MobilenniuM Express
3G Industry news from the UMTS Forum
15 April 2009

Vinaphone Selects Alcatel-Lucent for Mobile Network Upgrade in Vietnam
Vietnam’s second largest mobile operator VinaPhone, which has been recently awarded a 3G licence, has selected French telecoms equipment vendor Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade its GSM network in 16 northern provinces with advanced EDGE broadband data technology. The upgrade will lay a solid foundation for Vinaphone’s upcoming 3G network construction, providing VinaPhone with a smooth evolution path to upgrade its network to WCDMA, HSPA, HSPA+ and LTE.

Vodafone Tests Mobile Internet in Rural Areas of Baden-Württemberg
The State Broadcasting Authority for Communication in Baden-Württemberg (LFK) and the UK-based mobile group Vodafone have teamed up to implement the first field tests involving the digital dividend radio spectrum and the use of radio frequencies for broadband internet. Vodafone will provide free wireless broadband access with peak download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps and up to 1.4 Mbps for uplink to around 100 test households in the region, aiming to showcase how to improve the prospects of rural regions for broadband internet services using the digital dividend radio spectrum The project will also reveal the potential for radio technology in south-western Germany's hilly landscapes and whether it will have any impact on digital terrestrial and cable TV reception.

"Making Use of Europe's Digital Dividend now to Counter the Economic Downturn". Statement by EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding following a Meeting with Dániel Pataki, Chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group
Following a strategic meeting with Dániel Pataki, Chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), the EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding has stressed the importance of the "digital dividend" for stimulating growth and competition on Europe's telecoms markets and called regulators and policy-makers at the European and national level to act. The additional spectrum that will become available as a result of the switchover from analogue to digital TV will enable new wireless and TV services, giving a boost in particular to wireless broadband service. The incremental value of using the digital dividend spectrum for wireless broadband across the EU is estimated to be between €150-200 billion.

M1 Launches Singapore's First Prepaid Broadband Service, Offering Unlimited Usage
Singapore’s number-two mobile operator M1 has launched the country’s first prepaid mobile broadband service, offering unlimited data usage. The new service is aimed at occasional mobile broadband users and visitors to Singapore who need internet and e-mail access. M1, which launched Singapore’s first mobile broadband service in 2006, offers three-day unlimited data access at SG$18, with peak download speeds of 7.2 Mbps island-wide enabled by the operator’s WCDMA/HSPA network.

World's First Femtocell Standard Published by 3GPP
The Femto Forum has announced that the world’s first femtocell standard has been officially endorsed by the 3GPP (the 3rd Generation Partnership Project) following a 12-month three-way cooperation between the 3GPP, Femto Forum and Broadband Forum. The specifications, covering network architecture, radio and interference aspects, femtocell management and provisioning and security,will be introduced in the forthcoming 3GPP Release 8. The completion of the standard specifications will enable operators to deploy UMTS-based femtocells based on a standardised technology, paving the way for large-scale commercial deployments.

Email the Way You Want It - Nokia E75 Begins Shipping
Finland’s Nokia has started shipping the Nokia E75 with its enhanced desktop email functionality. The Nokia E75 features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch QVGA touchscreen with a 240 x 360 resolution and the 3.2-megapixel camera. The HSPA-enabled device has totally integrated email and messaging services, which combined with the new Nokia Messaging function enables users to pull all their web-based email accounts.

MobiFone Pledges 3G Coverage Following 3G Licence Award in Vietnam
Vietnam’s leading mobile operator MobiFone has confirmed that it is one of the four companies that have been awarded four 15-year 3G licences by the Vietnam Ministry of Information and Communications. The remaining three winners are military-run Viettel, VNPT-owned Vinaphone and a consortium between EVN Telecom and Hanoi Telecom. GSM-based Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone have dominated Vietnam's mobile phone market. MobiFone, which is also backed by telecoms group VNPT, intends to launch its HSPA-based network in June 2009. It will expand 3G coverage in all 63 cities and provinces within a year since the award of the licence, aiming for 98% coverage later on.