Motorola to interconnect world's largest nationwide cellular network in China

Business Wire, Oct 19, 1995

Motorola's North Asia Cellular Infrastructure Division has signed an agreement with China Directorate General of Telecommunications (DGT) and L.M. Ericsson to interconnect the nationwide cellular network in China.

The inter-system networking will create the largest nationwide roaming cellular network in the world.

Under the agreement, Motorola and Ericsson will work together to provide more than three million Chinese subscribers with automatic roaming services throughout the country's 26 mainland provinces, as well as the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The interconnection is scheduled for completion by year end 1995.

The inter-system networking utilizes the North American industry-standard IS-41 (Cellular Radio Telecommunications Intersystem Operations) Revision B. The IS-41 protocol permits subscribers on one vendor's cellular infrastructure system to roam to a different vendor's system. In 1990, Motorola introduced the industry's first IS-41 systems in the world allowing for inter-system roaming and fraud control.

"Motorola is committed to open network architecture and IS-41 is an important step in the advancement of such a non-proprietary interface," said Richard Sell, vice president and general manager of Motorola's Cellular Infrastructure Group North Asia Market Division. "This significant inter-system networking in China demonstrates the strong capabilities we have in implementing the IS-41 standard on a large-scale, international basis, as well as in building the largest cellular networks in the world."

This agreement follows Motorola's completion earlier this year of the world's largest contiguous Total Access Communications System (TACS) network where the company's existing cellular phone systems in China's 19 provinces and the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin were interconnected for automatic roaming. To date, Motorola has networked more than 140 EMX mobile switches for nationwide roaming.

As part of the first phase of the roaming project, China's National X.25 Packet Data Network will serve as the system transport layer. In 1996, the second phase of the interconnection will feature 24 bit C7 as the transport layer.

Motorola and Ericsson are the two major analog cellular system suppliers in China. To date, Motorola has been awarded public cellular system contracts in China in more than 140 Chinese cities, including the industry's first systems in Beijing and Shanghai in 1986.

Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems and services. Motorola's 1994 sales were $22.2 billion.

CONTACT: Motorola CIG, Arlington Heights

Mary Anne McAndrew, 708/632-2775