Telsim, Turkey's innovative GSM operator, launched the first commercial General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network in Turkey today, making Telsim one of the world's first operators to implement GPRS. The commercial launch is just four months after the successful completion of the technology trials and the first live GPRS call in Turkey, enabled by the core GPRS network solution supplied by Motorola Inc. (NYSE:MOT) and strategic alliance partner Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO).
The contract for countrywide implementation of the core GPRS network was awarded to Motorola's Network Solutions Sector with an end-to-end solutions contract worth some $100 million, and will launch with Motorola Timeport™ p7389i GPRS handsets (a).
Earlier this year, the Motorola/Cisco core GPRS network solution enabled Telsim to successfully trial mobile Internet access using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) over GPRS solution. Applications included email access, mobile e-commerce and mobile banking services.
GPRS is the fastest mobile Internet service available today, enabling Telsim to provide more effective use of WAP browsing, and giving users a 'virtual permanent connection' to Internet-based content and services. Telsim's commercial GPRS tariffs will be based on the data transferred, not the connection time.
Oguz Ozcu, General Manager of Telsim, said: "The speed of Internet access achieved with GPRS gives users enormous benefits of mobility and flexibility. We are implementing GPRS now as the key investment and migration tool for the future third generation network, which will enable an even greater range of services. An established GPRS network will provide a solid platform for the evolution to third generation communications."
Jeff Gordon, Motorola corporate vice president and general manager of the Network Solutions Sector for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: "Telsim is once again taking technology forward in Turkey at Internet speed, leading the way with the first implementation of GPRS wireless data. With their planned network expansion to some five million subscribers by the end of the year, we look forward to working with Telsim to achieve the full potential of GPRS in one of the world's first nationwide commercial systems."
Motorola's GPRS contract with Telsim is for the countrywide implementation of Motorola's total Aspira™ GPRS network solution, and includes Motorola's Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), Cisco's Internet solutions including the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and Cisco 12000 Internet routers in the core backbone. The world's first GPRS networks, launched in June of this year, were enabled by the Motorola/Cisco GPRS solution.
In February this year, Motorola and Telsim announced an agreement for Motorola to provide infrastructure, handsets and associated services to expand Telsim's GSM network. As part of that agreement, Telsim has named Motorola as its exclusive regional supplier of GSM 900 equipment over the next three years. Motorola has estimated that revenues from this supplier agreement could be at least $1.5 billion.
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