| 15 3 2002
Significant Milestone on the Way to Successful UMTS Deployment
Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has successfully completed its first Universal Mobile
Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) voice call in
Germany that is in compliance with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
Standard Release 99 version.
The call was made at
Motorola's UMTS laboratory in Wiesbaden using the AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate)
CODEC specified by the 3GPP. Motorola previously
announced a 144 Kb/s data call over the same Motorola UMTS Radio Access Network
(UTRAN).
With our first UMTS voice call in Germany, Motorola has proven its UTRAN is
compatible with the 3GPP Standard Release 99. "This achievement is a major
breakthrough on the way to the successful deployment of UMTS networks in
Germany. It establishes another basis to specifically optimize our technologies
for commercial implementation with network operators," explains Jerry
Chard, Director, UMTS Infrastructures at Motorola GmbH.
The successful lab test reflects Motorola's many years of experience in
real-life voice and packet data communications via mobile networks. For example,
Motorola implemented a nationwide GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network
for a major German network operator in early 2001. Leveraging the expertise from
that network deployment, Motorola was able to use Node B (base station) products
that are compliant with the European UMTS specifications and standards early on
in its lab tests.
Motorola offers a high performance UTRAN solution with features like intelligent
coverage that will give operators the opportunity to achieve significant
savings, as fewer cell sites will be needed to meet coverage quality
requirements. The core element of Motorola's UMTS solution is its Node B that is
significantly
smaller and lighter than comparable products (at just 257 liters in volume and
145 kg in a typical configuration). As a result the UMTS Node B can be stacked
with existing Motorola GSM BTSs, while providing improved performance. This
compact Node B provides operators with the opportunity for greater site re-use
and easier site acquisition, which can result in less capital expense and faster
time to market.
"Motorola is leveraging its world-leading planning, designing and
optimization experience in CDMA, coupled with its leadership in GPRS, to develop
and deploy high quality UMTS networks," said Chard. "This milestone
greatly enhances the expertise we are gaining through our UMTS trials in Europe,
Australia, and China."
At 3GSM 2002 in Cannes, France, Motorola also unveiled the company's first 3G
wireless handset, the A820, delivering on the promise of the next generation
wireless communications, where video merges with voice and data for a completely
new mobile experience.
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