Leading the way towards 3G

New Telecoms World
The world of communications is undergoing changes more radical than any since the invention of the telephone 120 years ago. The twin streams of telecommunications and datacommunications are converging, driven by the influence of the Internet and the increasing importance of Internet Protocol (IP).
In parallel with the demand for the Internet has been the incredible boom in mobile communications. These trends are profoundly changing the face of global communications and bringing into existence the New Telecoms World.
Today there are close to 400 million mobile phone users around the world and the one billion mark is expected early in the next century. In Italy, for example, the number of mobile phone lines exceeds the number of fixed lines during summer 99. This will occur in many other markets over the next three years. The mobile phone is now becoming the main means of personal communications for ever-greater numbers of people.

A global wireless standard
The shift to mobility accelerates as today's digital cellular networks evolve into third generation mobile systems (3G). The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) will build on the world's most widely deployed technology – GSM. UMTS offers the prospect of a global wireless standard for personal multimedia communication.
To date, the main driver for mobile communications has been voice telephony. The introduction of GPRS and EDGE, followed by the evolution to UMTS, will offer the potential for services, beyond voice. UMTS will enable operators to develop and implement revolutionary new mobile multimedia services based on high-speed data, which will enhance service offerings and open up new revenue streams.
Electronic postcards, www surfing on the move, access to corporate LANS, intranets and e-mail from the mobile terminal - only the imagination limits the potential services.

Leading the way
Ericsson is already in a leadership position in this New Telecoms World where wireless and the Internet converge. Almost 40% of the mobile phone calls in the world are connected via Ericsson technology and over 350 operators around the world are Ericsson customers.
The key technology for UMTS will be Wideband CDMA (WCDMA). Ericsson has signed a contract with Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo to deliver WCDMA phones and base stations. Ericsson has also deployed experimental WCDMA systems sharing its expertise in 3G technologies with operators around the world.
Ericsson is adding IP technological capability in-house development and acquisition of all and medium sized companies with IP skills and expertise.

Changing the world
UMTS will enable the delivery of new wireless communications services through the provision of high-speed data. It will change the way businessmen and consumers work and spend their leisure time. UMTS will also provide completely new service and revenue opportunities for both new and existing mobile operators.
With the advent of 3G operators will need to make important decisions on the roles they will play in an environment in which customers will pay for service content rather than for airtime. The demand will be for new data services which provide entertainment, education and information.
Ericsson has developed expertise in software platforms and toolkits for service creation and application development, which can be utilised by operators to take advantage of the commercial opportunities offered by 3G.
With a complete portfolio of technologies, Ericsson is ideally positioned to support any operator anywhere. Ericsson will be offering 3G systems based on WCDMA, CDMA2000 and EDGE - being the only supplier with a complete portfolio.
By working with Ericsson, operators can gain access to world class expertise in wireless communications, data networking and IP technology.

Applications will drive 3G market
The world of mobile communications has undergone two major transformations. In the first generation of cellular, the emphasis was on technology, in particular on the evolution of network infrastructure to address the New World of mobility.
With the introduction of digital technologies the manufacturers were striving to meet the consumer demand for ever-smaller phones with longer battery life and advanced features. Now, as the mobile world evolves towards 3G it is apparent that the focus will be on content and multimedia applications.

Services beyond voice
Enabled by the introduction of high-speed data services such as HSCSD, GPRS and EDGE, then by UMTS and WCDMA, the mobile market will experience a paradigm shift. Voice telephony will be complemented by services beyond voice. Users will decide what kind of applications and content they need in their private and professional lives.
In today's mobile market there is a commonality between phones. In the next few years we will see a variety of terminals for different applications. The mobile professional will need a notebook with wireless functionality in order to read his e-mails and access the corporate LAN whilst away from his office. There will still be a demand for small phones for voice telephony for many subscribers.
Recognizing this demand Ericsson joined with other major vendors in creating WAP (Wireless Application Protocol). This protocol enables mobile phones with limited displays to browse the Internet.
The recent agreement between Ericsson and Microsoft will help make the mobile Internet a reality. The Ericsson/Microsoft joint venture will focus on wireless e-mail – the "killer ap" that will allow the mobile Internet to take off.
Ericsson and Microsoft are committed to open standards. The two companies will work together to actively support and promote industry-wide standards such as WAP and Bluetooth that are essential to building the Mobile Internet.
Ericsson is also a founding member of the Symbian joint venture. The participants recognized the need to standardize an operating system, EPOC, which supported mobile usage. The members are working to create a toolbox which will enable third party software developers to create innovative services and applications for 3G mobile devices.

Smart phones
The Symbian group has defined three types of terminals; feature phones, smart phones and communicators. Small and light to meet the needs of the end-user, the feature phone offer high voice quality with the capability of text massaging and Internet browsing.
The smart phone offers similar functionality but with greater display. The Ericsson R380 is such a smart phone.
The communicator is an advanced terminal designed with the mobile professional in mind. The terminal, similar in size to a palmtop, has a large display and touch screen functionality. It enables users to download information from the Internet as well as files from their corporate intranet.
Bluctooth, EPOC and WAP are complementary technologies, all key enablers for the shift to 3G.
Ericsson is supporting; WAP for narrowband web browsing, EPOC for an open operating system and Bluetooth to link communications and computing devices without using cables.

Replacing the cable with Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a new, wireless technology designed to replace the cables which today link a wide range of portable and peripheral terminals and devices. Pioneered by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Toshiba and Nokia, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group now has over 600 affiliated IT and telecommunications companies including Motorola, Lucent, Qualcomm, 3Com and VLSI.
The Bluetooth technology connects computing and communications equipment with a universal, open standard, low-cost radio link. Mobile phones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, printers, fax machines, even household appliances will be able to utilize Bluetooth enabled wireless connectivity.
Over 600 technology adopters have already indicated interest in developing Bluetooth-based products.

Applications demonstrated
In 1999 Ericsson demonstrated five different Bluetooth prototype products including wireless lnternet browsing using a Bluetooth-enabled Ericsson mobile phone and a portable PC equipped with an Ericsson Bluetooth PC card.
Also on show was the instant postcard application. A picture was taken with a digital camera and sent wirelessly using a Bluetooth link to a mobile phone then via the GSM network to a receiver which downloaded the picture into a PC.
Ericsson's Bluetooth components, modules and the Bluetooth Development Kit, enables early adopters of the technology to accelerate the production of prototype applications quickly and easily. For more information, please access
http://www.ericsson.se/bluetooth