10/2/2002
Global Phone Giants Take Interest In Auckland Mobile Technology Firm
The small New Zealand technology start-up Domain Numbers Limited (DNL) of Auckland has been invited to have its mobile
phone application tested by international phone giants Vodafone and Ericsson at their jointly-run Centre of Excellence
in Newbury, England.
“This invitation is a big feather in our cap,” says DNL director Graham Saywell. “It shows the futuristic mobile
technology we have been developing for the past two years is now coming of age commercially and we’re ready for it. It
also shows the big players in the mobile market are starting to notice us.”
The testing will commence from tomorrow Monday, February 11 and will examine “bandwidth usage/network impacts” on the
Domain Numbers application, states an invitation from the Solution Developers Team at the testing centre - which is
known in Europe at Vodaville.
“All verification is documented and on completion a report is given to Vodafone and yourself, “ says the invitation from
Ericsson.
Mr Saywell says mobile phone users must currently dial up the Internet every time they want access to the worldwide web.
“However, our technology is now coming of age including GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) - a packet-based wireless
communications service that promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps which will allow continuous connection to the
Internet for mobile phone and computer users. The higher data rates will allow users to take part in video conferences
and interact with multimedia Web sites and similar applications using mobile handheld devices.”
Domain Numbers Limited was recently judged as offering one of the best potential wireless web applications in the
Asia-Pacific region by finishing second in Wireless Asia’s inaugural Mobile Applications awards.
The company also recently featured in an article in Internet World, published in New York, and in Nordic Wireless Watch
published in Helsinki, Finland.
The New York Times and other major newspaper in the United States reported earlier this week that Verizon Wireless, the
largest wireless carrier in the United States, is ready to announce the availability of the nation's first commercial
"third-generation" wireless service, which would provide users with fast access to the Internet through cellphones.
“Carriers in Asia, Europe and the United States have wagered about $150 billion on third-generation services, with the
expectation that its high-speed Internet applications will make current service pale in comparison (First-generation
cellphones are analog; second- generation devices, which offer some data services, are mainly digital.),” explained the
New York Times report.
In a joint press release announcing collaboration agreements by Ericsson and Vodafone to develop 3G (Third generation)
wireless technologies, Ericsson is described as “the world-leading manufacturer of GSM (Global System for Mobile
communications) equipment” and Vodafone is “a world leading operator.”
“Both companies are committed to developing UMYS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) also known as WCDMA
(Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) and joint participation in further standardisation processes,” stated the joint
press release.
Vodafone said it had been conducting “wireless information superhighway trials” to investigate the performance of
wideband mobile multi-media while Ericsson said it had “launched a 3G/UMTS testbed in Guildford in the UK with the UK’s
first public demonstration of WCDMA live multimedia calls.
“Building on the achievements of the Guildford testbed, Ericsson is installing further WCDMA base stations around
Newbury. These will form a key part of the Vodafone multi-party trials.”
Ericsson, which claims to be “leading 3G development,” has set up WCDMA experimental systems in the UK, Japan, Germany,
Italy, Sweden and China.
Ends