Ericsson has been selected as principal supplier by Telecom Italia Mobile for TIM's 3G WCDMA network in Italy.
Ericsson has been chosen as principal supplier to deliver and implement TIM's 3G WCDMA system. The bidding process for third generation licenses in Italy starts in October.
Based on WCDMA technology, Ericsson's 3G system to be supplied to TIM can also be referred to as UMTS, a European denomination for 3G. UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. "We chose Ericsson based on their pioneering role in the development of UMTS networks," states Mauro Sentinelli, General Manager of TIM.
Ericsson has been trialling 3G with TIM since 1999, when it supplied a WCDMA trial system to TIM's research center in the Turin area. TIM and Ericsson will continue their UMTS trials through the end of 2000. TIM plans to rapidly offer its millions of customers a wide range of Mobile Internet, multimedia, e-commerce and data services. "Ericsson's contribution will enable TIM to be ready for the commercial launch of third generation services, slated to begin in Italy in 2002," adds Mauro Sentinelli.
"This deal is further confirmation of our long and fruitful partnership with TIM," says Massimo Gentili, managing director of Ericsson in Italy. "TIM is one of Ericsson's major customers and we are ready to support their ambitious objectives in their roll-out of 3G." TIM's Ericsson-supplied GSM network began service already in 1992. TIM currently has nearly 21 million subscribers in Italy, and more than 40 million in Europe as a whole, through the Telecom Italia Group's foreign subsidiaries.
With 3G, the full potential of the next major trend in communications, the Mobile Internet, will be realized. WCDMA will provide up to 50 times greater data rate than can present-day GSM, converting minutes into seconds and making a range of multi-media applications with mobile terminals a practical reality. Ericsson began research on WCDMA more than ten years ago, and initiated the first WCDMA testbed already in 1995. Ericsson currently has 17 WCDMA trial systems in operation in countries throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. The company is in a unique position of leadership in mobile systems; larger than its nearest two competitors combined and the only supplier to offer mobile systems in all existing standards, from the first generation through the third generation.
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