to whatever parameter the
service or product provider chooses, including elapsed time, quantities, items, mouse
clicks, data files, searches or points for use of network-based or locally stored
applications. The system can work with online stores, online gaming, software
providers, IP service providers and other providers of products or services via the
Internet.
Go to Ericsson at CeBIT for more information.
Devices
R380
The device that generated the most talk is the new R380, one of two WAP-enabled and
EPOC-based products that Ericsson unveiled at CeBIT. The R380 has a built-in modem
that allows end users to fax, send and receive email and browse the Internet. The phone
also has an address book, calendar, voice note recorder and other personal
organization tools. The device will be released in volume in early 2000.
MC218
The other WAP-enabled and EPOC-based device is the MC218 mobile companion.
Working together with any Ericsson GSM mobile phone, the companion offers mobile
Internet capabilities including email and an HTML browser, along with a wide range of
business software applications.
Go to Ericsson at CeBIT for more information.
Ericsson to cooperate with Comverse on WAP solution
Ericsson announced recently that it will cooperate with U.S.-based Comverse Network
Systems Inc. and that Comverse Network System's leading messaging platform will be
integrated with Ericsson's new wireless application protocol (WAP) gateway.
Ericsson and Comverse will offer advanced unified messaging solutions that integrate
email, voice mail and fax into a common mailbox, accessible through any wireless
terminal.
So far Ericsson offers two system products based on WAP: WAP Gateway, a network
node for wireless operators that provides direct connection between the mobile network
and Internet servers, and WAP-IDE (integrated developer's environment) allows the
development of mass market access to Internet services from small-screen wireless
phones. WAP-IDE can be downloaded free of charge from
mobileinternet.ericsson.com
WAP is the key enabler for the tremendous increase in wireless interactive services that
have already begun. The WAP standard is to wireless what Internet was to wireline. In
the near future, services such as messaging, commerce, content and call services will
be managed via WAP enabled devices.
Related links:
Comverse Network Systems Inc.
Ericsson and Swedish business newspaper develop business tool for the future
Ericsson and Dagens Industri, Sweden's leading business daily, have teamed up to test
wireless distribution of financial information and transaction services to handheld
computers. The effort is designed to provide solutions for people who have to be able to
receive and act upon information, regardless of time and location.
Using only an Ericsson GSM telephone and an Ericsson handheld computer,
participants in the project will be able to keep up-to-date on the latest news from
business and financial markets and have the power to act on this information through
access to brokerage services.
"The strength of this concept lies in the fact that we are not only delivering pertinent
information but we are also enabling the user to act on the information," says Lars
Stahre, manager of Dagens Industri's network services.
One of the driving forces behind the development of Ericsson and Dagens Industri's
service concept is the fact that many market analyses indicate that in the near future
the number of information appliances connected to the Internet will exceed the number
of Internet-linked personal computers. The majority of these information appliances will
be types of handheld computers with wireless connections to the Internet.
Related links:
Dagens Industri (Swedish only)
Demo center, WCDMA test network open
A standing-room-only crowd got a taste of what third-generation (3G) technology is all
about at the March 15 unveiling of Ericsson's new WCDMA demonstration center. The
center uses technology provided by the new Stockholm WCDMA test network,
developed by Ericsson and operated in collaboration with Telia, Sweden's largest
network operator.
Following remarks from Ericsson and Telia officials, the 50 or so visitors were given the
opportunity to watch a TV broadcast from the United States, reserve movie tickets over
the Internet (several previews were shown), hear a radio news broadcast and get the
latest stock market quotes - all using WCDMA technology. The demonstration also
included rides in the demonstration van that featured videoconferencing between
passengers and those in the demonstration center.
The WCDMA test network's operating environment was also recently used for a live
demonstration of the new technology at CeBIT 99 in Hannover, Germany.
Ericsson and Telia began collaborating on WCDMA tests in the spring of 1998. The new
test network is a 3G mobile system using a WCDMA cellular network with multiple
radio base stations, a network controller and a switching center. The WCDMA network
connects to Telia's GSM and ISDN networks as well as to the Internet. It also connects
to the local PSTN via Ericsson's corporate network.
The WCDMA test network covers an area of about 15 square kilometers between the
Stockholm suburbs of Akalla, Kista and Sollentuna. There are plans to add a station in
downtown Stockholm.
Ericsson also provides operators in Italy, Germany, Japan and Britain with WCDMA trial
systems and has recently signed a cooperation agreement in China as well.
Related links:
Telia
Copyright and Editorial Information
© Copyright 1999 Ericsson
Mobile Next is an Ericsson publication produced in cooperation with Appelberg
Publications AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
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