Motorola and France Telecom Move Forward On GPRS; Field Trials Ongoing in Lille Prove System Capability to Bring the Internet to Wireless - General Packet Radio Service - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Oct 4, 1999

Successful mobile data transfer trials over General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) have been completed by Motorola Inc.'s Network Solutions Sector and CNET, the research and development laboratory of France Telecom. The GPRS system is now being implemented on the Itineris network as a field trial in Lille, northern France, where the first GPRS data transfer calls were made on 9 September.

Motorola's GPRS data capability was demonstrated by achieving Internet access and FTP file transfer via Motorola's GPRS subscriber terminals, using infra-red connection. France Telecom anticipates implementing Bluetooth(a) connectivity next year.

A number of innovative mobile data applications will be tested by France Telecom Mobiles on the Lille system to evaluate market demand and prepare for commercial launch of the GPRS system next year.

M. Gerald Mazziotto, Director, Services Mobile for CNET, said: "These trials underline Motorola's capability to provide a true end-to-end GPRS data solution." M. Benoit Eymard, Director of Operations and Development for France Telecom Mobiles, said: " We are very excited to be proceeding now to the field tests which will give us full confidence in the reality of the mobile Internet."

Ted Hally, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola NSS GSM Systems Division said: "The testing of our GPRS solution in the demanding environment of CNET was as valuable to us as it has been for France Telecom. Our capability is proven, and we are delighted to be moving forward with France Telecom in this field deployment."

Motorola is one of France Telecom's largest suppliers of GSM network infrastructure. Worldwide, Motorola GSM systems can be found in France Telecom-partnered networks in Belgium, China, Egypt, India, Portugal, Romania and Russia. In France, Motorola has supplied GSM network infrastructure to the Itineris network since 1993. The Itineris network currently has over seven million subscribers, with a year-on-year growth of 81 per cent.

Motorola is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronics solutions. Sales in 1998 were $29.4 billion.

Motorola's GPRS solution introduces two new network nodes into the GSM PLMN - the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). A number of new interfaces are added to connect the SGSN and GGSN to the appropriate GSM and non-GSM elements required to provide global packet data service.

Motorola's GPRS infrastructure is designed around a powerful IP routing engine, providing operators with a scaleable and flexible solution that can tailor the packet switching capacity in line with the predicted data subscriber growth.

The SGSN tracks packet capable mobile locations, performs security functions and access control. The GGSN interfaces with external packet data networks (PDNs) to provide the routing destination for data to be delivered to the subscribers' mobile terminal and to send mobile-originated data to its intended destination.

The GGSN is connected with SGSNs via an IP based GPRS backbone network. The Packet Controller Unit (PCU) performs radio functions and GPRS network functions. The PCU interfaces to the Operations and Maintenance Centre (OMC), base station controller and SGSN.

(a)Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a low power radio technology being developed with the objective of replacing the wires currently used to connect electronic devices such as personal computers, printers and a wide variety of handheld devices such as palm top computers and mobile phones.

The Wireless Internet

Earlier this year, Motorola and Cisco Systems Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, announced a strategic alliance to develop and deliver a New World framework for Internet-based, wireless networks. This collaboration will deliver the first all-IP platform for the wireless industry, which will unite different standards for wireless services worldwide, and introduce an open, Internet-based platform for integrated data, voice and video services over cellular networks. -more- Cisco and Motorola plan to jointly invest as much as $1 billion over four to five years to deliver a wireless Internet, establishing Internet Solutions Centres of Excellence worldwide to drive innovation within the wireless industry and encourage third-party companies to develop and create new services and products based on open Internet standards. FMI: http://www.motorola.com.