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To: DaveMG who wrote (30722)5/24/1999 2:01:00 PM
From: DaveMG  Respond to of 152472
 
Washington, DC
May 24, 1999

U.S., South Korea Capture Strongest Quarterly Subscriber Gains for 1Q99

strategisgroup.com



To: DaveMG who wrote (30722)5/24/1999 3:41:00 PM
From: quidditch  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 152472
 
DaveMG, all: IPR, patent pooling and royalty rates: UMTS body seeks accords to keeps carrier costs under control in 3G deployment. See URL (thanks, slacker):

techweb.com

Well, we're having one fine day, almost vintage Holy War hagfish style. Under assault from cancer clinicians conclusions on cellular (GSM?) clutches on our cerebral cortex, a nosediving Naz and uppity UMTS spin on sanctity of contract, not to mention LU's GSM village green preservation society (Kinks, circa 1968).

The UMTS story reporter had quite a mouthful to say, including:

1. 3G patent platform under UIPA (UMTS's IPR study committee) "to ...set license and royalty fees for key 3G patents ...is about 95% complete";

2. proposed royalty %s are generally acceptable within the group (w/o Q!'s participation) and hoping to trade off objections of those "COMPANIES [THAT]DERIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR TOTAL REVENUE STREAM FROM ROYALTIES...[WITH] A LARGE NUMBER OF LICENSEES...."

3. Q!, according to [Julie] does not agree with any of the proposed patent-pooling arrangements;

4. UIPA hopes to have in place the patent pooling arrangement by year-end 1999, or at least before Docomo rolls out 3G; and

5. UIPA will succeed if it is able to attract 60%, 70% or 80% of the owner of 3G technology.

Does any of this compute?

While it is certainly in Q!'s best interests for CDMA-based 3G to reach as wide a universe of licensees as possible, this is likely under any scenario free of governmental body coercion or interference.

Any notion that Q!'s IPR royalties will be (i) assessed for inclusion as part of the patent platform determined to drive 3G and (ii) that related rates will be set and/or capped is profoundly unsettling. Q!'s potential is the unfettered combination of 1+2.

I can understand the need for carriers to minimize costs and redundancies for deployment to the 3G upgrade path, but is 3G as such inherently more expensive than operating today's 2G or analog systems? Does any of this compute? Is this the crow ETSI will force Q! to eat to eat GSM toast in Europe?

Regards. Steven



To: DaveMG who wrote (30722)5/24/1999 7:19:00 PM
From: DaveMG  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 152472
 
And the fun and games continue. Despite all the hoopla surrounding the ERICY/QCOM agreement, it sounds like little has really changed. Here's some quotes on 3G from the RCR News print version which I ponied up for last week in order to gain access to the whole site. As usual the piece is by Lynette Luna.

Here's the best one:
“They (Ericy) seem to be falling away from everything” said one exec close to the situation. “ We're almost back to two standards”

“Basically standards groups haven't looked at how to implement TABD (Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue)” said one industry exec.

“The 3G Partnership (WCDMA) and the 3G Partnership Project 2 (CDMA2000) have not collaborated. ETSI , according to concerned government officials, appears to be plowing ahead with the UMTS specification. ETSI did not comment……June's TABD meeting could determine whether WTO threats from the US gov heat up once again, as US officials remain concerned Europe will not open its market. The Clinton Administartion also is keeping close watch on Japan…”

“ The OHG (Operators Harmonization Group) is refining a baseline proposal that addresses the key technical parameters…Airtouch said carriers are making progress to agree on these issues.”

“Meanwhile OHG is set to meet this week in Toronto to determine how the tri-mode CDMA standard will interoperate with GSM-MAP and ANSI-41 networks before operators vote on the harmonization proposal. Manufacturers Nokia and QCOM have proposed 2 different methods to achieve interoperability. Nokia's method, supported by Ericsson and European operators, calls for both cdma2000 and Wcdma technology to move ahead as developed today. WCDMA carriers as needed would then add an adaptation layer to allow roaming with ANSI-41. Backers of this option say it would allow them to push ahead with the standards without further delay. CDMAone backers fear Wcdma carriers may never add the layer.”

“QCOMs proposal, supported by CDMAone operators, calls for harmonization of air-interface layers, requiring changes in standards already developed. Opponents say this option sets back 3G development by at least one year.”

“Sources indicate interoperability will become another sticky and political issue and parties are deeply divided on the issue. CDMAone carriers are expected to submit a third option this week”