Japan

DoCoMo building HSUPA chip

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:14:07 -0400

Japan's NTT DoCoMo has partnered with Fujitsu, Sharp and semiconductor company Renesas Technology to co-develop an HSUPA platform. DoCoMo said the SH-Mobile G4 single chip LSI device, will support HSUPA1/HSDPA2/WCDMA and GSM/GPRS/EDGE and will be completed in early 2010. Article

Taiwan WiMAX industry: We don't need Intel

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:59:53 -0500

Intel has yet to deliver on a pledge it made to the Taiwan government back in 2005 that calls for Intel to make equity investments in licensed Taiwan-based WiMAX operators, according to Economic Affairs Minister Steve Chen. It appears Intel has decided to invest in Japan's KDDI instead. As such, Chen said the Taiwan government welcomes other international companies to invest in Taiwan's WiMAX industry, adding that Taiwan does not necessarily need Intel's support for WiMAX development.

To find out more about the Taiwan government's comments about Intel:
- read this article from Digitimes

Related articles:
Taiwanese WiMAX makers worry about Sprint Report
Fujitsu to develop WiMAX chips in Taiwan Report

ALSO NOTED: Ofcom gives 10 broadband spectrum; Vocera releases new WiFi phone; and much more...

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:59:51 -0500

> Ofcom awards 10 companies spectrum in the 10 GHz to 40 GHz band. Article

> A small increase in U.S. broadband adoption would have an annual economic impact of $134 billion, according to a new study. Article

> Vocera introduced the T1000 WiFi phone for mobile workers. Article

And Finally... Japan successfully launched an experimental satellite designed to provide high-speed Internet access across Asia. Article

NTT DoCoMo ends WiMAX partnership

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

NTT DoCoMo has ended its WiMAX partnership agreement with ACCA Wireless after the venture failed to secure WiMAX spectrum from the Japanese government last month.

The two had joined forces last summer for the purpose of securing a mobile WiMAX license. But Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications gave the two available broadband wireless service licenses to rival operator KDDI and PHS operator Willcom. KDDI and Willcom are expected to launch WiMAX services in 2009 and may also lease spectrum to other parties interested in offering WiMAX services.

To read more about NTT DoCoMo's failed WiMAX plans:
- take a look at this article from telecoms.com

Related articles:
NTT DoCoMo announces joint venture with ACCA Networks Report
Japan grants KDDI, Willcom wireless data licenses Report

NextWave re-organizes business

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

NextWave Wireless has re-organized its business, folding its plethora of acquisitions into two business units, one focused on mobile infrastructure and the other on devices.

NextWave will combine its PacketVideo business, which makes software for multimedia phones, with its semiconductor business, which is primarily focused on producing WiMAX chips. The infrastructure division will include TD-CDMA vendor IPWireless and WiFi vendor Go Networks.

NextWave has a mission of making spectrum available to companies that want to enter the mobile broadband space and use its products and technologies, including WiMAX and TD-CDMA.

To read more about NextWave's re-organization:
- take a look at this article from Telephony Magazine

Related articles:
NextWave, Huawei trial mobile WiMax Report
NextWave bolts Japan after one month Report

Report: Users will pay more for higher speed data

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Nortel sponsored a study that collected reactions from focus groups in the U.S. and Japan to find out how people view high-speed wireless data services. The conclusion: Mobile users are frustrated by the data speeds and are willing to pay more to get faster connections, according the study done by consulting firm CSMG Adventis. Nortel, of course, wants operators to swiftly move to 4G.

For more about the study:
- read this report from InformationWeek

Japan's IP Mobile files for bankruptcy

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:59:53 -0400

Japan's IP Mobile has filed for bankruptcy after its attempts to gain funding fell through and its Nov. 9 deadline for launching services looms. The licensee has continued to have bad luck in attracting investors. NextWave invested in the company a few short months to ensure the launch of TD-CDMA technology. Recently, IP Mobile had said it wanted to flip from TD-CDMA to TD-SCDMA. Since it couldn't find financing, IP Mobile must return its mobile license to Japan's regulatory body.

For more on the IP Mobile bankruptcy filing:
- read this article from Jijii Press

Related Articles:
- NextWave to be only foreign carrier in Japan Report
- Japan's IP Mobile to flip from TD-CDMA to TD-SCDMA Report

Japan's IPMobile to flip from TD-CDMA to TD-SCDMA

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:56 -0400

IPMobile, the beleaguered licensee in Japan that has been trying to roll out TD-CDMA technology, said it anticipates more than $100 million in support from Distacom Group, a Hong Kong-based investment company, to enable it to roll out services. However, the operator intends to switch from TD-CDMA technology to the Chinese-developed TD-SCDMA 3G standard.

In September, IPMobile saw NextWave sell its 69.23-percent stake in the company back to Mori Trust after purchasing the stake the month prior. NextWave decided its chances of making a profit in the highly competitive Japanese market were slim. NextWave bought the stake to further the deployment of TD-CDMA since it has an interest in developing the technology after acquiring TD-CDMA technology developer IPWireless in April.

IPMobile will now ask for permission from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs to switch technologies as it runs into a deadline that requires the operator to roll out service in November.

"Considering more than 20 worldwide vendors have already developed more than 100 kinds of handsets, TD-SCDMA will drastically change procurement costs for equipment and our competitiveness in Japan," said IPMobile.

To read more about IPMobile's TD-SCDMA plans:
- take a look at this article from Nikkei Electronics

NextWave leaves Japan after a month

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Just a month after NextWave Wireless bought 69.23 percent of IP Mobile in Japan, the company is selling the stake back to Mori Trust, the group it purchased the stake from initially. NextWave decided its chances of making a profit in the highly competitive Japanese market were slim.

NextWave bought the stake to further the deployment of TD-CDMA since it has an interest in developing the technology after acquiring TD-CDMA technology developer IPWireless in April. IP Mobile secured spectrum in the 2 GHz band for mobile services in November 2005 along with Softbank and Emobile. Both of those companies have launched service, but IPMobile has struggled to find financing to deploy TD-CDMA technology.

But NextWave itself is burning through some serious cash as it embarks on its wireless 2.0 vision. The company lost more than $59.5 million during the second quarter, primarily attributed to its increase in operating expenses related to the expansion of its R&D teams and related support organizations.

For more about NextWave's exit from Japan:
- read this article from AFP
- and this report from the Japan Times

DoCoMo creates WiMAX joint venture

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Japanese wireless giant NTT DoCoMo announced a joint venture with ACCA Networks to deploy WiMAX technology in the 2.5 GHz band in Japan. The partnership was necessary because the Japanese government has banned existing 3G operators, such as DoCoMo, from getting any rights to the 2.5 GHz spectrum. The government wants to encourage new market entrants.

ACCA Networks will be in charge of overall management of ACCA Wireless, such as operation of high-speed wired infrastructure and sales of broadband wireless services. DoCoMo will help construct the wireless access network and provide technical assistance. DoCoMo's stake in ACCA Wireless will be limited to no more than one-third, according to government stipulations, since DoCoMo already offers 3G.

For more about the partnership between DoCoMo and ACCA Networks:
- read this release

Related articles:
- Motorola, Japan's Softbank to trial WiMAX
- NextWave to be only foreign carrier in Japan
- Alvarion's position in mobile WiMAX grows stronger

Can NextWave create economies of scale for TD-CDMA?

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Can NextWave create economies of scale for TD-CDMA?
NextWave is certainly doing its best to make sure that TD-CDMA, also known as UMTS TDD, technology breaks into mainstream. The broadband wireless technology, which works as advertised, has long suffered from a lack of economies of scale. When NextWave bought the technology's maker, IPWireless, in April many questioned how NextWave could drum up support for the technology. It may have found the answer. Late last week, NextWave announced plans to purchase a 69.23 percent stake in Tokyo-based IPMobile from Mori Trust, which bought the stake in April, and to speed up the operator's deployment of TD-CDMA technology. (See our first story.)

IPMobile secured spectrum in the 2 GHz band for mobile services in November 2005 along with Softbank and Emobile. Both of those companies have launched service, but IPMobile has struggled to find financing to deploy a TD-CDMA network. According to Liz Kerton, executive director of the Global UMTS TDD Alliance, IPMobile is expected to cover Japan with up to 8,000 base stations. She believes such a commitment to TD-CDMA should "kick production into high gear and bring major vendors into the ecosystem."

TD-CDMA backers have certainly had their fair share of disappointments. Sprint Nextel's decision to deploy WiMAX over TD-CDMA dealt a heavy blow to IPWireless last summer. The technology has had a nice handful of wins in countries such as the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Germany, South Africa, Sweden and the U.K. But they haven't created the economies of scale the technology has desperately needed.

Of course, IPMobile's success in Japan isn't a shoe-in. It's launching into one of the most cut-throat mobile markets in the world. Even the world's biggest mobile operator, Vodafone, couldn't make it there. It sold to Softbank last year. (However, Softbank has turned the business around nicely.) Plus IPMobile has to get the network up and running by October or risk losing its license. If it pulls it all off, however, IPMobile could beat the rest of the Japanese mobile industry, including giant NTT DoCoMo, to the punch when it comes to so-called 4G. NextWave Chairman and CEO Allen Salmasi said the network should be able to provide speeds of up to 30 Mbps, supporting a wide variety of bandwidth-intensive applications.

Could we finally see TD-CDMA technology moved to the upper echelon of the industry? --Lynnette

NextWave buys into Japanese carrier for TD-CDMA

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Following its acquisition of TD-CDMA technology developer IPWireless in April, NextWave Wireless is now moving with TD-CDMA in Japan. The company announced plans to purchase a 69.23-percent stake in Tokyo-based IPMobile from Mori Trust, which bought the stake in April, and to speed up the operator's deployment of TD-CDMA.

IPMobile secured spectrum in the 2 GHz band for mobile services in November 2005 along with Softbank and Emobile. Both of those companies have launched service, but IPMobile has struggled to find financing to deploy TD-CDMA technology. Now IPMobile must launch service by October or risk losing its license. NextWave says it will work to meet that deadline.

The acquisition will make NextWave the only foreign carrier in Japan since Vodafone pulled out of Vodafone KK last year and sold to Softbank Mobile. But as NextWave has stated in the past, it doesn't have the intention of being a mobile operator. "After the launch of IPMobile's commercial network later this year, we look forward to following up with world-class companies in Japan to invest in the future of IPMobile's business," said NextWave Chairman and CEO Allen Salmasi.

For more about NextWave's plans in Japan:
- read this article from TelecomWeb
- check out this release

Related articles:
- NextWave spells out plans for WiMAX chips