Five carriers reaffirm commitment to build data-over-cellular network

Mobile Phone News, March 26, 1992

Consolidating their mobile-data research and development resources five cellular carriers are forming a business venture to explore and to test new wireless data communications technologies. Three of the five cellular operators, Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems (BAMS), GTE Mobilnet and Ameritech Mobile Communications, previously announced intentions to develop data services. Nynex and Contel, the other two firms in the venture, are new additions to the data-over-cellular bandwagon.

The companies will form a business venture that, in addition to researching the technology, will identify customers' needs for wireless data. Also, the group will develop minimum standards for delivering data services to their customers and will research whether or not a need for national protocols exists. To have a national service, the carriers will need to have a standard of some kind, said Brian Wood, spokesman for BAMS.

... The Venture Matches Market Needs with Technology

The business venture will develop a strategy for the marketing and management sector of the wireless data communications service. The group will be looking at how existing technology can be used to meet the data customers' needs, and if necessary, what technology needs to be developed," said Wood. Our intent is to use our network investment and our communications expertise to serve the needs of the nationwide data marketplace, specifically customers who want to send or receive data in a wire-free environment," said the companies.

Based on what the group already has discovered, facsimile and host computer applications will best be suited for circuit-switched technology, said Chuck Napier, spokesman for GTE. Additionally, there are telemetry data applications such as monitoring alarms and credit card verification that need to be addressed. These services can be operated via packet-switched technology. "The group is looking at both circuit- and packet-switched technology," said Napier.

The joint venture represents the second time this group has banned together. In February, the five companies announced plans to establish a nationwide brand identity for wireless voice communications (MPN, Feb. 27, pp. 2-3).

Last year, Ameritech announced plans to construct a packet-switched, digital, data system to operate separately from its cellular and specialized mobile radio (SMR) frequencies. Using different transmission technology, BAMS and GTE Mobilnet formed a joint venture with Cellular Data Inc. (CDI) in 1991. "BAMS participation with the other carriers had not so far affected the carrier's relationship with CDI," said Wood.

Participating in a joint venture with CDI would have provided the cellular operators with the packet-switched technology necessary to deliver data-over-cellular frequencies. The CDI procedure uses lightly modulated spaces between voice channels to insert narrowband (3 khz), low-power, data channels without compromising the quality or the availability of voice services (MPN, Dec. 5, 1991, pp. 4-5).

GTE has no commitment with CDI, GTE's Napier said. The carrier has been field testing CDI's technology in Houston, and currently, has seven cell sites operating in San Francisco. However, CDI's technique is only one of the transmission technologies the firm is evaluating, Napier added.

Taking an aggressive approach to cellular fraud, Seattle-based Cellular Technical Services (CTS) developed Real-time Information Management Systems which has been implemented by 14 cellular operators. The service provides carriers with immediate billing data which helps reduce bad debt and provides for a more timely analysis of subscriber usage balances.

CTS has developed products that provide a wide range of options for an operator. They are very configurable," said Greg Amadon, president of CTS in an interview with Andrea K. Bona, editor of MOBILE PHONE NEWS. CTS's Hotwatch System product was developed to provide real-time cellular call rating. The firm originally produced real-time billing software for car rental agencies that needed instant reports on the cars' rental cellular phones. Currently, the company handles the billing for Budget Rent-a-car and Avis.

From the original developmental platform, the firm designed more sophisticated billing products using the switch's information for billing data. CTS's follow-on products to Hotwatch enable the operator to deliver auxiliary services including: portable and installed rental phone billing, roamer validation, call delivery, credit card roaming, credit watch usage monitoring and fraud control products. The Hotwatch System, Skyroamer, Positive Roamer Validation and Call Delivery currently are in use by cellular operators.