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AirPrime and Hitachi Enable 3G CDMA Access With the New Multimedia
RELATED SYMBOLS: (HIT)
CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb 3, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
AirPrime's Helium 1X Series Module and Comprehensive Software Offering
Facilitates Total Solution
AirPrime Inc. (www.airprime.com), a leading provider of CDMA wireless access
solutions for the OEM market, and Hitachi Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) a leading global
electronics company, today announced that Hitachi's new Multimedia Communicator
Pocket PC is integrated with AirPrime's Helium 1X embedded module platform and
associated Pocket PC software support.
AirPrime's EM3205, part of the Helium 1X series, is the embedded wireless engine
powering the Multimedia Communicator on CDMA2000 1X networks. AirPrime's
solution includes key software and drivers, designed for Microsoft's new Pocket
PC CDMA framework. Announced by Hitachi and Microsoft last month, the Multimedia
Communicator is a fully integrated Pocket PC, phone, camera, and keyboard
equipped with wireless data applications, such as email, Internet browsing, and
access to corporate networks and will be the most complete wireless package on
the market. The device is based on Microsoft's new Windows(R) Powered Pocket PC
Phone Edition software for CDMA networks.
"Hitachi's decision to partner with AirPrime is based on its strong track record
in developing 3G CDMA wireless access solutions for OEMs and wireless operators
worldwide," said Shigeru Matsuoka, general manager, Mobile Information and
Communication Appliance Division for Hitachi. "The company has a world class
CDMA development team coupled with strong CDMA Carrier relationships and
integration services. AirPrime is enabling us to quickly develop, integrate,
certify and commercialize the compelling Multimedia Communicator Pocket PC CDMA
access solution."
"Our strong and strategic partnership with Hitachi provides our mutual customers
with compelling and powerful next-generation wireless access solutions," said
Dan Schieler, vice president of sales and marketing. "Partnering with a global
leader like Hitachi further validates our ability to leverage our partners'
expertise and meet the aggressive schedules of OEMs with innovative,
best-in-class next generation CDMA wireless solutions."
Leveraging QUALCOMM's CDMA2000 1X technology, the EM3205 is part of AirPrime's
Helium 1X family of embedded modules. The EM3205 supports multiple frequency
band configurations to achieve an optimal balance of functionality, coverage,
and cost. AirPrime designed a unique embedded module, the EM3205, to provide
voice, data, SMS services and E911 compliant technology including full
gpsOne(TM) capability. Supporting diverse customer requirements, the Helium 1X
embedded modules are available in multiple mechanical form factors. In addition
to the feature-rich wireless module platform, AirPrime also developed essential
enabling software such as Mobile IP support, IOTA clients, and key drivers that
provide a variety of interface options over both UART and USB standards.
AirPrime's unique software creates a truly comprehensive product offering
compatible with Microsoft's new Pocket PC 2002 platform for CDMA.
This project represents the next generation in Mobile Data Computing. In an
announcement released last year, AirPrime and Hitachi formed a strategic
partnership. Under the terms of the relationship, Hitachi and AirPrime will
continue to collaborate on compelling 3G CDMA solutions. A key CDMA development
partner for Hitachi, AirPrime continues its progress in bringing Hitachi's CDMA
products to market in North America.
About AirPrime Inc.
AirPrime Inc. is a leading supplier of high-speed, CDMA (code division multiple
access) wireless access solutions to the OEM (original equipment manufacturing)
market. AirPrime is focused exclusively on providing the optimal current and
next-generation wireless access products to OEMs for use in handheld devices,
notebook PCs, and Internet appliances. AirPrime's wireless products will also be
used in telemetry and emerging applications. A private, venture-backed company,
AirPrime is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., and has a sales presence in
existing and emerging markets around the world. http://www.airprime.com/.
About Hitachi Ltd.
Hitachi Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, is a leading global electronics companies,
with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001 (ended March 31,
2002) consolidated sales of 7,994 billion yen ($60.1 billion (U.S.)). The
company manufactures and markets a wide range of systems, including information
systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products,
materials and financial services. More information on Hitachi can be found at
the company's Web site: http://global.hitachi.com.
AirPrime and the AirPrime logo are trademarks of AirPrime Incorporated. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: AirPrime Inc.
Justin Schmid, 760/476-8632
justin.schmid@airprime.com
or
Hitachi Ltd.
Gerard F. Corbett, 650/244-7900
gerard.corbett@hal.hitachi.com
URL: http://www.businesswire.com
Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
with Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
SOFTWARE
NETWORKING
INTERNET
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING
AGREEMENTS
SOURCE:
AirPrime
Inc.
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
TI's New Customizable UMTS Infrastructure Chipset Slashes OEM ASIC
RELATED SYMBOLS: (TXN)
HOUSTON, Feb 3, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- In a move that
fundamentally changes 3G channel card design, Texas Instruments Incorporated
(NYSE: TXN) (TI) today introduced a programmable chipset that enables cellular
infrastructure manufacturers to create low-cost, differentiated channel cards
for 3G base stations without the burden associated with developing their own
custom application specific integrated circuits (ASIC). The new chipset features
a digital signal processor (DSP) tailored for wireless infrastructure and
tightly coupled transmit and receive chip-rate application specific standard
products (ASSP). This efficient and customizable combination will speed
manufacturers to market with per-channel cost reductions of up to 50 percent.
(see www.ti.com/tci1xnr_wi )
Please Note: Texas Instruments is expanding its popular wireless technology
portfolio today. This news release is one of three complementary wireless
announcements issued this morning. Please visit www.ti.com/wirelesspr to view
the additional two news releases.
For manufacturers, the new programmable UMTS digital baseband chipset offers a
single platform that maintains the same flexibility as the popular
DSP-plus-custom-ASIC solution but at a substantially lower cost. The cost
savings come in two forms: first, manufacturers don't incur the development
expense of creating their own custom ASIC -- typically millions of dollars; and,
second, they get a substantial savings on bill of materials (BOM) cost because
the TI solution actually doubles channel density to 64 channels.
Of equal importance to cellular infrastructure manufacturers is the fact that
the cost savings are delivered without sacrificing the ability to customize and
differentiate their solution. In TI's chipset, the receive and transmit
chip-rate ASSPs consist of flexible hardware configured via registers and
commands under DSP software control, making differentiation not only possible,
but simple.
"The new UMTS chipset from TI gives 3G wireless infrastructure OEMs what they
want: improved cost and flexibility through the combined attributes of a DSP and
a customizable ASIC," said Dr. Jim Gunn, wireless infrastructure analyst for
Forward Concepts. "TI's innovative solution will help base station manufacturers
drive down the cost of their equipment while giving them the flexibility to
incorporate their algorithms and system intellectual property (IP)."
Chipset Features High-Performance DSP and Tightly Coupled ASSPs
The chipset includes the TMS320TCI100 DSP, the TMS320TCI110 receive chip rate
coprocessor and the TMS320TCI120 transmit chip rate coprocessor. Together, they
deliver all the benefits of a customizable ASIC and a DSP without the cost and
time to market disadvantages associated with custom ASIC developments.
The TCI100 DSP is pin and code compatible with the popular TMS3206416 DSP. Like
the 6416 DSP, the TCI100 DSP features two high-bandwidth parallel interfaces and
Viterbi and Turbo embedded coprocessors.
The TCI110 is a customizable receive chip rate ASSP. With it, designers have a
single device for finger de-spreading and random access channel (RACH) preamble
detection and searching for 64 users. This is a 2x improvement over solutions
available today, which support an average of 32 users. The TCI110 communicates
with the TCI100 DSP via a 64-bit memory interface bus that operates at a clock
rate of 122.88 MHz, giving the interface itself a bandwidth of 7.8 Gbps.
The TCI120 ASSP is highly flexible and supports a configurable number of sectors
and users per sector. It features multiple spreading, scrambling and channel
gain blocks, allowing any dedicated channel to be dynamically allocated across
any sector. The TCI120 includes a multi channel buffered serial port (McBSP)
interface for low-latency transfer of closed-loop data such as power control,
closed-loop transmit diversity and acquisition indicator channel (AICH)
information. TCI120 supports the newly standardized high-speed downlink packet
access UMTS channel, known as HSDPA, with appropriate modulation and slot format
options.
The new chipset also is designed to work with TI's recently announced GC5016
digital up/downconverter, the industry's first integrated four-channel wideband
digital downconverter and upconverter that is ideal for radios in 3G wireless
base transceiver systems.
Software and Development Tools Make The Chipset Easy To Use
The 3G product offering is augmented by development tools, foundation software
and modular UMTS chip rate and symbol rate application libraries all geared to
make the chipset easier to use and speed time to market. The tools include an
evaluation module (EVM), which enables customers to begin early code
development, and Code Composer Studio plug-in emulator probes that provide
real-time diagnostic visibility into both the TCI110 and TCI120.
TI is committed to the cellular infrastructure market and offers manufacturers a
broad product portfolio that includes tailored DSPs, ASSPs, high-performance
analog solutions and power management devices.
Chipset Availability
The TCI100 DSP, the TCI110 and the TCI120 are scheduled to be available through
TI in the third quarter of 2003. Download a white paper and UMTS chipset product
bulletin today at www.ti.com/tci1xwp_wi .
Limited preliminary samples of the GC5016 wideband digital downconverter and
upconverter are available today from TI. Production devices will be widely
available in the third quarter of 2003. Download the GC5016 data sheet today at
(www.ti.com/GC5016ds_wi ).
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements contained in this press release regarding product performance and
other statements of management's beliefs, goals and expectations may be
considered "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied by these statements. The following factors and the factors
discussed in TI's most recent Form 10-K could cause actual results to differ
materially from the statements contained in this press release: delays in
implementation of the technology. We disclaim any intention or obligation to
update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring
after the date of this press release.
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies
to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to
Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls, and
Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and
has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN.
More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com .
TRADEMARKS
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
CONTACT: Becky Nevers of Texas Instruments Incorporated,
+1-281-274-2639, or bnevers@ti.com ; or Krista Schuelke, +1-713-513-9565, or
kschuelke@golinharris.com , for Texas Instruments Incorporated. Please do not
publish these numbers or email addresses.
URL: http://www.ti.com/tci1xnr_wi
http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Texas
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR
ECP
EDA
SEM
TLS
HRD
STW
CSE
SUBJECT CODE: PDT
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
REED EXHIBITION: Wireless technology event embraces Europe in 2003
London, Feb 03, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Reed Exhibitions announces
the dates for its enterprise wireless technology (ewt) 2003 event, which takes
place on November 19th and 20th 2003, at London's Olympia exhibition centre. The
acclaimed wireless show, launched successfully in the UK last year, will now
cover mobile solutions and strategies across the whole of Europe.
This year's theme is putting wireless to work, with a strong focus on how mobile
and wireless products and services can improve business performance, open up new
revenue streams and reduce costs. The event covers the entire mobile technology
spectrum, wireless local networking, network-based GSM/GPRS/3G services and
mainstream application delivery to mobile devices and PCs.
Above all ewt unites leading mobile exhibitors with a high quality audience of
senior technical and business managers, and technology decision makers.
Last year exhibitors included Hewlett-Packard, Palm and Microsoft, and of the
2,200 delegates, nearly 60 per cent had direct purchasing authority within their
organisation.
"The positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors at last year's event
was overwhelming," said Amanda Strange, ewt exhibition manager.
"Leading mobile organisations such as Orange, HP and Lucent Technologies all
told us that they were extremely impressed with the quality of attendees, the
content and the focus of the show. This year we hope to capitalise on that by
extending our reach to the whole of Europe."
2002 post-show visitor research identified three key themes of mobile and
wireless adoption that will enable end-users understand and channel the right
technology and strategy into their organisation
* Business to employee, covering: o Flexible working o Mobile intranet o Access
to enterprise applications o Improved business performance
* Business to customer, covering o Premium services o Mobile Internet o Revenue
generation o Customer relationship management (CRM) o Web services
* Business to business, covering o Streamline process o Cost reduction o Partner
relations o Business efficiency
These themes will be tailored for both technical and non-technical audiences
through the education programme comprising leading technology suppliers,
industry experts, journalists and analysts.
enterprise wireless technology is just one of Reed Exhibition's portfolio of
premier technology shows. Others include Infosecurity Europe, the world's
leading information security event, and the recently acquired Storage Expo, the
UK's largest dedicated storage exhibition. All three events provide a platform
to influence and communicate with key IT buyers and business decision-makers
across public and private industry sectors.
Note to editors: enterprise wireless technology is organised by Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world's largest exhibition organiser bringing together
156,000 suppliers and over nine million buyers from around the world. In
addition to leading trade exhibitions, the Reed IT portfolio incorporates
flagship Industry magazines and high-end independent research and analysis.
As a member of Reed Elsevier, a world-leading business and information provider,
Reed Exhibitions is unique in offering integrated market access programmes
covering exhibitions, trade publications, direct marketing and the internet.
Reed Elsevier publishes many titles worldwide which are closely linked with
Reed's exhibition activities across both geographic and industrial markets.
Visit the website at www.enterprisewirelesstechnology.com
<http://www.enterprisewirelesstechnology.com>
CONTACT: Vanessa Relf Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7910 e-mail:
vanessa.relf@reedexpo.co.uk WWW: http://www.enterprisewirelesstechnology.com.
Emma Read, Write Image Tel: +44 (0)20 7959 5258 e-mail: emmar@write-image.co.uk
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2
PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2
PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web.
Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson conducts IPv6 over 3G UMTS/WCDMA network demonstration
RELATED SYMBOLS: (ERICD)
Feb 03, 2003 (NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT via COMTEX) -- Swedish telecomms solutions
provider Ericsson said on Friday (31 January) that it had conducted an IPv6 over
3G UMTS/WCDMA network demonstration.
Ericsson said that an ambulance demonstration showed vital medical data, voice
and video using next generation Internet IPv6 and seamlessly roaming over 2G and
3G (UMTS/WCDMA) networks and wireless LANs.
According to Ericsson the medical emergency system could seamlessly move between
different types of access networks in order to find the best available in a
certain location.
The demonstration was a joint effort within the 6WINIT project consisting of the
University Hospital at Tubingen, University of Stuttgart Computing Centre,
University of Bremen, University College London and Ericsson.
No financial information was provided.
(C)1998-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson Reports Positive Cash Flow and Continued Progress in Cost
RELATED SYMBOLS: (ERICD)
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb 3, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ericsson(NASDAQ:ERICY):
-- Cash flow before financing SEK 1.6 b. -- Adjusted income before taxes SEK
-2.2 b. -- Order intake SEK 33.0 b.(a) -- GSM/WCDMA sales up 4% sequentially
Fourth quarter Twelve months
---------------------------------------
SEK b. 2002 2001 Change 2002 2001(2)Change
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Orders, net 30.7 39.9 -23% 128.4 201.8 -36%
- Systems 28.5 34.2 -17% 115.3 183.3 -37%
- Other operations 4.7 7.4 -37% 22.7 27.4 -17%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales 36.7 58.5 -37% 145.8 210.8 -31%
- Systems 33.2 50.1 -34% 132.0 188.7 -30%
- Other operations 6.0 10.2 -41% 23.5 31.8 -26%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adjusted Operating Income(1) -2.3 -4.2 -12.5 -18.2
- Systems -0.3 0.4 -4.9 3.2
- Phones -0.3 -0.7 -1.3 -14.6
- Other operations -1.3 -3.2 -4.7 -5.1
- Unallocated -0.4 -0.7 -1.6 -1.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adjusted Operating Margin(1) -6% -7% -9% -9%
- Systems -1% 1% -4% 2%
- Other operations -21% -32% -20% -16%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adjusted Income Before Taxes(1) -2.2 -5.1 -14.5 -21.1
Net Income -8.3 -3.5 -19.0 -21.3
Earnings per share, diluted
(SEK) -0.58 -0.31 -1.51 -1.94
Cash flow before financing
activities 1.6 19.9 -7.1 6.7
Number of employees 64,621 85,198
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Adjusted for:
- Capital gain, Juniper - - - 5.5
- Non-operational capital
gains -0.3 0.2 - 0.3
- Restructuring costs,
net -6.3 - -12.0 -15.0
- Capitalization of
development expenses,
net 0.6 - 3.2 -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) 2001 figures are restated for:
- Changed accounting principles in Sweden 2002 regarding
consolidation of companies with a controlling interest.
- Results from parts of Phones transferred to the joint venture
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, reported under Share in
earnings of JV and Associated Companies for the full year
2001.
(a) Gross order intake excluding cancellations
CEO COMMENTS
"Sales of GSM/WCDMA are up sequentially for the third quarter in a row and the
order intake in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) improved significantly
after a weak third quarter," says Kurt Hellstrom, President and CEO of Ericsson.
We improved Systems operating margins once again this quarter. Our position in
GSM/WCDMA remains solid and we are encouraged by our progress in CDMA2000 with
key wins in Asia and Latin America. Sony Ericsson's performance also improved in
the quarter and the joint venture expects to start reporting profit during 2003.
The strategy to expand our Systems business through increased sales of
professional services is proving successful. By capitalizing on our systems
know-how we have taken an early lead in this growing market segment. The
recurring nature of this business will make our revenue base more stable.
The sequential increase in sales and orders is more a factor of seasonality than
an indication of a market recovery. However, with orders and sales at expected
levels, good progress in our restructuring and positive cash flow, our fourth
quarter results indicate that our business is beginning to stabilize.
Our overriding objective is to return to profit at some point in 2003 and
improve cash flow. Our cost cutting is proceeding as planned with a significant
reduction of operating expenses already evident. We will intensify our efforts
to lower cost of sales to meet our gross margin target.
MARKET VIEW
There are now more than 1.1 billion mobile subscribers worldwide with
approximately 51 million new subscribers added during the fourth quarter. For
the full year we estimate about 190 million net subscriber additions, within our
forecast of 175-215 million. We believe that the number of mobile subscribers
remains on track to exceed 1.5 billion within three years with 165-180 million
net additions anticipated in 2003.
In line with the industry consensus and our previous estimate, we believe that
the mobile systems market declined about 20% to an estimated USD 42 b. during
2002. For 2003, we believe that the mobile systems market may decline by as much
as 10%.
The telecommunications market correction is ongoing. We expect the historical
correlation between operator capital expenditure (CAPEX) growth and revenue
growth to eventually resume. However, the current level of lower CAPEX spending
as a percentage of operator revenues will most likely remain.
An estimated 115 million mobile phones were sold through during the fourth
quarter bringing the total for the year to approximately 395 million units. This
compares with our full-year estimate of about 390 million units and
approximately 390 million in 2001. We believe that the total units sold through
during 2003 will be more than 430 million units.
The overall wireline systems market, which includes traditional
circuit-switching, broadband access, optical transmission and multi-service
networks, declined by over 30% during 2002 - in line with our estimate of a
decline significantly more than 20%.
Complementing the infrastructure market, there is also a large and growing
opportunity for providing services to network operators. Excluding network
rollout services, which are embedded within the Systems market, the available
market in 2003 for professional services is estimated to be more than USD 30 b.
with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 10%. Professional
Services include systems integration, network operations outsourcing as well as
a range of other advisory and operational support services.
COST REDUCTIONS AND OPERATIONAL REALIGNMENT
In the fourth quarter our operating expense annual run rate excluding
restructuring costs was reduced to SEK 51 b. During the quarter we reduced our
headcount by 7,100 employees, bringing our year-end headcount to 64,600. We
remain on track to reach a SEK 38 b. run-rate for the fourth quarter 2003 and
expect to be less than 60,000 employees by year-end.
Reduced excess capacity costs as well as improvements in processes and product
design contributed to the stable gross margin level offsetting the negative
effects of an unfavorable product mix.
During the quarter, restructuring charges were SEK 6.3 b. of which SEK 5.8 b. is
related to redundancies. SEK 0.2 b. were related to the write-down of inventory
and fixed assets as well as other costs for establishing more flexible
operations. Of the SEK 28.6 b. planned restructuring costs SEK 5.5 b. remains.
Cash outlays in 2003 are expected to be approximately SEK 10.8 b.
OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL REVIEW SYSTEMS
Order intake in the quarter improved sequentially to SEK 30.8 b., mainly due to
seasonality. Compared to the fourth quarter last year, order intake declined by
10%. Cancellations of SEK 2.3 b. negatively affected orders booked. The Europe,
Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region showed strong improvement compared to the
previous quarter, while Latin America was down, partly due to order
cancellations but also weaker demand.
Table: Systems order development
(SEK b.) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
-----------------------------------------------
2001 62.8 51.0 35.3 34.2
2002 39.8 33.7 23.3 30.8
Change -37% -34% -34% -10%
Cancellations 2002 -2.1 -2.5 -5.4 -2.3
2002 Net 37.7 31.2 17.9 28.5
Change -40% -39% -49% -17%
Sales in the quarter were SEK 33.2 b., up SEK 2.6 b. compared to the third
quarter and down 34% compared to last year. Europe, Middle East and Africa
(EMEA) and North America increased sequentially, while Latin America and Asia
Pacific declined somewhat. The strongest parts of the Systems businesses were
GSM, CDMA and professional services.
Adjusted operating income for Systems was SEK -0.3 (0.4) b.. Excluding risk
provisions for customer financing of SEK 0.7 b. the result was SEK 0.4. b.,
compared to SEK 0.2 b. in the third quarter. Gross margin has kept up well and
operating expenses have gradually been reduced through our restructuring
activities.
As an extension of our System business, Global Services generated sales of SEK
9.5 b. in the quarter. Excluding products, which from 2003 are excluded from
services, sales of professional services grew 29% sequentially to SEK 5.7 b. and
now represent 17% of Systems sales.
Mobile Systems
Orders in the quarter for our GSM/WCDMA track increased 51% sequentially, mainly
driven by the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Sales of GSM/WCDMA
grew 4% sequentially and declined only 14% for the full year, implying a
sustained strong market position. Full year sales of WCDMA equipment and
associated network rollout services represented 9% of Mobile Systems sales.
The sharp decline in TDMA and PDC systems continued and combined they now
account for less than 10% of mobile systems sales.
Multi-Service Networks
Orders and sales in the quarter increased sequentially by 9% and 28%
respectively, but declined compared to last year by 29% and 50%, primarily
driven by continued weak demand for traditional circuit-switching equipment,
although our ENGINE solution continues to develop favorably.
PHONES
Our 50% share of income from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications is included in
"Earnings from Joint Ventures and Associated Companies."
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (SEMC)
The joint venture increased its shipments by 42% to 7.1 million units during the
quarter, mainly as a result of the expansion of their product portfolio. Our 50%
share of income before taxes in the quarter was SEK -0.3 b., compared to SEK
-0.5 b. in the third quarter and SEK -0.7 b. a year ago. As previously
announced, Ericsson and Sony will each invest EUR 150 million into the joint
venture during the first quarter of 2003.
OTHER OPERATIONS
After transferring a portion of our holdings in a Chinese subsidiary to Sony
Ericsson Mobile Communications, the company has become an associated company. As
a result, from this quarter phone operations in China are included in our
results as share in earnings of Joint Ventures and Associated Companies.
Other Operations now include the following commercial businesses: Defense
Systems, Network Technology, Enterprise Systems, the retained parts of
Microelectronics as well as the investment areas of Mobile Platforms and
Bluetooth.
Sales improved by 4% sequentially, driven by Defense Systems.
Compared to the third quarter, adjusted operating income in Other Operations was
flat. Positive effects from the divestiture of parts of Microelectronics and
profit from Defense Systems only partly offset losses in other units.
CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS
Income
Sales in the quarter were SEK 36.7 b., up 10% sequentially and down 37% compared
to the fourth quarter of 2001.
Gross margin remained stable, with a reduction of cost of goods sold and excess
capacity costs offsetting negative effects of an unfavorable product mix. The
seasonally adjusted operating expense run rate was SEK 51 b. for the quarter
excluding risk provisions of SEK 0.7 b. for customer financing. The run rate
also excludes the effects of capitalization of development expenses since they
currently affect comparability.
The capitalization of development costs was started in January 2002 to conform
to changes in Swedish GAAP. As no such costs were reported in previous years,
net capitalized amounts do not yet include a normal rate of depreciation of a
capitalized base. Therefore, the positive net effect of this is deducted when
reporting adjusted operating income and adjusted income before taxes.
Net capital losses were SEK 0.7 b. of which SEK 0.3 b. were related to
restructuring, and SEK 0.3 b. related to write-downs and sales of shares. Share
in earnings of associated companies was net zero, including the loss of SEK 0.3
b. in Sony Ericsson.
In the quarter, the net effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates
compared to rates one year ago was SEK -0.1 b. The net effect in the first,
second and third quarters were SEK 0.4, 0.8 and 0.6 b., respectively and SEK 1.7
b. for the year.
Financial net improved by SEK 0.7 b., as a result of interest income on the
proceeds from the rights offering in September 2002.
Adjusted income before taxes, excluding restructuring costs, non-operational
capital gains and net effects of capitalization of development expenses, was SEK
-2.2 b. in the quarter. Income before taxes in the previous quarters of 2002
adjusted in the same manner was SEK -5.3, -3.3 and -3.7 b., respectively and for
the full year SEK -14.5 (-21.1) b..
Net income was negatively affected by SEK 2.5 b. as certain tax costs were
recognized in the quarter. Of these, SEK 0.8 b., relate to foreign withholding
taxes that were not deductible due to insufficient taxable income and SEK 1.4 b.
due to rulings by Swedish tax authorities disallowing deductions of capital
discounts on convertible debentures and other costs.
Full-year diluted earnings per share were SEK -1.51 (-1.94). Prior periods have
been adjusted for the stock dividend element of the stock issue.
Balance sheet and financing
The equity ratio was 37%, about the same level as last quarter, despite the loss
incurred during the fourth quarter. Total assets were reduced during the quarter
by SEK 28.9 b., of which SEK 8.2 b. is related to cash. Repayments of loans,
including the lease arrangement for test plant equipment from December 2001,
amounted to SEK 10.0 b..
Net debt improved in the quarter from SEK -5.2 b. to SEK -5.6 b. with total cash
continuing to exceed all interest bearing debts.
Lower purchase volumes and increased sales significantly reduced inventory
during the quarter, with inventory turnover (ITO) improving to 5.1 turns from
4.3 last quarter.
Our days sales outstanding (DSO) improved sequentially from 103 days to 91 days.
Even with the higher sales, we reduced accounts receivable by SEK 3.8 b.
compared with the third quarter.
Customer financing risk exposure was reduced by SEK 3.1 b. in the quarter. As
previously announced, the 2001 portfolio of customer credits was discontinued.
The credits, including Mobilcom, were taken back on the balance sheet and an
associated cash collateral released. Certain of these credits have subsequently
been sold in the market and the Mobilcom credits are to be replaced with France
Telecom convertible bonds.
Deferred tax assets at year-end were SEK 26.0 b., an increase of SEK 5.1 b.
during 2002. Deferred tax assets are related to countries with long or
indefinite periods of utilization.
Table: Customer financing risk exposure
Dec 31 Mar 31 Jun 30 Sep 30 Dec 31
(SEK b.) 2001 2002 2002 2002 2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------
On-balance-sheet credits 18.7 16.8 16.6 18.9 21.1
Off-balance-sheet credits 12.8 12.9 11.5 6.8 1.5
----------------------------------------
Total credits 31.5 29.1 28.1 25.7 22.6
Less third party risk coverage -4.7 -1.4 -0.3 -0.8 -0.8
----------------------------------------
Ericsson risk exposure 26.8 27.7 27.8 24.9 21.8
========================================
On-balance-sheet credits,
net book value 14.8 12.7 12.4 12.7 14.0
Off-balance-sheet credits
recorded as contingent
liabilities 10.6 10.1 9.1 5.1 1.3
Financing commitments 31.2 28.1 25.3 14.0 14.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash flow
Cash flow before financing activities was positive by SEK 1.6 b. The main
contributing factors were reduced inventory and improved collection of
receivables. The SEK -2.8 b. effect from customer financing was mitigated by the
release of a cash collateral of SEK 1.2 b. for the 2001 Credit Portfolio.
With the discontinuance of pro forma reporting, capitalization of development
expenses of SEK 0.8 b. are now reported among investing activities rather than
as an item adjusting income.
Net income as well as items adjusting net income to cash was affected by the
increased tax costs in the quarter.
Adjusted for exceptional items, cash flow was SEK 5.2 b. in the quarter. These
items include the buyback of Mobilcom credits of SEK -4.1 b. and SEK 0.5 b. in
proceeds from the divestiture of certain R&D operations.
OUTLOOK
In our last report we indicated that our fourth quarter Mobile Systems sales
could decline more than the overall market due to our exposure to the sharply
declining TDMA and PDC markets. For 2003, we believe that we will maintain our
overall share of the mobile systems market with an increase in 3G sales partly
offsetting lower sales of TDMA and PDC.
While we believe that the worst of the market decline is behind us, the market
remains unpredictable. Normal seasonality will most likely prevail during the
first quarter and sequential sales will consequently be down.
We are planning to return to profit at some point in 2003 by lowering our costs
and adjusting to the prevailing market conditions.
PARENT COMPANY INFORMATION
The Parent Company business consists mainly of corporate management and holding
company functions. It also includes activities performed on a commission basis
by Ericsson Treasury Services AB and Ericsson Credit AB regarding internal
banking and customer credit management. The Parent Company has branch- and
representative offices in 16 (15) countries.
Net sales for the year amounted to SEK 2.0 (1.4) b. and income after financial
items was SEK 2.3 (-6.4) b. Write-downs of investments in subsidiaries have
affected income by SEK -3.8 (-19.0) b.
Major changes in the company's financial position for the year were:
-- Decreased current and long-term commercial and financial receivables from
subsidiaries of SEK 35.5 b. -- Increased short-term and long-term customer
financing of SEK 6.2 b. -- Increased investments in subsidiaries of SEK 6.1 b.
Short- and long-term internal borrowings decreased by SEK 37.2 b. Notes, bond
loans and convertible debentures, including short-term portion, decreased by SEK
5.4 b. Stockholders' equity has increased by SEK 30.1 b. and cash and short-term
cash investments have increased by SEK 10.3 b., mostly due to the rights issue
in September 2002. At year-end, cash and short-term cash investments amounted to
SEK 59.3 (49.0) b.
In accordance with the conditions of the Stock Purchase Plan for Ericsson
employees, 1,893,195 shares from treasury stock were distributed during the
fourth quarter to employees who left Ericsson. An additional 291,635 shares were
sold during the fourth quarter, in order to cover social security costs related
to the Stock Purchase Plan. The holding of treasury stock at December 31, 2002,
was 154,360,278 Class B shares.
DIVIDEND PROPOSAL
The Board of directors will propose to the Annual General Meeting that no
dividend is paid out for 2002.
ANNUAL REPORT
The annual report will be made available to shareholders at our head office at
Telefonplan, Stockholm, two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
The Annual General Meeting of shareholders will be held on Tuesday, April 8,
2003, in Stockholm Globe Arena.
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
This interim report has been prepared in accordance with the Swedish Financial
Accounting Standards Council's recommendation RR 20, Interim reports.
We have changed accounting principles since our latest annual report.
The following Swedish GAAP recommendations are now implemented:
RR 1:00, Consolidated financial statements
RR 15, Intangible assets
RR 16, Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets
RR 17, Impairment of assets
RR 19, Discontinuing operations
RR 21, Borrowing costs
RR 23, Related party disclosures
The only material effects of these new standards relate to RR1:00, regarding
consolidation of controlled companies, and RR 15, regarding capitalization of
development costs.
According to RR1:00 we have consolidated as subsidiaries certain finance
companies previously accounted for under the equity method. We have restated
previous year in our primary statements.
According to RR 15, starting from January 1, 2002 we have capitalized certain
development costs. Stockholm, February 3, 2003
Kurt Hellstrom
President and CEO
Date for next report: April 28, 2003
Auditors' Report
We have reviewed the Fourth Quarter Report as of December 31, 2002, for
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ). We conducted our review in accordance
with the recommendation issued by FAR. A review is limited primarily to
enquiries of company personnel and analytical procedures applied to financial
data and thus provides less assurance than an audit. We have not performed an
audit and, accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.
Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe
that the Fourth Quarter Report does not comply with the requirements for interim
reports in the Annual Accounts Act.
Stockholm, February 3, 2002
Carl-Eric Bohlin Olof Herolf Thomas Thiel Authorized Public Authorized Public
Authorized Public Accountant Accountant Accountant PricewaterhouseCoopers AB
PricewaterhouseCoopers AB
Safe Harbor Statement of Ericsson under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995;
All statements made or incorporated by reference in this release, other than
statements or characterizations of historical facts, are forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current
expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs
and certain assumptions made by us. Forward-looking statements can often be
identified by words such as "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans",
"predicts", "believes", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will", "should", "would",
"potential", "continue", and variations or negatives of these words, and
include, among others, statements regarding: (i) strategies, outlook and growth
prospects; (ii) positioning to deliver future plans and to realize potential for
future growth; (iii) liquidity and capital resources and expenditure, and our
credit ratings; (iv) growth in demand for our products and services; (v) our
joint venture activities; (vi) economic outlook and industry trends; (vii)
developments of our markets; (viii) the impact of regulatory initiatives; (ix)
research and development expenditures; (x) the strength of our competitors; (xi)
future cost savings; and (xii) plans to launch new products and services.
In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other
characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying
assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
speak only as of the date hereof and are based upon the information available to
us at this time. Such information is subject to change, and we will not
necessarily inform you of such changes. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that
are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially
and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result
of various factors. Important factors that may cause such a difference for
Ericsson include, but are not limited to: (i) material adverse changes in the
markets in which we operate or in global economic conditions; (ii) increased
product and price competition; (iii) further reductions in capital expenditure
by network operators; (iv) the cost of technological innovation and increased
expenditure to improve quality of service; (v) significant changes in market
share for our principal products and services; (vi) foreign exchange rate
fluctuations; and (vii) the successful implementation of our business and
operational initiatives.
A glossary of all technical terms is available at: http://www.ericsson.com/about
and in the annual report.
To read the full report, please go to:
www.ericsson.com/investors/12month02-en.pdf
CONTACT: Ericsson, New York
Investors: Glenn Sapadin, 212/843-8435
investor.relations@ericsson.com
Media: Kathy Egan, 212/685-4030
pressrelations@ericsson.com
(c) 2003 Business Wire. All reproduction, other than for an individual user`s reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.
-0-
KEYWORD: SWEDEN
INTERNATIONAL
EUROPE
SUBJECT CODE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
EARNINGS
SOURCE:
Ericsson
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
ot:easymoney101,
Nothing wrong w/your system, I see huge blocks (over 1,000,000 shares) w/PFE...lol not going to count.
Daniel Nieves
easymoney101, Also counted almost 1,000,000 shares w/ MOT in 5 mins.!!!I can't wait to see those numbers for IDCC.
Daniel Nieves
easymoney101, hmmmm..I counted about 590,000 shares from 3:48-4pm AH about 20,000 with NOK
Daniel Nieves
Advisory - BMO Nesbitt Burns to Webcast 2003 Wireless Conference
RELATED SYMBOLS: (BMO)
TORONTO, Jan 31, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- BMO Nesbitt Burns
will host its 2003 Wireless Conference on Tuesday, February 4th in Toronto.
Conference presenters include senior management from the world's leading
wireless companies, who will also participate in roundtable panel discussions
addressing:
- The future of device technologies
- 3G or Not 3G? and future revenue-relevant technologies
- Wireless versus wireline fundamentals and wireless data services
The entire conference will be webcast live and can be accessed at:
http://corporate.bmo.com/conferences/wireless
Scheduled presenters and times are(x):
8:00 a.m. OPENING REMARKS
William Downe, CEO, BMO Nesbitt Burns
8:05 a.m. INTRODUCTION
Ray Sharma, Wireless Technology Analyst, BMO Nesbitt
Burns
8:15 a.m. RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Mike Lazaridis, President and co-CEO
8:45 a.m. PALMSOURCE, INC.
David Nagel, President and CEO
9:15 a.m. SIERRA WIRELESS, INC.
David Sutcliffe, Chairman & CEO
9:45 a.m. NOKIA MOBILE PHONES
Pekka Vartiainen, Senior Vice-President & General Manager
- Americas
10:30 a.m. PANEL 1 DISCUSSION
"The Future of Device Technologies"
Participants: Mike Lazaridis, David Nagel, David
Sutcliffe, Pekka Vartiainen
Moderator: Ray Sharma
11:00 a.m. WAVECOM
Michel Alard, Chairman of the Board and co-Founder
11:30 a.m. ERICSSON CANADA
Mark Henderson, President & CEO
12:45 p.m. NORTEL NETWORKS
David Murashige, Vice-President, Strategic Marketing,
Wireless Networks
1:15 p.m. NOVATEL WIRELESS
John Major, Director
1:45 p.m. PANEL 2 DISCUSSION
"3G or Not 3G? And Future Revenue-Relevant Technologies"
Participants: Michel Alard, Mark Henderson, David
Murashige, John Major
Moderators: Ray Sharma & Paras Bhargava, Telecom
Equipment Analyst, BMO Nesbitt Burns
2:30 p.m. ROGERS AT&T WIRELESS
David Neale, Vice-President, New Product Development
3:00 p.m. WIRELESS MATRIX CORPORATION
John Herring, President and CEO
3:30 p.m. PANEL 3 DISCUSSION
"Wireless vs. Wireline Fundamentals and Wireless Data
Services"
Participants: Mike Lazaridis, David Neale, John Herring
Moderators: Ray Sharma & Peter Rhamey, Telecommunications
Analyst, BMO Nesbitt Burns
4:00 p.m. CLOSING REMARKS
John Easson, Communications & Technology Group Head, BMO
Nesbitt Burns
BMO Nesbitt Burns, a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), is a
full-service North American investment bank offering corporate, institutional
and government clients access to a broad range of products and services
including equity and debt underwriting, corporate lending and project financing,
merger and acquisition advisory services, merchant banking, research, sales and
trading. Through offices in more than 20 locations in North America and around
the world, BMO Nesbitt Burns works with clients, matching innovation and
expertise with a diverse and integrated product base to provide the right
financial solution.
(x) Agenda subject to change.
SOURCE BMO Financial Group
CONTACT: Kim Hanson, Toronto, (416) 867-3996, Internet: www.bmonb.com
(BMO. BMO)
http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Ontario
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FIN
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
why?
Daniel Nieves
802.11 vs. 3G
RELATED SYMBOLS: (INTC)(NOK)
Jan 31, 2003 (Internet.com via COMTEX) -- Once upon a time, you could hardly
open a business magazine without finding a feature that praised third generation
(AKA 3G) wireless telephony as the answer to mobile Internet needs. That was
venture capital then . This is fiscally strapped now .
In theory, 3G wireless networks are capable of throughput up to 384Kbps, which
still puts them at the bottom end of 802.11b's range. In practice, though, 3G
isn't available in the United States at all except in experimental deployments.
Instead, we have telecomms using the "3G" name for what's actually, at best,
2.5G. This is a middle step between what we currently have, 2G, basic digital
service, and the science fiction speeds of 3G. With 2.5G networks, you can
transfer data at rates of up to 114Kbps generally using General Packet Radio
Service ( GPRS ) .
So how good is GPRS, really? David Ferris, CEO and analyst for Ferris Research ,
has "been testing out GPRS connections with mobile phones in major metropolitan
areas in the UK and US. These are now being brought on-stream by a wide variety
of mobile carriers. In a nutshell, GPRS provides an always-on connection to the
Internet. To be precise, GPRS enables per-handset data rates of 9.05-107.2
Kbit/sec depending upon the coding scheme employed and time slots (from 1-8)
allocated to a data packet. In practice, we're finding that transfer speeds of
400 to 1000 bytes/sec are the norm."
Translated, what this means is that 2.5G is is in no way competition for 802.11
for moving data. As Ferris explains, performance like this "means that
communications need to be kept short, and that, in turn, means most of them will
be text-based. E-mails with attachments will usually take much too long to
transfer."
Still, he thinks, that "applications like instant messaging, or distributing
appointment information, can be run successfully." However, instant messaging or
Web browsing on 2.5G or 3G phones isn't what 802.11-enabled laptops users think
of as IM or the Web.
On digital phones you must use Short Messaging Service (SMS) or Multimedia
Messaging Service (MMS) . Without a special gateway between the SMS/MMS servers
and consumer IM clients like AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), or business-class IM
clients such as Lotus Sametime or NetLert , you can't send messages from IM to
someone using MMS or SMS on a digital phone.
On the Web side, for a Web page to be viewed effectively on a digital phone, the
signal must be sent in Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and the page should
be written, not in the usual HyperText Makrup Language (HTML) used for most Web
pages , but in Wireless Markup Language (WML) . In short, viewing Web pages with
on 2.5G and 3G is inherently more problematic.
3G is also much more troublesome for telecom carriers to install. To deploy it
you must overhaul your wireless infrastructure and replace it. Of course, you
must do the same thing with 802.11 hotspots, but while hotspots have far less
range, a business class hotspot with advanced antennas also can be deployed for
about $1500, while all but the smallest (pico range) 3G base stations start
around six figures and move up from there. Anyone can set up a hotspot; only a
telephone carrier or corporation can afford 3G base station. Expert Opinion
What do the analysts think? It depends. Everyone acknowledges that there was a
22% decline in wireless and mobile network infrastructure spending in 2002.
Research house IDC , for one, in its Worldwide Wireless and Mobile Network
Infrastructure Forecast and Analysis, 2002-2007 study, says that the demand for
2.5 and 3G remains strong. Indeed, IDC expects annual spending on 2.5 and 3G
network infrastructure to grow from $38.3 billion in 2002 to nearly $49 billion
in 2007. Wireless phone infrastructure providers like Ericsson , Nokia , and
Nortel no doubt hope that IDC is right.
"The essential rationale for deployment of 3G networks -- gaining spectrum
efficiencies, easing network capacity constraints, lowering operating costs, and
expanding revenue opportunities through provisioning of data services -- remains
intact," says Dr. Shiv K. Bakhshi, research manager for the IDC's Wireless and
Mobile Network Infrastructure program. He believes that the rising popularity of
MMS and picture messaging will "legitimize the culture of data consumption in a
mobile environment and spur deployment of network infrastructure." But, he
notes, it's not just 3G driving these developments; "public WLANs and hotspots"
will also help in this development.
"The WLAN industry will continue to experience stellar growth as deployments in
several key markets take place," predicts Allied Business Intelligence (ABI)
analyst John W. Chang, senior analyst, and some of that growth will come at 3G's
expense.
ABI reports in its Worldwide Deployments, Drivers, Players and Forecasts for
802.11x , that "Some of the leading wireless carriers worldwide, including
T-Mobile , AT&T , and Verizon , have made announcements of deploying WLAN
services as their 3G plans are delayed. WLAN is easier to install and costs far
less than setting up a 3G network. In addition, 3G's data rate of 144 kbps, a
portable data rate of 384 kbps, and an in-building fixed rate of 2 Mbps are
slow, compared to that of WLAN. As WLAN moves toward 54 Mbps, it is apparent
that 3G cannot compete with the data rate of WLAN. Though 3G will be deployed
worldwide due to its voice capacity benefits, telecom carriers are seeing WLAN
hotspots as the immediate revenue generator for data services."
This view is not just that of an analyst looking at plans. On January 29,
British Telecomm (BT) announced that it would be deploying 802.11b--and 802.11a
soon--hotspots with three business partners. BT plans to have 4,000 hotspots in
place by the summer of 2005.
According to David Hughes, BT director of mobility, its BT Openzone hotspot
customers will pay 10% of the price to download 1MB of data compared to a 3G
user at four times the speed. In short, he declares, "At the moment, it looks
like Wi-Fi is one-tenth of the price of 3G, and four times as fast." Even with
3G's much better range, which would you rather have?
Some analysts, like ABI's director of automotive electronics Frank Viquez, think
that, "802.11 promises to have the most potential, given its minimum raw
bandwidth of 10 Mbps and dramatic growth outside the vehicle industry," even
when a wireless data user is traveling at speed.
Can the two technologies get along? Some experts think they can , but given the
stalled economy and 802.11's lower price, deployment costs alone may cause 3G to
flounder. Who knows? Instead of 3G laptops in 2007, perhaps we'll have 802.11
mobile phones.
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
URL: http://www.internet.com
Copyright 2001 INT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Republication and redistribution of INT Media Group content is
Expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of INT Media
Group, Inc.. INT Media Group, Inc., shall not be liable for any errors
or delays in the Content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
-0-
SUBJECT CODE: 2.5G
3G
802.11
802.11a
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson Conducts the World's First IPv6 Over 3G UMTS/WCDMA Network
RELATED SYMBOLS: (ERICD)
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan 31, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ericsson (Nasdaq:ERICY)
announced that an ambulance demonstration today showed vital medical data, voice
and video using IPv6 and seamlessly roaming over 2G and 3G systems as well as
wireless LANs.
As part of the EU-project IPv6 Wireless Internet Initiative (6WINIT) it
signifies an important step towards the vision of mobile users being "Always
Best Connected".
Three key technologies were brought together for the first time to show the
usefulness of seamless mobile services: next generation Internet (IPv6), 3G
(UMTS/WCDMA) and Multi-Access.
The medical emergency system, called Guardian Angel, can seamlessly move between
different types of access networks -- whatever is the best available in a
certain location. From a hospital setting, doctors can observe the patient in
the ambulance, check the heart rate and blood pressure, using mobile networks
such as GSM/GPRS or UMTS/WCDMA. Once the ambulance reaches the hospital, the
system can automatically switch over to an indoor WLAN hot spot. Data flows can
use separate network interfaces in parallel. For example, if the WLAN does not
have sufficient reliability, vital data transmissions could simultaneously use a
GSM/GPRS or UMTS/WCDMA channel.
The demonstration was a joint effort within the 6WINIT project consisting of
University Hospital at Tubingen, University of Stuttgart Computing Center,
University of Bremen, University College London and Ericsson. It took place at
Ericsson's headquarters in Stockholm in the presence of invited EU-officials as
part of the Final Review of the EU project.
Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications
through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in
more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful
communication companies in the world.
Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press
About 6WINIT
The EU-project IPv6 Wireless Internet Initiative (6WINIT) is led by University
College London and was started in early 2001 with a powerful consortium
including carriers, suppliers, research organizations, hospitals and
universities. 6WINIT will validate the introduction of the new Mobile Wireless
Internet in Europe, promoting European operational testbeds to plan, build and
demonstrate an end-to-end IPv6 enabled mobile environment.
Read more at: http://www.6winit.org/
About IPv6
The tremendous growth of the Internet has made IPv4-addresses become scarce.
Devices for new services, such as interactive multi-media, home area networks
and surveillance systems for cars, ships, aircraft and telemetry all need IP
addresses in order to be "Always connected -- Always online". This requires
IPv6. In addition to the addressing issue IPv6 also remedies some of the
perceived problems of IPv4 including its lack of routing hierarchy, lack of
consistent security, lack of automatic configuration capabilities, and
inefficient routing support for mobile nodes.
-- Ericsson was the first to make a commercial IPv6 router in 1995 -- In October
2000, Ericsson was the first vendor to demonstrate the use of IPv6 in a GPRS
network in a co-operation with SmarTone of Hong-Kong and BT Wireless. -- In
February 2001, at the GSM World Congress in Cannes, Ericsson demonstrated the
Worlds first Real-time Router with IPv4/v6 support for the Radio Access Network.
Ericsson is fully committed to introduce IPv6 in all its products to provide
End-to-End Seamless services. Ericsson has strongly supported the
standardization within 3GPP, which resulted in IPv6 becoming mandatory for the
support of IP multimedia services in 3GPP R5.
--30--bp/ny*
CONTACT: Ericsson Inc.
Media
Kathy Egan, 212/685-4030
pressrelations@ericsson.com
or
Investor Relations
Glenn Sapadin, 212/685-4030
investor.relations@ericsson.com
KEYWORD: TEXAS SWEDEN INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: INTERNET NETWORKING TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SOURCE: Ericsson Inc.
(c) 2003 Business Wire. All reproduction, other than for an individual user`s reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Nokia welcomes the OMAPI initiative to establish an open application
RELATED SYMBOLS: (NOK)
HELSINKI, Finland, Jan 31, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nokia acknowledges that the
OMAPI(SM) standard initiative, announced by STMicroelectronics and Texas
Instruments in December 2002, is a significant and positive step in building
open mobile application processor interfaces, as well as boosting growth in the
mobile industry.
Harmonization in the application processor interfaces is becoming increasingly
important as multimedia enabled mobile terminals and new applications are making
their way to the mass market.
The OMAPI standard provides the Open Mobile Application Processor Interfaces for
application processors targeting 2.5G and 3G mobile phones, PDAs and other
portable and multimedia products. The OMAPI standard will be comprised of a set
of software interfaces to the operating system and a set of hardware interfaces
defining common application peripherals. As part of the first phase of the
initiative ST and TI have developed common software and hardware interfaces to
maximize application software re-use and accelerate the design cycle, resulting
in rapid innovation and faster time to market for mobile manufacturers.
"Nokia is pleased to see that the semiconductor industry is adopting a similar
approach to its business as the mobile industry has done in respect to
middleware harmonization through the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). By developing
common interfaces, the semiconductor manufacturers significantly reduce the
amount of work needed for implementing their products in mobile terminals. But
even more importantly, the benefits of their cooperation extend across the
entire mobile value chain by reducing complexity and fuelling innovation in
terms of application and peripheral development and reducing cost. We are
looking forward to seeing a strong success of the OMAPI initiative, and we
expect that other companies in the mobile industry will also support the
pioneering work done by STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments," says Yrjo
Neuvo, Chief Technology Officer, Nokia Mobile Phones.
For more information about the OMAPI standard, please visit: www.omapi.org/
About Nokia:
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience,
innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the
leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed
broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new
opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people.
Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
Trademark:
OMAPI is a jointly owned service mark of Texas Instruments and
STMicroelectronics
CONTACT: Nokia Mobile Phones
Communications
Tel. +358 7 1800 8000
Mobile.phones@nokia.com
www.nokia.com/
(c) 2003 Business Wire. All reproduction, other than for an individual user`s reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.
-0-
KEYWORD: INTERNATIONAL
EUROPE
SUBJECT CODE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS INTERNET
NETWORKING
SOURCE:
Nokia
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson, Sony Pony Up Again
RELATED SYMBOLS: (NOK)(SNE)(SI)(ERICD)(MOT)
Jan 30, 2003 (Communications Today/PBI Media via COMTEX) -- Will the companies
behind Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications really mean it the next time they say
they're not pumping any more money into their joint venture? After each company
hinted in the second half of 2002 that they were unlikely to target additional
funding for Sony Ericsson Mobile, Ericsson [Nasdaq: ERICY] and Sony [NYSE: SNE]
on Wednesday revealed that each will add another 150 million euros ($162
million) to the company they launched in the second half of 2001. Sony, for its
part, also reiterated that it expects the venture to reach profitability this
year.
While Sony Ericsson Mobile was launched with expectations to challenge Nokia
[NYSE: NOK] for the top spot in handset sales, the venture has struggled to gain
traction in the marketplace and trails Motorola [NYSE: MOT], Samsung and Siemens
[NYSE: SI] as well as Nokia. The venture reported it shipped 7.1 million units
in the forth quarter, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Net sales for the
quarter were 1.235 million euros ($1.338 million), 18 percent better than the
October-December period in 2001. It reported a net loss of 69 million euros ($75
million), down slightly from 70 million euros ($76 million) a year earlier. For
more on other hot topics within the wireless sector, be sure to read the latest
edition of Wireless Data News. For subscription information, visit the
"newsstand" at www.TelecomWeb.com.
[Copyright 2003 PBI Media, LLC. All rights reserved.]
Communications Today, Vol. 9, No. 19 [Copyright 2003 PBI Media, LLC. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2003 PBI Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Insiders: Cisco Sueing Huawei for Monopoly
CHINA, Jan 31, 2003 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- Now world IT industry is watch the
case of Cisco sueing Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. for infringement of
intellectual property rights.
However, some domestic industrial executives point out that the real purpose of
Cisco is to beat another rival, Huawei, so as to maintain its dominant market
share in the market.
Although Huawei has not become a full fledged competitor to Cisco, it has such a
potential. As a telecommunication equipment vendor, Huawei now provides a
variety of products including data transmitting, software, broadband, photon
network, exchanger, MMS, WLAN, 3G, NGN, and OSS. It is clear that the coverage
of Huawei's products is getting closer to that of Cisco. It would not be
surprising if Huawei became the 2nd Cisco.
The CEO of Cisco also admited that Cisco is facing severe challange from some
Asian telecom equipment vendors, including Huawei.
Besides, Huawei's market share is growing. In 2001, it was listed as the 2nd
largest software exporter of China with USD 48.91 million. By October 2002,
Huawei's high-end router, Quidway NetEngine serises have been widely implemented
in tens of industries, such as carriers, finance, governments, education, and
power. There are total 1600 Quidway NetEngine products in use now, with a market
share of 25%. They spread in over 40 countries, including Germany, Spain,
Brazil, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. As a merging high-end
router vender, Huawei is marching towards US.
After the lawsuit took place, Huawei has kept a low profile. It only emphasized
in an announcement saying that Huawei and all its subsidiaries respect others
intellectual property rights. It has its own core technology, but it respect all
laws and regulation of local area where it operates.
From Source: China Business Time page 3, Thursday, January 30, 2003
info@SinoCast.Com
Copyright (C) 2003 SinoCast, All rights reserved
-0-
KEYWORD: CHINA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Marketing
Investment
SUBJECT CODE: Computers, Telecom and Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Interdigital Communications Corporation to Present at Emerald Investment
RELATED SYMBOLS: (CBH)(IDCC)
LANCASTER, Pa., Jan 31, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Interdigital Communications
Corporation to present at Emerald Forum: Emerald Asset Management has announced
that Interdigital Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: IDCC) will be presenting
at the Tenth Annual Emerald Groundhog Day Investment Forum, scheduled for
Thursday, February 6, 2003 at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel in Philadelphia.
The Forum will showcase investment opportunities in some of the region's fastest
growing companies, as well as industry leaders from across the country. Senior
management of over 40 public and private companies are scheduled to make
30-minute formal presentations during concurrent sessions. Emerald Asset
Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries present this year's Forum with lead
sponsor, Commerce Bank (NYSE: CBH).
The Forum provides a unique opportunity for portfolio managers, analysts, and
investment industry professionals to interact with senior executives
representing a wide array of industries ranging from banking & financial
services, capital goods, consumer goods, life sciences, specialty chemicals,
technology, and transportation. In addition, analysts from Emerald Asset
Management and Commerce Capital Markets will be sharing their views on the most
compelling growth opportunities for the coming year.
The Emerald Forum and company presentations will be available through a live
webcast at www.teamemerald.com. Following the conference, a webcast replay will
be available at the same address.
Emerald Asset Management is a diversified investment services company that
operates through its wholly owned subsidiary Emerald Advisers, Inc., and its
Emerald Research and Emerald Venture Capital divisions. Emerald's family of
mutual funds offers research-driven investment products and services to retail,
institutional and private/alternative investors. Emerald is headquartered in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with satellite offices in King of Prussia,
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and San Diego, California.
Additional Forum and Emerald Asset Management information, including
registration information, can be found on Emerald's Internet home page at
http://www.teamemerald.com
CONTACT: Emerald Asset Management
Julie Orpneck, 717/396-1116
URL: http://www.businesswire.com
Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
with Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING
SOURCE:
Emerald
Asset
Management
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Brasilcel to launch BREW applications in March
RELATED SYMBOLS: (QCOM)(ERICD)
Brazil, Jan 30, 2003 (BNamericas.com via COMTEX) -- Brazilian mobile holding
Brasilcel will launch US-based Qualcomm's (Nasdaq: QCOM) BREW wireless
applications platform in March, thereby becoming the first Latin American
operator to commercialize BREW, Brasilcel VP Luis Avelar told reporters on
Thursday.
Subscribers will need to purchase BREW-enabled handsets, initially supplied by
Motorola (T720) and Audiovox Toshiba (CDM9500), with Samsung, LG, Kyocera and
Ericsson models to follow over the short-term.
"We will not subsidize the handsets," Avelar said, adding that the applications
are targeted to the residential market.
The company expects data revenue to increase from 2.4% of gross revenue today to
3.3% by year-end, on the assumption that 20,000-30,000 subscribers will purchase
a BREW handset within six months of the launch, Avelar said. By 2005 Brasilcel
expects double-digit data revenues in terms of contribution to total revenues.
The handsets will be available to all Brasilcel users, both those on its 3G
CDMA2000 1xRTT and 2G networks. Billing will vary according to the network
however, with 1xRTT subscribers charged by kilobyte, and 2G subscribers charged
by the minute. Brasilcel's 1xRTT network delivers data ten times faster than its
2G network, at 144Kbps. Today Brasilcel has 200,000 1xRTT subscribers, of which
10,000 are corporate lines.
Investment in the launch has been next to nothing, with Qualcomm and the
applications suppliers being the ones fronting cash to implement the project,
Avelar said, adding that Qualcomm as well as applications suppliers have signed
revenue sharing agreements.
Qualcomm's share cannot be divulged, but applications suppliers will get 50-75%
of the content revenues, he said, adding: "All of the traffic revenue will be
kept by the operators." Brasilcel has not yet calculated its marketing and
billing budget for the project.
Brasilcel has more than a 50% share of the Brazilian mobile market, but is the
only operator of the big four - including Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM), fixed
line incumbent Telemar's Oi, and America Movil's Telecom Americas - to have bet
on CDMA for its network migration.
"BREW is the most efficient and suitable technology for CDMA," Avelar said,
adding that the BREW launch is not Brasilcel's answer to GSM.
BREW is an open platform that brings together software developers, handset
manufacturers and mobile operators, ultimately enabling the operators to select
downloadable wireless data applications for their customers. Qualcomm describes
it as providing the "kick-start" needed to fuel mass-market adoption of wireless
data applications and services.
Brasilcel is a joint venture between Spain's Telefonica Moviles (NYSE: TEM) and
Portugal Telecom (NYSE: PT).
URL: http://www.bnamericas.com
(C) Copyright 1996 - 2001 Business News Americas Ltda. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Brazil
SUBJECT CODE: Mobile Telephony
Internet/Data
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
maybe Jim can do a poll on this matter?
Daniel Nieves
Fujitsu announces World's fastest CMOS DAC
Maidenhead, UK, Jan 30, 2003 (PR Newswire Europe via COMTEX) -- Maidenhead, UK,
January 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe (FME) today announces
the MB86064 Dual 14-bit 800MSa/s Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC). This is
the first Application Specific Standard Product (ASSP) based on its Next
Generation DAC technology.
Until today Fujitsu has been providing customers with early access to the Next
Generation DAC technology through Mixed Signal ASIC (MS-ASIC) solutions. The
move to provide an ASSP solution will enable applications where a custom
approach is either not required or not justified.
"This ASSP is integral to the roll-out of our latest DAC technology, opening up
more opportunities and markets. The price/performance point achieved enables the
cost-effective realisation of high direct-IF multi-carrier systems for GSM,
W-CDMA and UMTS," said Neil Amos, Director of FME's Mixed Signal Division.
As well as radically improved performance from innovative circuit designs, the
product boasts a host of features ranging from the on-chip vector memories,
which enhance system integration and test, to next generation Segment Shuffling
which further improves dynamic performance. The vector memories enable waveforms
to be downloaded and executed on-chip. For device test & evaluation this
alleviates the need for a high speed data generator, while in a final system
application they are ideal for implementing tests on the subsequent analogue
signal chain.
Analogue performance at high output frequencies is enhanced by novel current
switch and switch driver designs which provide constant data-independent
switching delay, reducing jitter and distortion. The leap in performance
provided by this DAC will be instrumental in enabling new architectures to
reduce the costs of existing cellular infrastructure systems while
simultaneously addressing future needs. In four-carrier W-CDMA applications ACPR
of 70dBc can be achieved with direct-IF generation at 300MHz, with even higher
performance at lower output frequencies.
"This development reflects our position as the leader in high-speed DAC
technology", emphasised Ian Dedic, Chief Engineer at FME's Mixed Signal
Division. "We have already been granted eight US patents protecting the jitter
reduction techniques and other innovations used in the MB86064, and have further
patent applications pending both in the US and other countries".
Direct-IF architectures can now demonstrate cost competitiveness to more
traditional direct modulation architectures, while avoiding their inherent
drawbacks. Bandwidths up to 100MHz can now be generated directly at these high
IFs, sufficient to implement the entire UMTS band with digital pre-distortion.
The Segment Shuffling is a major enhancement over techniques introduced in the
MB86060 & MB86061 DAC ASSPs. This improves performance to the level sought after
for next generation systems and high direct-IF architectures by moving
distortion products out-of-band and reducing device-to-device variation.
"The MB86064 provides an unrivalled solution to the problem of generating wider
transmit bandwidths in cellular base stations", highlighted Paul Maddox,
Technical Marketing Manager at FME's Mixed Signal Division.
Implemented in Fujitsu's advanced mixed signal CS80A 0.18Aum CMOS process, the
dual DAC core combined with LVDS data inputs and a versatile serial control port
provides a complete high performance DAC solution. Generating and driving the
data for such a DAC has traditionally been restricted to expensive ECL-based
technology.
However, the provision of a LVDS interface combined with the advance in data
generating capabilities of ASSPs, ASICs and FPGAs enables cost effective,
realisable solutions. In particular, clock-to-data timing across the data
interface can be guaranteed by using FPGAs with Phase Locked Loop (PLL) or
Delay-Locked Loop (DLL) clock generators and external reference clock loop-back.
The provision of a dual DAC has particular benefit to cellular infrastructure
applications, for example either transmit with diversity or combined dual
transmit configurations. Other application areas are expected to include test
equipment and video/display systems.
The MB86064 is housed in Fujitsu's enhanced fine-pitch ball grid array (EFBGA)
package. The EFBGA range has been developed specifically to meet the needs of
high performance mixed signal devices. Benefits include optimised signal routing
within the package, easier PCB tracking and excellent thermal properties
assisted by a thermal ball array directly under the device. Using the 120-ball
variant, the package measures 12mm x 12mm.
Customer development kits and sample devices are available today. Mass
Production (MP) is scheduled for 3Q CY2003.
A medium resolution picture relevant to this press release can be found by
following the link: ftp://ftp.jdk.co.uk/Fujitsu/Press/MRPR772.jpg
For a high resolution download option please follow the link:
ftp://ftp.jdk.co.uk/Fujitsu/Press/HRPR772.zip
Further information on Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe's products is available
on our WWW address at: http://www.fme.fujitsu.com/
CONTACT: Jim Bryant Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe Tel: +49-6103-690-0 Fax:
+49-6103-690122 E-mail: jim.bryant@fme.fujitsu.comFrank Cornell JDK Marketing
Communications Tel: +44 (0) 1959 562772 Fax: +44 (0) 1959 564848 E-mail:
claire@jdk.co.uk
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire Europe
-0-
SUBJECT CODE: Computing & Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Number of KDDI 3G Mobile Phone (CDMA2000 1x) Users Tops Five Million
RELATED SYMBOLS: (KDDIF)
Tokyo, Japan, Jan 30, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- KDDI Corp. and Okinawa
Cellular announof users ced recently that the total cumulative number of users
for the third-generation mobile phones (CDMA2000 1x) being offered by the two
companies has surpassed five million. Sales of CDMA2000 1x au mobile phones
began on April 1, 2002. The number of units sold reached one million on June 23,
two million on August 23, three million on October 19, four million on December
5 and 5 million on January 16. The five million mark was surpassed less than ten
months after the original release.
CDMA2000 1x achieves comfortable mobile Internet environments through high-speed
data communications at speeds of up to 144kbps. This technology enables
applications of the Internet connection service EZweb and various other provider
connections with a maximum downstream speed of 144kbps and a maximum upstream
speed of 64kbps. Services are already offered in all 47 of Japan's prefectures
and administrative divisions, and are accessible to 90% of the country's
population. Even outside of the current service areas, a full 100% of the
population (with the exception of some island regions) has been able to access
all communication services since the early stages, using cdmaOne, which offers
data communications at speeds of up to 64kbps.
KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have released a total of 14 CDMA2000 1x mobile phone
models, including the Movie Keitai (A5303H, A5302CA, and A5301T), which feature
a digital camera for recording, viewing, and sending video images, and the GPS
Keitai (A3012CA and A3015SA), which features a camera that is compatible with
highly accurate positioning information services based on GPS (Global
Positioning System) satellite signals, in addition to the simple and easy-to-use
A1000 Series. Services such as Movie Mail, Photo Mail, and Chaku-Uta ringer
tones have received an increasingly positive response from users, contributing
to the recognition of CDMA2000 1x models as being the most convenient 3G mobile
phones in Japan.
About KDDI Corporation
KDDI Corporation was established in 1984 and is currently the second largest
telecommunications company in Japan, providing a comprehensive range of voice,
data, IP and mobile services to both business customers and consumers. After
merging with KDD and IDO in October, 2000, KDDI serves over 15 million
long-distance subscribers, 1.4 million internet subscribers, 13 million mobile
subscribers, and 5 million PHS subscribers. KDDI has 34,000 km of highly
reliable domestic network infrastructure, in addition to optical submarine cable
systems such as TPC-5, Japan-US CN and China-US CN. KDDI also works to develop
advanced technology in the areas of radio & mobile, lightwave, multimedia, and
Internet communications. The KDDI Group consists of approx 100 companies
covering a wide variety of telecommunications-related businesses such as
engineering, facility hosting, submarine cable construction, and R&D.
Source: KDDI Corporation
Contact:
Neil Rosenblatt
Nippon Digital Communications
rosenblatt@nippondigi.com
+81-3-5623-1493
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Glenayre Responds to BellSouth Infringement Suit
RELATED SYMBOLS: (GEMS)
ATLANTA, Jan 30, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Glenayre
Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: GEMS) today responded to allegations by BellSouth
that Glenayre infringed upon BellSouth's "Personal Number Communication System"
patent. Glenayre has learned that a lawsuit for alleged patent infringement was
filed January 28, 2003.
Eric Doggett, president and chief executive officer for Glenayre stated, "We
have performed a thorough investigation of the patent and BellSouth's
allegations with intellectual property counsel and have concluded that
BellSouth's allegations are without merit. In numerous discussions and written
communications with BellSouth prior to this filing, Glenayre has demonstrated
that none of our products or technologies infringe upon the BellSouth patent. We
are surprised that Bellsouth would use this patent, which we believe to be of
questionable validity and value, and the associated allegations, which we
believe to be without merit, as the basis for their patent enforcement strategy.
Glenayre respects the intellectual property of others and expects the same in
return. We will vigorously defend our position."
About Glenayre:
Glenayre is a global provider of enhanced services and messaging solutions for
service providers including wireless, fixed network, ISP and broadband. Glenayre
has approximately 400 employees in 14 locations worldwide. Glenayre systems are
designed on open platforms with a standards-based architecture supporting IP and
traditional telephony networks for an evolution from 2G to 2.5G and 3G services.
More than 200 service providers in over 60 countries have deployed Glenayre
messaging solutions for voice, fax and e-mail messaging, including Constant
Touch(R) one number service, voice navigation and voice dialing, mailbox
out-dialing and one-button call return. Glenayre, headquartered in Atlanta,
Georgia, has been providing carrier-grade communications solutions for the
global market for over 40 years. For more information, please visit
http://www.Glenayre.com.
Glenayre and the Glenayre logo are trademarks of Glenayre Electronics, Inc.
SOURCE Glenayre Technologies, Inc.
CONTACT: Elizabeth Dolcourt of Glenayre Technologies, Inc.,
+1-770-283-2569, Elizabeth.Dolcourt@Glenayre.com
/Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/111723.html
URL: http://www.glenayre.com
http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Georgia
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR
TLS
SUBJECT CODE: LAW
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson, Sony Trying to Slow Losses
RELATED SYMBOLS: (SNE)(ERICY)
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan 29, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- LM Ericsson and Sony
Corp. said Wednesday they will inject 300 million euros ($324.6 million) into
their joint mobile phone venture in a bid to stem the unit's losses.
The venture, Sony Ericsson, has steadily lost money since it was established 15
months ago, and Ericsson executives had indicated last year that they planned to
put in more funding into it.
Stockholm-based Ericsson and Tokyo-based Sony will put in 150 million euros
($162.3 million) each during the current quarter.
The move could buy Sony Ericsson some much-needed time as it regroups and tries
to compete with Finland's Nokia Corp., the world's largest mobile phone market,
and encroachment by Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola Corp.
Analysts said the injection, along with the joint venture's new portfolio of
phones, bodes well for Sony Ericsson. They said it was sign of confidence in the
venture.
Ericsson has received plaudits for the release of its first color-screen phone,
the T68, which was launched in 2002, but it has been hampered by delays in new
models and competition from Nokia.
In the United States, Sony Ericsson has lost market share to Motorola and
Samsung. But its new portfolio of phones, including the high-end P800, which
features a built-in camera and personal digital assistant attributes, is helping
the venture recover. Also helping are its low-end models, like the T300.
Sony Ericsson said it sold 7.1 million handsets during the fourth quarter,
giving it a market share of about 6 percent, up from 4.9 percent during the
third quarter.
For the fourth quarter, the two companies said the joint venture lost 69 million
euros ($74.6 million) on sales of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion), giving it a
cumulative loss of about 3.8 billion kronor ($444.7 million) since the joint
venture began.
---
On the Net:
By MATT MOORE
AP Business Writer
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
-0-
APO Priority=r
APO Category=1700
(PROFILE
(CO:Sony Corp.; TS:SNE; IG:HMF;)
(CO:Nokia Corp; TS:NOK; IG:HEQ;)
)
KEYWORD: STOCKHOLM, Sweden
SUBJECT CODE: 1700
http://www.sonyericsson.com
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
NEC: NEC exhibiting innovative solutions at 3GSM 2003 February 17 - 21,
RELATED SYMBOLS: (NIPNY)
Jan 29, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- NEC will demonstrate its flair for
innovation at 3GSM World Congress 2003, exhibiting a range of technologically
advanced mobile terminals, 3G infrastructure solutions, and mobile applications.
NEC has a significant presence at the Congress in 2003, with products and
solutions on show at Stand B5 / B10, Hall 1. In addition, a representative from
NEC Corporation will make a speech on Monday 17 February at 16.50 - 17.10 during
one of the Conferences running concurrently with the exhibition.
In a speech entitled "NEC's solutions for 3G Mobile Multimedia Services"*, Mr
Yoshiaki Ureshi, Assistant General Manager, International Mobile and Wireless
Systems Division, NEC Corporation, will comment on NEC's experiences with
technologies such as i-mode(TM) and 3G, the transition to IP telephony, and the
role of key mobile internet solutions.
NEC's mobile terminals NEC will exhibit a range of stylish, sophisticated mobile
terminals at 3GSM, many for the first time. The selection of models for the
European market includes the 3G terminals supplied to '3', Europe's first 3G
operator as well as the latest i-mode(TM) and wap terminals.
Visitors to the stand will be able to participate in exciting interactive
demonstrations using a selection of NEC's newest terminals.
NEC's 3G infrastructure solutions NEC has had great success worldwide with its
range of 3G infrastructure products, including core networks and components of
the radio access networks such as Radio Network Controllers (RNC's) and Node
B's. Building on its significant expertise in Japan, NEC has developed its 3G
infrastructure offering in Europe and is working with key European operators to
provide 3G network solutions.
NEC's mobile internet applications NEC is using 3GSM to conduct demonstrations
of its range of advanced mobile internet applications, ranging from mobile
internet server software to solutions for mobile application contents right
management. These applications have been very popular in the Japanese market and
have already generated expressions of interest among the European operators and
content providers.
For information about NEC at 3GSM, please visit the NEC 3GSM home page at
http://www.nec.com/3gsmworldcongress/ i-mode(TM) is a trademark or registered
trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries
* 3G = Third Generation NEC Corporation NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY, FTSE:
6701q.l, TSE: 6701) is one of the world's leading providers of broadband and
mobile Internet solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its
diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as a Global Fortune 500(R) company
and one of the world's top patent- producing companies, the NEC group delivers
tailored solutions in the core technologies and services required in a networked
world, ranging from advanced semiconductor solutions, to large-scale mission
critical systems, systems integration, and broadband and mobile technologies.
The NEC group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of
approximately $39 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2002.
NEC is a total solution provider for 3G and the mobile Internet. NEC has been
involved in every first-stage rollout of 3G systems worldwide. NEC is also
responsible for developing the first 3G handsets for use on the world's first 3G
network. NEC has competence in the mobile Internet area with its mobile
infrastructure system, mobile application platform and its impressive portfolio
of contents. NEC's mobile handsets are known for their prominent technologies
including large colour screens, built-in cameras and other functions that make
the, ideal for use in mobile Internet.
For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at
http://www.nec.com.
CONTACT: Akiko Shikimori, NEC Corporation Tel: +81 3 3798 6511 e-mail:
a-shikimori@ay.jp.nec.com Kazuya Yoshida/Claire McSharry, NEC Europe Tel: +44
(0)20 7853 5900 e-mail: kazuya.yoshida@uk.neceur.com e-mail:
Claire.McSharry@uk.neceur.com
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2
PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2
PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web.
Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
The Wait is Over for UMTS Handsets
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan 29, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The lack of
Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) handsets that has plagued the
launch of third generation Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)
networks, is no longer an issue, according to In-Stat/MDR (
http://www.instat.com ). The high-tech market research firm reports that, as
operators are poised to launch new networks across Europe in coming months,
several manufacturers have deployed (or are about to) new devices, and supplies
should be ample, if not plentiful.
"The next hurdle to 3G deployment will be user acceptance," says Neil Strother,
a Senior Analyst with In-Stat/MDR. Other hurdles include:
-- Handset testing that involves more than 1,000 different parameters
before commercial viability (compared with 300 for traditional phones)
-- Voice call handovers between older networks and UMTS systems are still
not smooth, and will require more fine-tuning to reduce dropped calls
-- Handset software glitches (like the one that hit NTT DoCoMo's FOMA
T2101V handsets earlier this year where incoming calls were missed when
the phone was in energy-saving mode)
However, In-Stat/MDR predicts these problems will be overcome, and handset
supplies will begin to build to significant levels starting this year. One of
the key drivers will be the launch by Hutchison Whampoa of its "3" networks
across the European continent, first in Italy and the United Kingdom, and later
in other countries. In-Stat/MDR expects about 2 million UMTS handsets to ship
next year, based on announced orders. That figure could climb somewhat, if
Hutchison's networks get a positive response and economic conditions improve.
But an increase is unlikely given high handset prices, and uncertain market
conditions. However, as the advanced phones gain favor among mobile
professionals and early-adopters, these devices will carve out a solid niche in
years to come.
The report, "Turbocharged Handsets: The Real Story on UMTS (WCDMA) Phone
Availability" (#IN020513WH), outlines which manufacturers have deployed (or are
about to) the speedy new devices that meet the Universal Mobile
Telecommunication System (UMTS) standard for data services. The report also
addresses why supplies should be ample in 2003, how many units will ship next
year, what models to expect from various vendors, what challenges vendors and
carriers face and what the long-range shipment forecast is. In addition, the
report also gives insight into Hutchison Whampoa's 3G push across Europe, and
the related UMTS handset moves with supplier (and partner) NEC. To purchase this
report, or for more information, please visit:
http://www.instat.com/catalog/cat-wh.htm or contact Rick Vogelei at
480.609.4533; rvogelei@reedbusiness.com. The report price is $1,995 USD.
About In-Stat/MDR
In-Stat/MDR ( http://www.instat.com ) offers a broad range of information
resources and analytical assets to technology vendors, service providers,
technology professionals, and market specialists worldwide. The company stands
alone in its ability to integrate both supply-side and demand-side research
methodologies into a single comprehensive view of technology markets and
products. This capability relies on a unique ability to cover the entire value
chain from engineering-level technology, through equipment, infrastructure,
services and end-users.
In-Stat/MDR is part of the Reed Electronics Group, a division of Reed Elsevier (
www.reedelsevier.com ), a world-leading publisher and information provider. With
over 38,000 employees worldwide, Reed Elsevier operates in the science &
medical, legal, education and business-to-business industry sectors, providing
high value and flexible information solutions to professional end users, with
increasing emphasis on the Internet.
For further information, please contact: Neil Strother, Senior Analyst -
Wireless Handsets and Access Devices, +1-425-827-7150, nstrother@instat.com, or
Kirsten Skedd, Marketing Manager, +1-480-609-4534, kskedd@instat.com, both of
In-Stat/MDR.
SOURCE In-Stat/MDR
CONTACT: Neil Strother, Senior Analyst - Wireless Handsets and Access
Devices, +1-425-827-7150, nstrother@instat.com, or Kirsten Skedd, Marketing
Manager, +1-480-609-4534, kskedd@instat.com, both of In-Stat/MDR
URL: http://www.reedelsevier.com
http://www.instat.com/catalog/cat-wh.htm
http://www.instat.com
http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Arizona
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR
STW
TLS
HRD
CSE
SUBJECT CODE: SVY
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Hitachi: Hitachi releases AE46C1 Smart Card Microcontroller with large
RELATED SYMBOLS: (HIT)
Tokyo, Jan 29, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501)
today announced the AE46C1, a 16-bit smart card microcontroller manufactured
using 0.18um CMOS process that makes possible a large memory capacity and
reduces power consumption to about one-half that of Hitachi previous model. It
is designed for use in smart cards requiring increased functionality and memory
capacity, such as W-CDMA-USIM*1 cards for mobile phones and multi-application
cards. Sample shipments will begin in April 2003 in Japan.
In recent years smart cards incorporating microcontroller chips have been
proliferating rapidly, especially as GSM-SIM*2 cards for mobile phones in
Europe. They have also come to be used for a wide range of other applications,
such as credit cards, bank debit cards, ETC^*3 cards, electronic passenger
tickets, and ID cards. In addition, demand for multi-application cards, which
implement several functions on a single smart card, has been growing recently.
It is anticipated that this will result in increased utilization of general OSs
enabling to execute multiple applications, such as Java Card^TM*4 and
MULTOSTM*5, and also an increase in the size of the application programs stored
on cards. As a result, requirements for smart card microcontrollers now include
fast processing on general OSs and large memory capacity to be able to store
these operating systems and their application programs. In addition, there is a
need for reduced power consumption for use with mobile phones as well as
advanced security functions to prevent card forgery and data tampering.
Hitachi has responded to this demand with the 8-bit AE-3 Series and the 16-bit
AE-4 Series products. The new AE46C1 is a 16-bit smart card microcontroller and
is based on the existing top model AE46C. It is suitable for the smart cards
that require the higher-performance and higher-functionality, such as
W-CDMA-USIM cards for third-generation mobile phones and multi-application
cards. The AE46C1 employs 0.18um CMOS process and it incorporates Hitachi's
high-reliability memory technology and security technology, and its main
features are as follows.
Features
1. Using fine process, achievement of highly reliable EEPROM and large memory
capacity The AE46C1 incorporates 68 kilobytes of highly reliable MONOS (Metal
Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) type EEPROM. With finer process, a rewrite speed
(erase and write operations) is 3 milliseconds or less per 1 to 128 bytes and is
approximately 1.3 times as fast as in previous Hitachi model AE46C. In addition,
a fast mode with a rewrite speed of 2 milliseconds or less per 1 to 128 bytes is
provided for the initial data or basic applications, which are rewritten only
infrequently.
This helps to reduce costs associated with the processing required when issuing
smart cards, and also contributes to shorter data processing times in smart
card. In addition to the above, the mask ROM capacity has been expanded to a
368-kilobyte. This makes it possible to store in mask ROM, in addition to the
operating system, applications and data that previously would have to have been
stored in EEROM.
This enables the implementation of multi-application smart cards incorporating
several large-scale application programs. Also, in addition to reducing the time
required to write data to EEPROM when issuing a new card, the entire 68
kilobytes of EEPROM capacity can be used for other applications or data after
the card is issued.
2. Low-power and low-voltage operation achieving smart cards requiring low power
consumption In addition to the use of the 0.18um CMOS process, the operating
voltage of the internal circuitry has been reduced to a mere 1.8 volts.
This results in power consumption roughly one-half that of previous model at an
external operating voltage of 3 volts. This low level of power consumption can
help to extend the battery operating time of mobile products. The AE46C1 also
supports an external operating voltage of 1.8 volts, making it possible to
design smart cards that reduce power consumption even further.
3. Equipped with coprocessors and other functions to realize high -level
security of smart card The AE46C1 incorporates a coprocessor for DES (Data
Encryption Standard) encryption processing and an exponential
multiplication/division algorithm coprocessor. With using these coprocessors, it
supports sophisticated encryption processing. Its built-in high-level security
functions also include detectors of abnormal voltage and frequency to prevent
the attacks. These functions make it possible to develop smart cards
incorporating sophisticated security features. In addition, Hitachi plans to
obtain certification of ISO 15408^*6 international security standard as an
assurance of the AE46C1 security level.
As the development environment, the previously released E6000 emulator is
available to use for the AE46C1. Also the existing AE-4 Series of software
resources can be used.
Hitachi plans to continue to enhance the products employing the 0.18 m CMOS
process in response to market requirements.
Notes:
1. W-CDMA-USIM (Wide band-Code Division Multiple Access - Universal Subscriber
Identity Module): W-CDMA is one of the communication methodologies that are used
in third-generation mobile phones. A USIM card stores user information. Once the
card is inserted into the phone the owner information it contains is used as the
basis for placing calls.
2. GSM-SIM (Global System for Mobile communication - Subscriber Identity
Module): GSM is a wireless communication methodology used in mobile
communication devices such as mobile phones. A SIM card stores user information
in the same way as the USIM cards used for W-CDMA.
3. ETC (Electronic Toll Collection system): A non-stop automatic toll collection
system that records tolls automatically when vehicles pass through tollbooths by
means of wireless communication between a radio device on the roadside and a
device installed in the vehicle.
4. Java and Java related trademarks or logos are trademarks of Sun Microsystems,
Inc. of the United States.
5. MULTOS (Multi-application Operating System) is a trademark of MAOSCO. MAOSCO
is a consortium responsible for the creation and maintenance of the MULTOS
standard, and MAOSCO Limited functions as its business office..
6. ISO 15408: International information technology security evaluation standard
established by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) in 1999.
It is used to gauge the security strength, which is to say safety, of software
and hardware products as well as systems.
Typical Applications
* Smart cards of various types: W-CDMA-USIM cards, GSM-SIM cards,
multi-application cards, etc.
Prices in Japan (For Reference)
Product Code Shipment Form Sample Unit Price (Yen) AE46C1 HWD65246C1T Wafer
(unsawn) 1,040 HWD65246C1TD Wafer (sawn) 1,060 HD65246C1LB COT (Chip On Tape)
1,120
Specifications
Item AE46C1 Specifications Product Code HWD65246C1T HWD65246C1TD HD65246C1LB CPU
Core 16-bit AE-4 core Memory EEPROM 68 Kbytes Mask ROM 368 Kbytes RAM 6.5 Kbytes
Coprocessors -- Exponential multiplication/division algorithm coprocessor --
Coprocessor for DES encryption Security Functions Detectors of abnormal status
such as voltage, frequency and so on, watchdog timer, random number generator,
etc.
Internal Operating Frequency/Operating Voltage 1 MHz to 10 MHz / 5 V 1 MHz to 10
MHz / 3 V 1 MHz to 10 MHz / 1.8 V Shipment Form Wafer (unsawn, sawn), COT
Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the
press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
Corporate Communications Division (C) Hitachi,Ltd. 1994,2003. All rights
reserved.
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2
PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2
PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web.
Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
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(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Qualcomm's wireless tech patents give a bright future
RELATED SYMBOLS: (QCOM)
Jan 29, 2003 (Knight Ridder Newspapers - Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service via
COMTEX) -- If Irwin Jacobs is looking just a bit smug these days, he has a
reason. To put it mildly, the co-founder and chief executive of Qualcomm is on a
roll.
Qualcomm owns some core mobile communications technology, and the San Diego
company seems well on the way toward erecting what amounts to a tollbooth on one
of tomorrow's key information highways.
The technology is called CDMA, which stands for Code Division Multiple Access.
CDMA breaks speech into small digital packages for transmission over the
airwaves, identifying each one so the receiver can pull in the correct packages
and reassemble them into a coherent voice. It's an efficient way to get more
conversations into a given amount of spectrum.
After extended debates over next-generation wireless standards, CDMA and its
successors are making strong headway. Years of development, evangelism and tough
tactics by Jacobs and his colleagues are looking like a solid investment.
Currently, most of the world uses GSM, which is shorthand for Global System for
Mobile communications. GSM is also a digital technology, but uses what's known
as "time division multiple access" (TDMA), which crams less data into the
spectrum. (The U.S. has had a hodgepodge of standards, including both CDMA and
GSM.)
"The argument is over," Jacobs said in an interview last week. While many
standards will be in use for a long time to come, he said, CDMA and its
derivatives are increasingly going to be part of our mobile future. And that
means a steady stream of hefty royalties for Qualcomm, which licenses its
technology widely.
The market seems to agree. Last week, Qualcomm did something unusual for a tech
company in these tough times: Excluding investment losses, Qualcomm reported
record profits for the recently ended fiscal quarter - $241 million on sales of
$1.1 billion, up from a net of $139 million on revenue of $699 million a year
earlier.
Tomorrow's networks are being designed for much faster connections, largely for
data traffic that many believe will dominate usage. Qualcomm has pitched its own
vision of the future based on CDMA, and even its chief rival is moving to a
standard that uses a form of the technology.
Which means, as Jacobs says, that some form of CDMA could eventually be part of
just about every wireless communications device.
There have been ongoing efforts, notably in Europe and China, to come up with
next-generation mobile technology that has all the advantages of CDMA while not
requiring the payment of royalties to Qualcomm.
But Andrew Seybold, a Los Gatos, Calif., expert in mobile communications whose
family owns Qualcomm stock, said it's hard to imagine anyone building a
CDMA-like system that doesn't use Qualcomm's core technology in some way.
Qualcomm, for its part, has been notoriously hard-nosed about asserting patent
infringement when someone claims a new approach. It has won enough cases to have
persuaded just about every company in the business to sign license agreements of
some sort.
Jacobs calls it an "open question" whether anyone can come up with
cost-effective technology that gets around Qualcomm's patents. Even if they can,
he asks rhetorically, does it end up cheaper, given the cost of development and
the potentially inferior performance, simply to pay licensing fees?
Emerging mobile standards aren't solely the province of Qualcomm, Jacobs and
others note. Many companies have added their own pieces to the puzzle, which
means that royalties will end up being paid (or cross-licensing deals arranged)
to many different parties as time goes on.
A current bane of mobile phone users is the inability to use the same phone
worldwide. "We will never have a single worldwide standard," Jacobs asserts.
Qualcomm has launched a line of chips that will support multiple technologies,
allowing handset makers to sell phones that could work with every permutation of
network and handset. No one is selling such a universal phone right now.
I, for one, would welcome a phone that worked everywhere. But I'd settle for
something that that worked well here in the United States, where lousy service
is endemic. Sometime this year, I expect to move to a service that includes
reasonably fast data connections as well as voice. CDMA-based devices from
Verizon and Sprint are near the top of my list of candidates, even though a
GSM-based system from AT&T's updated network is a possibility.
Jacobs, naturally, is already well down that path. He carries a Handspring Treo,
which combines a Palm-compatible handheld with a phone. He has a separate mobile
phone. And he has a wireless data card he plugs into his IBM laptop, saying the
coverage is good enough to get connected almost everywhere he travels in the
United States.
But such access is expensive today, at least in the United States.
On a recent trip to Japan, I used a CDMA-based data connection for my notebook
computer. The rate was much cheaper than anything equivalent here, so I'll wait
for the U.S. providers to be a little less greedy before I try what Jacobs uses
every day.
But I'm sure I'll be trying it at some point. And barring some stunning
breakthrough from technological left field, some of my money is destined to end
up on Qualcomm's bottom line.
(Visit Dan Gillmor's online column, eJournal (www.dangillmor.com). E-mail
dgillmor@sjmercury.com; phone (408) 920-5016; fax (408) 920-5917.)
---
By Dan Gillmor
Knight Ridder Newspapers
CONTACT: Visit Mercury Center, the World Wide Web site of the Mercury News, at http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
(C) 2003 Knight Ridder News.
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(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
BT: BT rolls out Wi-Fi to airports, hotels and service stations
Jan 29, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Broadband on the move becomes a
reality for many parts of Britain today thanks to deals rolling out BT Openzone
hotspots across Hilton hotels, airports and motorway service stations.
BT has taken a big step towards establishing a comprehensive Wi-Fi network by
installing 80 live hotspots, with agreements in place for another 40.
Wi-Fi - which is expected to be half the price of 3G and three times faster - is
tipped to be the fastest growing mobile technology of 2003.
BT's latest deal with BAA will bring BT Openzone public wireless LAN hotspots to
Heathrow terminal one, Gatwick, Stansted and Aberdeen.
BT also has an agreement with the Welcome Break service station chain for 27 new
sites, and has already installed hotspots at Corley on the M6 and South Mimms on
the M25.
The Hilton hotel group, which was one of the first businesses to trial BT
Openzone, has demonstrated its commitment to mobile broadband, or Wi-Fi, by
rolling out the hotspots to 36 of their hotels across England, Scotland and
Wales.
And Hilton has agreed to install 15 more hotspots at further hotels in the near
future.
The news maintains BT's leading position in the UK market for public wireless
LAN, which gives business people the ability to carry out high-speed,
high-volume working while on the move. And with 80 sites, BT is on schedule to
hit its further targets by providing 400 hotspots by summer this year and 4,000
by June 2005.
BT has aimed to install its BT Openzone hotspots at carefully selected prime
sites in an effort to make Wi-Fi widely available to business people on the
move.
And in the future it is expected that BT Openzone hotspots will also reach
railway stations.
Five Costa coffee shops in the City of London already have a BT Openzone
hotspot.
This will allow mobile workers away from the office to be able to download even
large files quickly and cheaply while sipping a real Italian coffee.
And travellers who are going further afield are now able to take advantage of
BT's roaming agreement with TeliaSonera, Europe's leading Wi-Fi operator. BT
Openzone subscribers can use any of TeliaSonera's network of more than 500
HomeRun hotspots in Sweden, France, Italy, Denmark and the United States.
A total of 45 respected companies have signed up for trials of BT Openzone for
their employees. These now include the BBC, Carlton Communications plc, Toshiba,
Scottish Enterprise, Royal and Sun Alliance, John Lewis, Microsoft and GE
Capital. A total in excess of 1,000 employees are using the service as
customers.
Pierre Danon, chief executive officer of BT Retail said: "Wi-Fi is going to
develop dramatically this year.
"It is half the price of 3G and three times faster. It only costs 10p a minute
for broadband access at a BT Openzone, which is an impressive figure when you
look at the fact that 3G operators will be charging a lot more.
"Today's announcement demonstrates that BT is delivering the widespread network
of UK public wireless LAN access points that we promised.
"These sites, at key transport links, will give today's business people the
ability to be more productive wherever they are.
"Our commitment to rolling out BT Openzone across the UK by teaming up with
excellent partners in transport and the high street has put us at the forefront
of wireless broadband access in Britain."
Mark Selawry, vice president of management services for Hilton UK and Ireland,
said: "Hilton is an industry leader in the development of innovative customer
care. BT Openzone offers our guests a service that allows them to stay in touch
with their business while on the move. We are delighted with the launch of
Openzone and believe it to be a key element in the future of business travel."
NOTES:
Using BT Openzone
BT Openzone provides access to the internet and the ability to get secure and
fast connection to corporate networks while working "on the pause" away from the
office. Users with a laptop and a Wireless LAN access card and software can
access data at speeds of up to 500 kbps (almost 10 times faster than a standard
56K modem), enabling them to send and receive large quantities of information at
broadband speed. Users need to be within range of Openzones (approx 100 metres)
- zones will be badged with the BT Openzone logo. PC access cards range from
GBP45 to GBP120, but are likely to become cheaper as wireless LAN is
increasingly built into PCs as standard.
Prices Subscriptions start at just GBP20 a month for 300 minutes and there is an
occasional user option, offering a one-hour pass for just GBP6, which can be
paid for with vouchers or online using a variety of credit cards.
A full list of prices is available at www.bt.com/openzone.
Live sites
London Gatwick North Terminal BFI - London Imax Theatre Bluewater Shopping
Centre Costa coffee - London, Cannon Street Costa coffee - London, Farringdon
Costa coffee - London, Houndsditch Costa coffee - London, Moorgate, Citypoint
Costa coffee - London, New Bridge Street Days Inn - Birchanger Earls Court -
London Olympia - London Hilton - Basingstoke Hilton - Bath City Hilton -
Birmingham, Metropole Hilton - Bracknell Hilton - Brighton Metropole Hilton -
Brighton West Pier Hilton - Bristol Hilton - Cardiff Hilton - Cobham Hilton -
Corby Hilton - Coventry Hilton - Croydon Hilton - Dundee Hilton - Edinburgh
Caledonian Hilton - Edinburgh Grosvenor Hilton - Glasgow Hilton - Glasgow
Grosvenor Hilton - Leeds City Hilton - Leeds Garforth Hilton - Leicester Hilton
- London, Heathrow Hilton - London, Islington Hilton - London, Kensington Hilton
- London, Gatwick Hilton - London, Green Park Hilton - London, Hyde Park Hilton
- London, Metropole Hilton - London, Olympia Hilton - London, Paddington Hilton
- London, Trafalgar Square Hilton - London, Wembley Plaza Hilton - Norwich
Hilton - Southampton Hilton - Warwick Jarvis - Royal Berkshire Ramada Plaza
Hotel, Ascot Jarvis - Airport Ramada, Glasgow McDonald's - London, Hanger Lane
McDonald's - Reading Gate Moto - Heston M4 J3 (westbound business centre side)
Roadchef - Maidstone Roadchef - Sandbach Service area northbound, Betchton
Roadchef - Sandbach Service area southbound, Betchton Tower Thistle Hotel -
London, Tower Bridge Travel Inn - London, Euston Welcome Break - Corley Welcome
Break - Birchanger Welcome Break - South Mimms Hastings Culloden Hotel -
Craigword Hastings Europa Hotel - Belfast Hastings Everglades Hotel -
Londonderry Hastings Stormont Hotel - Belfast BT Business Showcase - Trinity
Park, Birmingham BT Business Showcase - Croydon BT Business Showcase -
Manchester BT Business Showcase - Milton Gate BT Business Showcase - Leavesden 7
Partner Sites (not open to the public) Motorola - Basingstoke Motorola - London,
Coin House Motorola - Swindon Nortel - Harlow Nortel - Maidenhead Cisco -
London, Bedfont Lakes Toshiba - Weybridge 6 selected BT Sites (not open to the
public)
BT Retail is one of the businesses that make up the BT Group. Others include BT
Ignite, BT Wholesale, BT Openworld and BTexact Technologies. It is the UK's
leading communications service provider and the prime channel to market for the
other businesses in the Group. It has 21 million residential and business
customers, a turnover of GBP12.1bn (in the last full financial year) and around
50,000 employees.
CONTACT: Jon Carter, Press Officer, BT Retail Tel: +44 (0)20 7356 4523 Barney
Wyld, Fishburn Hedges Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 4321 Fax: +44 (0)20 7242 4202 WWW:
http://www.fishburn-hedges.com
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2
PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2
PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web.
Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
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(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Joint Venture Portugal Telecom/Telefonica Moviles Deploying CDMA 1XRTT
RELATED SYMBOLS: (MOT)
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Jan 29, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ --
Joint Venture Portugal Telecom/Telefonica Moviles, the leading wireless
communications company in Brazil, has started to deploy its new generation voice
and packet data network in the regions of Campinas, Indaiatuba in the state of
Sao Paulo and Curitiba, in the state of Parana, using Motorola's 1XRTT advanced
infrastructure equipment.
It is Motorola's first deployment of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000
1X equipment in Latin America. Motorola signed the contract for this advanced
network in June 2001. Deployment of the 1X network has begun and is scheduled to
be completed in February 2003.
"With this CDMA 1X system, we are reinforcing our position as the first carrier
to invest in this technology in Brazil and South America in order to broaden the
offer of data services to our current and future subscribers," said Francisco
Padinha, chief executive officer of the joint venture. Subscribers currently
generate data traffic in excess of 50 gigabytes per month, "resulting in an
increase in high-speed data revenues of 400 percent. over the last six months,"
said Padinha. "The pressure from corporate clients, who are requesting increased
coverage and more services and applications, is the main reason for our
expansion of these services. In addition, the expansion solves any potential
problems with voice capacity for the next few years in these regions," said
Padinha. "With this expansion to our existing coverage in the cities of Sao
Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Vitoria, we are giving our corporate customer the
experience of the true mobile office with great access speed," he continued.
CDMA 2000 1X technology enables Internet access and other data services at
speeds up to 144 kilobits per second, and increases the voice capacity on the
joint venture's existing network by more than 1.5 times.
"It is a source of great pride for us to be working with the joint venture,
participating in a very important chapter in the history of telecommunications
in the country," said Jose Figueroa, corporate vice president and general
manager for the Latin America and Caribbean Region for Motorola's Global Telecom
Solutions Sector. "This deployment represents an important milestone in cellular
telephony in Brazil because we are helping to make things smarter and life
better for the environments in which people live, work and play," said Figueroa.
Motorola's CDMA2000 1X architecture builds upon existing 2G or 2.5G networks by
adding packet based network elements. For the joint venture network, these
network elements include the access node from Motorola's strategic alliance
partner Cisco Systems, Inc. that enables the radio access network to be Internet
Protocol (IP) capable. With Cisco's access node, Motorola's CDMA 2000 1X radio
network offers a standards compliant solution that offers incremental features
such as enhanced availability and scalability that help address the most
critical needs of mobile wireless operators.
Motorola is supplying the joint venture with its SC(TM) 4812T radio base
transceiver stations, the most modern and efficient CDMA equipment produced by
Motorola. The equipment is being manufactured at Motorola's Jaguariuna's
Industrial and Technological campus in the state of Sao Paulo.
About Motorola
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is a global leader in providing integrated
communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2002 were $26.7
billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business
practices and pioneering important technologies that make things smarter and
life better for people, honored traditions that began when the company was
founded 75 years ago this year. For more information please visit
www.motorola.com .
Motorola and Cisco Strategic Alliance
Through a combination of Motorola wireless technologies and Cisco Internet
technologies, the Motorola and Cisco strategic alliance is delivering end-to-
end solutions for wireless Internet access and voice, data and video services on
mobile networks. Its GPRS and CDMA systems are in commercial use with operators
worldwide and are providing a critical path to profitable, new services and
improved efficiencies while its CDMA1X systems have met with proven success in
3G mobile communications.
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark
Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective
owners.
SOURCE Motorola, Inc.
CONTACT: Kathi Haas of Motorola Public Relations, +1-480-732-2835
office, +1-602-380-2517 mobile, kathi.haas@motorola.com , or Luciana Vedovato
of Motorola Communications and Public Affairs, Brazil, +(55)-11-3030-5045, or
Luciana.Vedovato@Motorola.com , or Flavia Guarnieri of RP1 Communicacao,
+(55)-11-5501-4655, flaviaguarnieri@rp1.com.br
/Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020307/MOTLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020415/MOTNOTAGLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
URL: http://www.motorola.com/NSS
http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Illinois
Portugal
Brazil
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TLS
CPR
NET
STW
ITE
SUBJECT CODE: JVN
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
AT&T Wireless up to speed with wi-fi
RELATED SYMBOLS: (AWE)
Jan 28, 2003 (The Australian Financial Review - ABIX via COMTEX) -- Subscribers
to US mobile telephone carrier AT&T Wireless Services will soon be provided with
high-speed Internet access. This follows a deal with Texas-based Wayport to
provide wireless Internet access at 475 hotels and several airports for AT&T
Wireless's customers. There will be an extra charge for the service, starting at
$US9.99 for access over a 24-hour period. The move comes after AT&T Wireless
announced it had scaled back plans to introduce third generation (3G) mobile
telephone services. This could indicate a trend for mobile telephone carriers,
as 3G still has not delivered on its early promise. Originally published in "The
Wall Street Journal".
Publication Date: 29 January 2003
AT&T WIRELESS SERVICES INCORPORATED:
WAYPORT INC:
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG:
T-MOBIL:
VOICESTREAM WIRELESS:
STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY LIMITED
By Jesse Drucker
All copyright subsisting under the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth) resides in us.
No part of the copyright materials may be reproduced, re-used, re-transmitted,
adapted, published, broadcast or distributed for any commercial purposes
whatsoever without our prior written permission.
-0-
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Communication Services
SUBJECT CODE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS - UNITED STATES
MOBILE TELEPHONES - UNITED STATES
WIRELESS INTERNET - UNITED STATES
MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS - UNITED STATES
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Strategy Analytics: US Handset Sales Top $10 Billion in 2002; Wholesale
RELATED SYMBOLS: (NOK)(MOT)
BOSTON, Jan 28, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The most recent Strategy Analytics
Report, "Handset Strategies Driving $10 Billion Market," indicates that Nokia,
Samsung, and Motorola lead all vendors in profitability strategies, targeting
sales in profitable mid- and high-tiers.
Published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Strategies Services, the
report reviews the winning and losing strategies of the top seven US handset
vendors, and the complementary strategies of the top four wireless carriers to
drive profitability and replacement sales by upgrading customers from basic
entry level to more profitable, feature rich, data enabled handsets.
"The battle for share in mid- and high-tier segments is becoming increasingly
competitive," states Chris Ambrosio, Director of the Strategy Analytics Wireless
Device Strategies Service. "Vendors who have established brand support have been
able to successfully penetrate these profitable market tiers. Brand awareness
and quality will be vital to any vendor's efforts to sustain volume sales in
these tiers. Vendors without brand power are looking for technical or marketing
advantages to sustain volume sales of lower profit units in lower tiers."
David Kerr, Vice President of the Global Wireless Practice at Strategy Analytics
adds, "Despite the launches of data services from Verizon and Sprint, CDMA sales
of US$100 or less will account for 42 percent of US CDMA volume in 2003. Vendors
and carriers will eventually drive higher priced replacement sales, but vendors
like Kyocera are currently successful in this entry tier by leveraging design
efficiencies and working closely with their carrier partners. In 2003, the most
interesting battle will occur in the high end GSM product tiers as Nokia and
Samsung attempt to define to form factor and feature sets for emerging GSM/GPRS
handsets."
About Strategy Analytics
Strategy Analytics, Inc., a global research and consulting firm, provides timely
insights and strategic business solutions to companies operating at the
convergence of information, communications and entertainment technologies. With
worldwide headquarters in Newton, MA and principal offices in England, France
and Germany, Strategy Analytics focuses on market opportunities and challenges
in the areas of Automotive Electronics, Broadband, Telematics, Wireless
Strategies and Enabling Technologies. For more information, see
www.strategyanalytics.com.
CONTACT: Strategy Analytics, Inc.
US Contact:
Chris Ambrosio, 617/614-0723
cambrosio@strategyanalytics.com
or
David Kerr, 617/614-0717
dkerr@strategyanalytics.com
or
European Contact:
Neil Mawston, +44(0) 1908 423628
nmawston@strategyanalytics.com
URL: http://www.businesswire.com
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Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED KINGDOM FRANCE GERMANY INTERNATIONAL
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
NETWORKING
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
HARDWARE
SOURCE:
Strategy
Analytics,
Inc.
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Ericsson Selected as Sole WCDMA Supplier by Tele2/Tango for 3G Networks
RELATED SYMBOLS: (ERICY)
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan 28, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERICY) has
been selected by Tele2/Tango as sole supplier for its WCDMA networks in
Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. The contract covers core and radio network
infrastructure and service agreements.
Tango plans commercial launch of 3G services in Luxembourg during the second
quarter of 2003 and in Liechstenstein later in 2003. Deliveries to the operator
have already started, and the roll-out is well advanced.
"The build out of the UMTS network in 2003 is an important step for Tango in
Luxembourg," commented Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, CEO of Tele2. "Tango is now the
largest provider of mobile services in the country and the 3G environment will
bring new opportunities for Tango."
Ericsson has been the main supplier for Tele2/Tango's fixed and mobile networks
in Luxembourg. For Ericsson, this contract is another confirmation that Ericsson
holds the world leading position in 3G.
"This is another important win for Ericsson," says Jef Keustermans, president of
Ericsson in the Benelux. "We once more underline our leadership in 3G. We are
very happy we can take our excellent relationship with Tango into the next phase
of mobile communications."
Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications
through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in
more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful
communication companies in the world. Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press
About Tele2
Tele2 AB, formed in 1993, is the leading alternative pan-European
telecommunications company offering fixed and mobile telephony, data network and
Internet services under the brands Tele2, Tango and Comviq to 16.5 million
people in 21 countries. Tele2 operates Datametrix, which specializes in systems
integration, 3C Communications, operating public pay telephones and public
Internet services; Transac, providing billing and transaction processing
service; C(3), offering co-branded pre-paid calling cards and IntelliNet and
Optimal Telecom, the price-guaranteed residential router device. The Group
offers cable television services under the Kabelvision brand name and together
with MTG, owns the Internet portal Everyday.com. The Company is listed on the
Stockholmsborsen, under TEL2A and TEL2B, and on the Nasdaq Stock Market under
TLTOA and TLTOB.
CONTACT: Ericsson Inc.
Media:
Kathy Egan, 212/685-4030
Email: pressrelations@ericsson.com
Investors:
Glenn Sapadin, 212/685-4030
Email: investor.relations@ericsson.com
URL: http://www.businesswire.com
Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
with Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: SWEDEN INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
E-COMMERCE
INTERNET
SOURCE:
Ericsson
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
NTT plans live video relay between mobile phones, PCs
RELATED SYMBOLS: (DCM)(NTT)
TOKYO, Jan 28, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Japan's biggest
telecommunications company, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., has developed
a videophone platform that connects mobile phones with personal computers, the
NTT Group said Tuesday.
The videophone service will hook personal computers that have broadband network
connections to NTT DoCoMo's third-generation mobile phones - all of which are
equipped with digital cameras.
Hoping to tap the growing demand for mobile video communication, NTT is
marketing the service as a way for salespeople to make presentations to faraway
customers or enable travelers to visually connect with families at home.
The new platform will offer live video relay and also allow better quality of
audio and video communication between PCs, the company said.
NTT did not cite the cost of the planned service, scheduled for nationwide
release in Japan by September.
The company said it plans to test the product for two months with about 70
companies and individuals to evaluate the new technology's feasibility.
The 3G phones send information at up to 40 times the speed of current cell
phones. NTT DoCoMo began offering 3G phones a year ago but has struggled to
attract users. NTT DoCoMo 3G users total about 150,000 so far.
NTT DoCoMo dominates the overall Japanese cell phone market, controlling about
60 percent because of its hit "i-mode" Net-linking phones.
By YURI KAGEYAMA
AP Business Writer= ap_topic:Business;ap_topic:Technology;
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
-0-
APO Priority=r
(PROFILE
(WS SL:BC-AS-TEC--Japan-Mobile Phones; CT:f;
(REG:EURO;)
(REG:BRIT;)
(REG:SCAN;)
(REG:MEST;)
(REG:AFRI;)
(REG:ENGL;)
(REG:ASIA;)
(LANG:ENGLISH;))
)
KEYWORD: TOKYO
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
Panasonic Mobile Communications 2003 Management Policy
RELATED SYMBOLS: (MC)
Tokyo, Japan, Jan 28, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- Mr.Y. Katsura,
President, Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd (which was formerly called
Matsushita Communication Industrial Co. Ltd.) announced the annual corporate
management policy for FY 2003 as follows.
FY2002 Review
1) The efforts have been made to establish the growth scenario and it seems this
is going to help each market share for the individual market, domestic Japan and
overseas to surpass each respective level of the FY2001. However, we have not
been successful in making the V-shaped performance recovery.
Japan: The industry-first thinnest clam shell type P504i was introduced to NTT
DoCoMo in June and its camera-equipped version of P504iS in November. We plan to
introduce P251i at the end of this month and this will be followed by FOMA
P2102V.
Overseas: COSMOBIC Technology Co., Ltd., joint venture between NEC, Huawei and
us was established in Shanghai in June. This company will serve as a site for
R&D and the supply of the third generation mobile telephones. The new GSM series
of camera-equipped clam shell type, GD87, GD88 and other new models were
introduced to Europe, China and Asia in October onward. This will help
strengthen the foothold for the overseas market.
2) The purpose of the recent management structural reform of the Matsushita
Group is to establish the autonomous management by integrating R&D,
manufacturing and sales in each business domain. Panasonic Mobile Communications
Company will be able to devote itself only to the mobile communications
business, thus coming up with strong and competitive products and beating the
competition.
Take large steps toward the new funding.
Restart as a challenger.
Mission:
Realizing a ubiquitous network society providing global customers with a "magic
wand": the dream-packed and exciting mobile telephones usable anytime, anywhere,
anyone, comfortably, conveniently and safely, securely.
"New communication life to global customers"
Aim:
We aim to become a No. 1 global player in the mobile telephone business.
Shift the viewpoint from Japan to global by expanding in the global market
FY 2003 focuses on 3 global sites (Japan, Europe, China)
Midterm sales target:
FY2005 global consolidated sales : one trillion yen]
Overseas sales/production ratio : more than 50%
Global market share of the mobile telephones : two digits
2003 management policy:
"Work to grow to make profits all across the operating units"
How we will be profit-driven and how we will work taking large steps.
1) Create strong products
Value to be added from customers' point of view
Create new streams
Increase speed---global marketing, globally unified product concept, globally
simultaneous introduction and expansion.
2) Strengthen management structure
Improve R&D management
Shorten the total lead-time of R&D, manufacturing and sales
Strengthen quality control and environmental management
CCM/ Maximize cash flow
Improve management quality
3) Expand in the global market
Strengthen the global sales network - consolidated marketing for Europe and
China to start in April
Optimize the global R&D sites ( Japan, USA, Europe, China)
Establish the global procurement of parts and materials and manufacturing system
(4) Foster human resources
FY2003 commitment:
"Courage, Persistence, Action---- Results-minded"
Each one of us, results-minded, makes commitments with courage and persistence.
About Matsushita Communication Industrial Co.
Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd (MCI) is a principal subsidiary of
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand
consumer and industrial products. Matsushita Communication Industrial
specializes in three business areas: mobile communications, automotive
multimedia, and system solutions. One of the world's first 3G handset
manufacturers for commercial services in Japan, the company recorded sales of
783.8 billion yen (US$5.9 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
About Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (6752), best known for its Panasonic,
National, Technics, and Quasar brands, is a worldwide leader in the development
and manufacture of electronics products for a wide range of consumer, business,
and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated
sales of US$51.7 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002. In addition
to stock exchanges in Tokyo (TSE: 6752) and elsewhere in Japan, Matsushita's
shares are listed on the Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, New York (NYSE: MC),
Pacific, and Paris stock exchanges.
Source: Matsushita Communication Industrial Co.
Source: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Contact:
Kusakabe,
Public Relations Group,
Corporate Global Business Division
Phone: 81-(0)3-3438-920
http://panasonic.co.jp/pmc
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
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(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
InterDigital Announces Date for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2002
RELATED SYMBOLS: (IDCC)
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Jan 27, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- InterDigital
Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:IDCC), a leading architect, designer and
provider of advanced wireless technologies and product platforms, announced
today that it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2002 financial
results before the market opens on Tuesday, February 11, 2003.
InterDigital will host a conference call on Tuesday, February 11, at 10:00 a.m.
Eastern Standard Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2002 operating
results and its outlook for the future. For listen-only access to the conference
call within the U.S. please dial (877) 505-0448 by 9:50 a.m. Eastern Standard
Time on February 11 and ask the operator for the InterDigital Fourth Quarter
Financial Call.
Participants calling from outside the U. S. should dial (706) 679-3165.
InterDigital also will provide live access to the call on its web site at:
www.interdigital.com. The Company encourages participants to take advantage of
the Internet option if possible. For the live Internet broadcast, click on the
microphone icon next to "Live Web Cast" on the Home Page and you will link to
the web cast.
In preparation for the web cast, InterDigital recommends that you complete the
Pre-Event System Test.
In addition, a replay of the call will be available for 48 hours after the
completion of the call. To access the recorded replay, dial (800) 642-1687 and
use the confirmation code 7829253.
Due to the listen-only nature of the broadcast, questions or comments should be
directed before the call to InterDigital's Investor Relations department via
e-mail at: investor.relations@interdigital.com. The Company will address e-mail
questions on the call as time permits.
InterDigital architects, designs and provides advanced wireless technologies and
products that drive voice and data communications. The Company offers technology
and product solutions for mainstream wireless applications that deliver cost and
time-to-market advantages for its customers.
InterDigital has a strong portfolio of patented technologies covering 2G, 2.5G
and 3G standards, which it licenses worldwide. For more information, please
visit InterDigital's web site: www.interdigital.com. InterDigital is a
registered trademark of InterDigital Communications Corporation.
CONTACT: InterDigital Communications Corporation
Media Contact:
Guy Hicks, 610/878-7800
e-mail: guy.hicks@interdigital.com
or
Investor Contact:
Janet Point, 610/878-7800
e-mail: janet.point@interdigital.com
(c) 2003 Business Wire. All reproduction, other than for an individual user`s reference, is prohibited without prior written permission.
-0-
KEYWORD: PENNSYLVANIA
SUBJECT CODE: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
E-COMMERCE
INTERNET COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
CONFERENCE
CALLS
EARNINGS
SOURCE:
InterDigital
Communications
Corporation
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
NTT Group Develops World's First Real-time Video Communication Platform
RELATED SYMBOLS: (DCM)(NTT)
Tokyo, Japan, Jan 28, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- The NTT Group companies
have adopted the "Vision for a new optical generation- Broadband leading to the
world of resonant communication," announced last November, as the group's common
concept. They are committed to making a resonant communication network
environment with superior usability a reality, and to creating a broad variety
of new and sophisticated services and business models.
Three NTT Group companies, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (hereafter
referred to as NTT; headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Norio Wada),
NTT Broadband Initiative Inc. (hereafter referred to as NTT-BB; headquartered in
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hidetoshi Shirakawa), and NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
(hereafter referred to as NTT DoCoMo; headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo;
President and CEO: Keiji Tachikawa), have developed, for the first time in the
world, a video communication platform conforming to international standards. The
platform enables real-time bi-directional video communication between personal
computers at home or in the office connected to a broadband network environment
and FOMA handsets (See Note below) provided by NTT DoCoMo, and also between
personal computers.
Prior to launching a commercial service, these companies will carry out trial
services with both general and corporate users to verify business feasibility,
user interfaces and other aspects.
1. History and objectives of developing the platform
As the number of broadband access users, utilizing FTTH, ADSL, etc., increases
rapidly, there are growing demands for mobile video communication, high quality
audio and video, and end-to-end communications backed by the presence function
(see glossary).
The newly developed platform enables bi-directional communication between IP
networks and the FOMA network. This form of communication had been difficult to
achieve because of the differences in the bearer service and protocols used by
these networks. In addition, this platform makes it possible to improve the
quality of the communication between personal computers. It can dramatically
expand the range of handsets with which communication is possible, and provides
an environment for ubiquitous communication with anyone, anytime and anywhere.
The new environment for ubiquitous communication will allow the creation of new
business opportunities, such as active and efficient collaboration within a
corporation through face-to-face video communications, consulting services using
connections between a personal computer and FOMA handsets, and mobile electronic
commerce. For individuals and the general community, the ability to use a FOMA
handset for these communications will make their communication simpler and more
convenient.
2. Role of each company in the development of the platform
NTT Cyber Space Laboratories have developed the Instant Messenger, which enables
real-time, high-quality, end-to-end video communication between a personal
computer connected to an IP network and a FOMA handset and also between personal
computers.
NTT DoCoMo has developed bearer-service and protocol conversion functions
between an IP network and the FOMA network. This conversion function achieves
seamless, bi-directional communication between a personal computer and a FOMA
handset by making the communication pass through an ISDN.
NTT-BB will build a trial service system by implementing NTT Laboratories'
Instant Messenger and NTT DoCoMo's IP network-FOMA network conversion function
on top of its platform that is used to provide a full-blown broadband service
(BROBA), and by adding security and other functions.
The above-mentioned arrangement has made it possible to provide real-time,
bi-directional video communication, using the Instant Messenger, between a
personal computer and a FOMA handset for the first time in the world.
3. Provision of a trial service and future directions
NTT-BB will accept applications to participate in a trial from general and
corporate users on its website from February 2003, and carry out a trial service
for two month. It plans to accept seventy applications from general users and
thirty applications from corporate users. All applicants are required to sign up
for BROBA service in order to participate in this trial.
The objective of the trial service is to verify specific business models and the
suitability of the system for a variety of applications. These applications
include expert support of salespersons when making presentations to customers in
remote locations, remote monitoring of distant construction sites from an office
personal computer, remote monitoring of home from a distant place, video
collaboration at a SOHO, and distance learning from home or a place outside
campus that the student is visiting.
After the trial service, the plan is to begin a commercial service across the
country by September 2003.
Based on the results of the trial service, the companies will continue with
development to further improve usability.
"FOMA handset" refers to a FOMA handset that supports the videophone function.
*FOMA is a trademark or registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and
other countries.
Glossary
Resonant communication:
The communication concept proposed in the "Vision for a new optical generation"
in November 2002.
Presence function:
The capacity to continuously monitor, manage and notify the status of the
destination handset and the network, and the information about available
services.
IP network:
A network that transfers data using the Internet Protocol (IP).
Bearer service:
A service for which only the lower layers (layers 1 to 3) are defined, whereas
handset functions and the higher layers (layers 4 to 7) are not defined.
Protocol:
A set of rules for exchanging information between computers.
Ubiquitous:
Derived from the Latin word ubique, ubiquitous means to be everywhere at the
same time.
Instant Messenger:
An application that checks whether the users of the same software on the
Internet are online or not, and, if they are online, can initiate a chat or
transfer files.
An overview of the end-to-end real-time video communication platform is
available at http://www.ntt.co.jp/news/news03e/0301/030128.html.
About Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (TSE: 9432)(NYSE: NTT) was
established in 1952 as a state-owned telecommunications public corporation and
in 1986 converted to a private company to be the largest telecommunications
company in Japan and the second largest in the world. NTT and its subsidiaries
provide a wide range of telecommunications services.
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than
44 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile
multimedia services. These include i-mode(R), the world's most popular mobile
internet service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 35 million
subscribers, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile
service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and
North and South America, the company is expanding its global reach through
strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the
Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the
Tokyo (TSE: 9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.
Source: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
Source: NTT DoCoMo
Contact:
Hideki Omichi, or Noriko Takaya,
Public Relations,
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Phone: +81-3-5205-5550
Taku Hasegawa, or Masahiko Nittono,
Broadband Promotion Office,
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Phone: +81-3-5205-5631
Keihiro Ochiai, Teruo Hagino, or Tomokazu Yamashita,
Planning Division, PR,
Cyber Communications Laboratory Group,
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Phone: +81-46-859-2032
Masakazu Inori, or Yuichi Oichi,
General Planning Department,
NTT Broadband Initiative Inc
Phone: +81-3-5299-6034
Norio Hasegawa,
Public Relations Department,
International PR, NTT DoCoMo, Inc
Phone: +81-3-5156-1366
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
-0-
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
TD-SCDMA Forum to be Held in April
BEIJING, Jan 28, 2003 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- The TD-SCDMA Forum will co-hold
with TD-SCDMA Industry Coalition and Institute of Telecommunications the 2003
TD-SCDMA International Summit from April 10-11, 2003 in Beijing.
The organizing committee of the summit says that the summit will provide an
opportunity for domestic and international telecom carriers and manufacturers to
further understand the latest progress of TD-SCDMA, the policies of the Chinese
Government, and the start-up schedule of China's 3G markets. Chinese telecom
carriers and manufactures can take this opportunity to absorb experiences from
international competitors. The summit can also be a platform for participants
from home and abroad making cooperation with each other.
Officials from the Information Office of the State Council, the State
Development Planning Committee, the Ministry of Trade and Economy Corporation,
the Ministry of Information Industry, the Management Bureau of Radio Frequency,
the Management Bureau of Telecommunications, and the Ministry of Science and
Technology, and executives from telecom carriers, directors of the summit such
as Siemens, Datang Group, Motorola, Nokia, and Ericsson will participate this
summit.
From China News, Page 1, Monday, January 27, 2003
info@SinoCast.Com
Copyright (C) 2003 SinoCast, All rights reserved
-0-
KEYWORD: BEIJING
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Global Activities
SUBJECT CODE: Computers, Telecom and Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
China Telecom and China Netcom Tiptoes to CDMA
CHINA, Jan 28, 2003 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- News from the press conference of
CDMA1x mobile phones held by TCL shows that the market capacity of CDMA and PHS
(personal handy phone system) will be doubled this year. Moreover, China Telecom
and China Mobile are approaching to CDMA and PHS market.
As China Telecom and China Netcom's entry into CDMA market and the popularity of
personal handy phone system, it will reshape the market this year. Yang Xiaoxi,
vice-general manger of the Marketing Department and general manager of CDMA
Department of TCL Mobile Communications Co., Ltd, expects that the market
capacity in 2003 for newly subscribed mobile phone users will be 70 million to
80 million, 15 million for new personal handy phone users, 13 million for CDMA
subscribers, CDMA450 will hit 10 million. China Telecom and China Netcom are
both preparing for CDMA450 that has a covering rate of 20 kilometers and can
roam around the country. As personal handy phone system become mature, it is
single-way charge of mobile phones actually.
He expects that China Telecom and China Netcom may gain the 3G license at the
end of 2003, now they are preparing for transforming from CDMA450 to 3G.
From Information Times, Page 3, Monday, January 27, 2003
info@SinoCast.Com
Copyright (C) 2003 SinoCast, All rights reserved
-0-
KEYWORD: CHINA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Marketing
Investment
SUBJECT CODE: Computers, Telecom and Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
China Mobile Fears Nothing about CDMA
RELATED SYMBOLS: (CHU)
HONG KONG, Jan 28, 2003 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- According to local Hong Kong
media, Wang Xiaochu, chairman of board of China Mobile, says China Unicom's CDMA
has not affected China Mobile.
In addition, he says that the issue of 3G may be later than expectations. And
the company issued corporate bonds for consecutive two years, the total
financing volume of the bonds refreshed the record. And this year's bonds
issuing will depend on the company's financial situation.
China Mobile issued the corporate bonds on October 28, 2002, the bonds include
five-year bonds and 15-year bonds, the issue volume of five-year bonds is RMB 3
billion, and the 15-year bonds is RMB 5 billion. The yearly interest of the
bonds is 4.5%, with AAA certification. The bonds has been listed in the Shanghai
Securities, listing volume is RMB 4.56 million, RMB 1.24 for five-year bonds,
and RMB 3.31 million for 15-year bonds.
From Source: CCID page 1, Monday, January 27, 2003
info@SinoCast.Com
Copyright (C) 2003 SinoCast, All rights reserved
-0-
KEYWORD: HONG KONG
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Marketing
Investment
SUBJECT CODE: Computers, Telecom and Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
3G Licenses' Issuing Schedule on Going
BEIJING, Jan 28, 2003 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- On January 20, 2003, the 3G
Planning Expert Committee founded by Information Office of the Ministry of
Information Industry submitted three issuing schemes of 3G mobile communications
licenses to the State Council for approval.
Experts suggested that China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and China
Netcom could receive one license respectively.
The first scheme is to let carriers choose one of 3G standards according their
cost and prospect. The second scheme is to issue TD-SCDMA to China Telecom and
China Netcom, WCDMA and CDMA2000 for China Mobile and China Unicom respectively.
The third is to allow China Telecom and China Netcom to choose freely, but the
two carriers must use TD-SCDMA as network standard in some areas.
As for the issuing date of 3G licenses, it is undecided. Because the 3G-oriented
multimedia short massages is still not mature, so experts believe that the
licenses should issue by 2004, but it will depend on the State Council's
decision. An executive of the Management Bureau of Radio Frequency says the
bureau need to allocate the frequency carefully, if the State Government issued
3G licenses in the near future, but up to now, the bureau has not been informed
on this issue.
An executive from the Information Office says the issue of 3G licenses will
depend on the testing on 3G conducted by Datang Group.
From Source: China News page 1, Monday, January 27, 2003
info@SinoCast.Com
Copyright (C) 2003 SinoCast, All rights reserved
-0-
KEYWORD: BEIJING
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Marketing
Investment
SUBJECT CODE: Computers, Telecom and Information Technology
(Wall Street)
Daniel Nieves
GSM EUROPE: GSM Europe and its 130 mobile operator members endorse first
Jan 28, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- During a Public Hearing on
Information Society organised by the European Parliament, GSM Europe - the
European Interest Group of the GSM Association- announced the first
Implementation Review of the base station deployment 'good practice'
recommendations. Launched over a year ago, the GSME self-regulatory initiative
has made clear progress in addressing community health and environmental
concerns about network rollout and base station siting.
In November 2001, GSME announced a series of self-regulatory measures - 'Good
Practice Recommendations for Network Rollout'. The objective of these measures
was to improve communications and consultation to address the community
challenges presented by the continued rapid growth of mobile communications.
The implementation review highlights that the 'good practice' recommendations
are beginning to achieve their goals: improved data availability to national and
local authorities and other key stakeholders, more site sharing initiatives when
feasible, enhanced consideration of environmental sensitivity and more
information available on the operation of base station facilities.
"The review of our recommendations demonstrates that GSM Europe and its mobile
operator members are helping to ensure that the right balance is struck between
enabling development and access to mobile services in Europe and enabling
operators to address new planning policies which are restricting network
deployment opportunities and the community issues presented by the
implementation of additional network infrastructure for 2G and 3G services,"
said Kaisu Karvala, Chair GSM Europe.
"GSM Europe recognises that concerns about the development of the mobile
industry should be addressed in an open and transparent manner and this review
shows that our members are working more closely with their communities to
address and minimise their concerns," added Karvala.
European mobile operators and the GSM Association are also supporting quality
research programmes at EU and Member State level based on the World Health
Organization (WHO) research agenda. This research will ensure any identified
gaps in the knowledge are filled and that guidelines for limiting both public
and occupational exposure to RF are scientifically based, rather than the
arbitrary values being imposed by some Member States.
Notes to Editor:
About GSM Europe
GSM Europe is the European interest group of the GSM Association, the premier
global body behind the world's leading wireless communications standard. GSM
Europe represents around 130 operators in 50 countries/areas in Europe and
counts around 380 million subscribers. The GSM Association is responsible for
the development, deployment and evolution of the GSM standard for digital
wireless communications and for the promotion of the GSM platform.
About the GSM Association
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the world's leading wireless industry
representative body. It consists of more than 660 second and third generation
wireless network operators working collaboratively to define, prioritise and
communicate requirements, as well as key manufacturers and suppliers to the
wireless industry. The Association's members provide digital wireless services
to more than 787 million customers (end December 2002).
The GSM family of wireless communications platforms account for approximately 72
percent of the total digital wireless market today. The GSM Association is a
unique organization, with truly global reach, offering a full range of business
and technical services to its members. For more information, visit the website
at www.gsmworld.com.
GSM is a registered trademark, registered and owned by the GSM Association.
CONTACT: Richard Fogg, Companycare Communications Ltd Tel: +44 (0)118 939 5900
e-mail: richard@companycare.com Isabelle Mauro, Director, GSM Europe Tel: +44
(0)20 7518 0530 e-mail: imauro@gsm.org
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2
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