MotorolaTETRA system to be used at Beijing Olympics

Motorola, Inc. announced an agreement with the Beijing Police Bureau to provide its 350MHz TETRA digital trunked radio communications system to support the security needs of the Olympic Games. Beijing is the first city in China to implement a 350MHz TETRA digital trunked radio communication system.

Under the agreement, Motorola will provide the Beijing Police Bureau with a comprehensive TETRA digital trunked radio communication solution that includes 30 base stations, switches, terminals, and additional products and services. The Bureau's plans to establish a new wireless communication system alongside with its existing wireless network was based on a stringent assessment findings conducted to strengthen, safeguard, and to ensure the complete success of the Olympic Games. As this project involves Olympic Games security tasks, the system is strictly required to provide efficient and reliable support for the Olympic Games.

As the pioneer and global leader in the digital trunked radio communication industry, Motorola has strong capabilities to provide a complete line of products for 350MHz TETRA digital trunked systems, including base stations, switches, terminals and other related accessories. Over the years, Motorola has established several long-term relationships serving many Chinese local entities within the sector and is very experienced in China's public safety industry. Motorola is a trusted partner and reputable in the industry for providing its customers with a range of customized solutions that include single cluster stations, multi-slot packet data processing, and mobile base stations, among other products and services.

The communications' department of the Beijing Police Bureau stated,

"It is important to use high-quality communications solutions and services to ensure we dispatch effective and reliable radio communications solutions during the Olympic Games. I am pleased that Motorola is able to meet all our needs as it has tremendous experience and sophisticated communications capabilities."

"We are delighted to collaborate with the Beijing Police Bureau to provide wireless communication systems and solutions to enhance the Olympics' security. Motorola has been supporting the needs of mission critical users for Olympics dispatch radio communications since 1972. We provide the most advanced products and services and are highly experienced in digital trunked radio communications for the public security sector worldwide, meeting the stringent needs required by the Beijing Police for a secure Olympics event. We would like to take this opportunity to wish the Beijing Police Bureau a successful mission in handling their security assignments during the Olympic Games. It is our hope for Beijing to succeed in this global event,"

said Mr. Chew Hock Siong, General Manager, Government & Public Safety, Enterprise Mobile Solutions, Motorola (China) Electronics Ltd.

As an industry leader, Motorola initiated and strongly advocates the TETRA digital trunked radio communications standard. Motorola has served customers in China's public security sector for many years. As early as March 2001, Motorola implemented the first 800MHz TETRA digital trunked radio command and communication system on a full IP platform for the Shanghai Metropolitan Police Bureau. With the support of Motorola's TETRA digital trunked system, the Shanghai Police carried out safe and successful law enforcement for the 2007 Special Olympics World Games, garnering subsequent praise by China's Ministry of Public Security. In January 2008, Motorola signed a contact with Beijing Central Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection to provide a 350MHz TETRA digital trunked system to support radio communications for exit and entry inspection at the Beijing International Airport.

Mobile-TV equipped TD-SCDMA handsets delivered to China Mobile

Lenovo Mobile and Spreadtrum jointly presented Lenovo Mobile's TD900, the new digital mobile-TV equipped TD-SCDMA handsets, to China Mobile. The TD900's design is based on Spreadtrum's TD-SCDMA platform and mobile-TV solution. Officials attending the press conference included Mr. Xinsheng Zhang, Deputy Director General, Science and Technology Department, MIIT, Mr. Bo Zhao, Deputy Director General, Electronics and Information Technology Products Department, MIIT, Mr. Xiaojie Wang, Director General, Science and Technology Bureau, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television ("SARFT"), and officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology and from China Mobile.

This batch of mobile-TV equipped TD900 will be distributed to the Beijing Olympics volunteers and staff members. Lenovo Mobile is expected to deliver more TD900 handsets to China Mobile before the Beijing Olympic Games. With the Beijing Olympics approaching, China has become the focus of the world. Currently, China Mobile is increasing its testing of the mobile-TV function while preparing its third round of public bidding for the purchase of TD-SCDMA handsets. Lenovo Mobile and Spreadtrum's distribution of the first batch of mobile-TV TD900 handsets to China Mobile at the earliest opportunity shows the two parties' strong joint efforts and determination to serve the Beijing Olympics.

Lenovo Mobile's TD900 is one of Lenovo Mobile's "new vision" model series released in July 2008. TD900 is a tablet phone; it supports TD-SCDMA/GSM dual mode and 3G applications such as video phone, mobile-TV, auto-roaming, auto-switching and high speed download. As the first batch of mobile-TV equipped TD handsets, several radio programs and approximately eight TV channels including CCTV1, CCTV Olympics and CCTV News, are provided free and with good signal reception and smooth video display. The combination of TD-SCDMA and CMMB, both of which are China owned standards, offers a wonderful solution to serve the Beijing Olympic Games.

The TD900 deploys Spreadtrum's solutions for TD-SCDMA and CMMB standards. As the only wireless baseband solution provider in the industry for the innovative technologies of TD-SCDMA and CMMB, Spreadtrum developed successfully the TD-SCDMA digital mobile-TV application. Spreadtrum's chip solution offers mobile-TV play, simultaneous transmitting and receiving of communication signals without interference, and a good experience with the TV services of the TD-SCDMA digital mobile.

"It is our pleasure to jointly present with Spreadtrum the TD900, the innovative mobile-TV equipped TD handset, to China Mobile. TD900 is designed to address the needs of the mainstream market and is developed independently and to bring us the latest digital mobile TV experience. Being the national industry leader, Lenovo Mobile will make its best efforts to unite the industry's strengths and advance the development of China's 3G technology,"

said by Mr. Yan Lv, President and CEO of Lenovo Mobile.

Dr. Ping Wu, President and CEO of Spreadtrum said,

"We are pleased that Spreadtrum and Lenovo Mobile were able to jointly deliver the digital mobile-TV equipped TD-SCDMA handsets to China Mobile. Spreadtrum has pursued independent innovation and has supported China's self-developed standards for many years. We hope to maintain a strong cooperative relationship with Lenovo Mobile to drive together the next level of development in China's communications industry."

According to a recent forecast from China Mobile, the second phase of the TD-SCDMA network infrastructure will be completed by early next year, when all provincial capitals and select cities will have network coverage by then. With the successful kick-off of the third round of public bidding for the purchase of TD-SCDMA handsets by China Mobile and the mobile-TV TD handsets in the market, it is believed that a new "vision" awaits.

Motorola's home and networks mobility business reorganizes

Philadelphia (Reuters) -- The home and networks mobility business, led by Dan Moloney, will now comprise three businesses: broadband home solutions, broadband access solutions and cellular networks, the company said.

Alcatel-Lucent ousts CEO and Chair

"The telecoms equipment group on Tuesday said it would part ways with chairman Serge Tchuruk and chief executive Patricia Russo after cutting market expectations again, raising hopes a new team would turn the group round and improve its fortunes."

First Commercial Solar-Powered GSM System Launched

Telecom equipment vendor, VNL, has finally cracked the problem facing mobile operators in the developing world: how to provide affordable mobile services to rural people - and still turn a profit.

Launched today, VNL – and its solar-powered GSM system – will change the telecoms market in rural areas across the world. For years, operators and GSM equipment vendors have struggled with the same problem, namely that traditional GSM was not designed for the unique challenges posed by vast rural areas. It costs too much, is too expensive to run, uses too much power and is too difficult to deploy (especially in areas with no electricity, poor roads and no skilled engineers).

VNL has re-engineered GSM technology to reduce its power requirement and make it suitable for a rural environment where electricity is scarce or unavailable.

The result is VNL’s WorldGSM™ system, which includes base stations that only need between 50W and 120W of power to operate (compared to 3000 W for a typical GSM base station). A WorldGSM base station is entirely powered by solar energy with a 72 hour battery back-up in place (also charged by solar power).

The system also includes a rural-optimised MSC (Mobile Switching Centre), and a compact BSC (Base Station Controller) – making WorldGSM a complete, end-to-end GSM network.

Thanks to solar power, WorldGSM both drastically reduces the operating expenses for mobile operators - and contributes to a much lower environmental impact. VNL has estimated that mobile networks in India alone require 2 billion litres of diesel every year to power back-up diesel generators.

India-based Luke Thomas, from the research and consulting company Frost & Sullivan, says: “India is the fastest growing telecoms market in the world but some urban areas have already reached saturation point. VNL has opened up a whole new area of subscriber and revenue growth for operators by building a commercial – and profitable – GSM system to service remote low-density rural areas.”

Indian infrastructure provider, Quippo Telecom Infrastructure Limited (QTIL, www.quippoworld.com), will be trialling WorldGSM in rural areas of India in the near future. Following the successful completion of the trial, QTIL expects to roll out a complete commercial network that will be fully integrated with the networks of existing operators. Agreements with several prominent operators have been reached and are in the process of being finalised.

Probal Ghosal, CEO of QTIL, says:

“Every so often a company comes along that really changes the telecoms industry. VNL is one such company. Not only that, and more importantly, it’s improving the lives of the world’s rural communities.

I know that there will be considerable demand for and deployment of VNL’s equipment in rural India. The villages of India may be remote but the people who live there are ready and waiting for phones. Take an average small farmer, for example. He may often travel half a day just to get to a local market – only to find it is closed or not accepting his product that day. The advent of mobile phones will solve this type of problem at a stroke.”

VNL’s WorldGSM base stations have a number of unique features:

* Low cost: priced at less than a quarter of traditional GSM base stations and profitable at very low densities and subscriber revenues.

* Easy to transport: an entire WorldGSM base station packs into two carts and can be transported over rough terrain in something as simple as a bullock cart.

* Self-deploying and near-zero maintenance: can be assembled and activated by non-engineers.

* Small solar panels: the solar panels used are 2-8 m² and the power required is between 50 and 120W compared to the 200m² solar panel and 3000W required for traditional GSM Base Stations.

VNL’s WorldGSM base stations are interoperable with equipment from most major equipment manufacturers and are compatible with all standard handsets.

VNL is packed with telecoms industry veterans, most of whom have vast experience in bringing products and services to entirely new markets. Its CEO, Anil Raj, founded Hutch India in 1994 and served as its CEO before moving to Ericsson as President of its India operations.

Anil says:

“Telecoms operators and equipment manufacturers have traditionally failed to deliver GSM to rural areas for the simple reason that it’s just too difficult and ultimately not sustainable. There’s no power, no engineers, no infrastructure, a difficult terrain, low density – and, most importantly, low subscriber revenues. VNL’s equipment has overcome these challenges and provides operators with a truly viable way to connect the next billion mobile users.”