France Télécom, a partner in the project, has provided the official multilingual website: http://www.devise-europe.org. To give the operation an even broader European perspective, France Télécom will reward the French contestants inviting the largest number of European classes to participate in this competition. — France Télécom.
The installation is the first of its kind in an educational institution in Switzerland. Students at Collège Sismondi will thus have access to state-of-the-art information technology. The students were instrumental in helping Sun to carry out its promotional activities at the exhibition. — Agence télégraphique suisse SA.
Alcatel has a 40 per cent share of Turkey's switching market with 260 exchanges and over 5 million installed lines. The framework contract with Türk Telekom covers the next two years.
Alcatel has also signed an FRF 760 million framework contract with Romtelecom (Romania) for the supply and installation of equipment for its national telephone network. Under the contract, Alcatel is to provide the national telecommunication operator with state-of-the-art switching and SDH transmission equipment.
The contract, which is to extend until 2004, covers the installation of at least 650 000 new telephone lines in the Alcatel exchanges. — Alcatel.
The most important factor underlying the decision was the desire to ensure INTELSAT's continued commercial success, while at the same time protecting those countries that rely on INTELSAT as their lifeline communications link to the rest of the world. The Assembly decided that INTELSAT should take the form of a corporation with an optimal tax, regulatory and operational structure without privileges and immunities.
In order to meet the ambitious timetable set for privatization, the Assembly established the "Penang Working Party", which will cooperate with INTELSAT's management and Board of Governors to develop final restructuring recommendations by 1 July 2000. — INTELSAT.
The conclusion is that satellite homes have a higher incidence of PC ownership and online connectivity, particularly in the five major European markets: Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. — EUTELSAT.
Initially, Concert, which has been the name of BT's wholly-owned business that provides advanced communication services worldwide, was just one of several names considered.
Findings revealed that more than three out of four customers believed it best represented the promises the venture's new business wants to convey.
The new company, to be owned equally by the two parents, is expected to meet the global communications needs of multinational companies, carriers, and Internet service providers. — BT.
In the event of unexpected problems occurring at the turn of the millennium, Rohde & Schwarz is providing a free hotline. A team of specialists will be on standby to be contacted by phone, fax or e-mail around the clock to answer questions, provide information or remedies.
They can be reached on the year 2000 hotline at all times from 12h00 on 31 December 1999 to 08h00 on 3 January 2000 and between 08h00 and 20h00 from 3 to 7 January 2000 from anywhere in the world at: Tel.: +49 1805 124 242. Fax: +49 8941 296 974. E-mail: Year2000.helpdesk@rsd.rsd.de. — Rohde & Schwarz.
Koreasat-3 is designed to provide direct broadcast and high-speed telecommunication services in the Asia-Pacific region for fifteen years, starting in early 2000. It carries three Ka-band (200 MHz) and 24 Ku-band (36 MHz) transponders for telecommunication services and six Ku-band (27 MHz) transponders for television broadcasting. Each broadcast transponder can accommodate eight digital channels.
If some of the telecommunication transponders are used for broadcasting, the satellite can provide up to 168 channels. With the new satellite, residents of remote mountainous areas will also be able to use high-speed Internet and satellite broadcasting services with simple receiving devices. — Korea Telecom.
EBU will use AsiaSat-2 capacity to telecast the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Signals will be transmitted from Sydney to EBU's earth station in Cyprus for retransmission to broadcasters across Europe through the Eurovision network.
Furthermore, EBU will use its full-time capacity to transmit for its members ad hoc and regular video contribution feeds gathered in Asia, and at the same time, distribute video feeds to the Asian region. — AsiaSat.
Concert received final approval from the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on 22 October 1999 and approvals from the European Commission and the United States Department of Justice earlier this year.
This is the last important milestone before the final close in January 2000. — BT.
The agreement is subject to the approval of the Australian regulatory agencies. The two companies will jointly provide various Internet Protocol-based services and other communication services in the Australian market. The total size of the transaction will be approximately AUD 118.8 million. — NTT Com.
is currently providing commercial e-mail service to the private sector and has been appointed by the local authorities to set up an educational intranet and Internet service. Internet traffic will be delivered via VSAT services using SingTel's own satellite, ST-1. Since its launch in August 1998, the number of regional Internet service providers (ISP) establishing Internet connectivity via ST-1 has been growing steadily.Eagle IT Co Ltd
Today, more than 40 ISPs in 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region are accessing the Internet via SingTel IX using Singapore as a gateway. These ISPs are in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Brunei, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Hongkong, Japan, Taiwan, Republic of Korea and Australia. — SingTel.
The expertise of this team is currently being promoted via a vigorous advertising campaign in seven European countries. The "Let's WAP" campaign focuses on three business sectors that are already highly developed in IT terms; banking and finance, travel and transport, and media and entertainment. — Ericsson.
Under the merger agreement, which is subject to customary regulatory and stockholder approvals, each share of General Instrument would be exchanged for 0.575 of a share of Motorola. This represents an approximate value of USD 11 billion, based on the closing price of 14 September 1999, and a fully-diluted share count of 214 million shares. The merger is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2000. — General Instrument.
The agreement allows StarHub to directly market and service the Arcstar brand services of the NTT Communications Group in Singapore from 1 April 2000 when StarHub launches its commercial operations.
These services include the managed bandwidth, managed frame relay, and managed ATM. — NTT-WT.
In a move to reinforce the positions of the two companies in the use of optical IP technology, GTS is expanding its initial investment in Cisco GSR 12000 gigabit switch router technology, to provide fully redundant GSR 12000 points of presence (POP) in seven European cities: Dusseldorf, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Copenhagen, Madrid and Berlin, as well as New York.
GTS has already deployed Cisco gigabit switch routers in six cities: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Geneva, Amsterdam and Brussels.
The gigabit IP backbone allows GTS to carry IP traffic at 2.5 Gbit/s. — GTS.
JIMM members — AT&T Wireless Services Inc., Deutsche Telekom Mobilnet GmbH, France Télécom, NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo), Singapore Telecom Mobile Pte Ltd., SK Telecom Co., Ltd., and Vodafone AirTouch Plc — realize the importance mobile multimedia will have as wireless systems around the world migrate towards so-called third generation (3G) wireless systems.
While JIMM has strong representation from all four major second generation (2G) digital systems (GSM, TDMA, PDC, CDMA), the members seek to harmonize technical approaches for deploying services in 3G to allow customers gain global access to the best services and capabilities. — SingTel Mobile.
The trial, which started in October 1999, builds on a BT and Microsoft agreement announced earlier this year to develop Internet, intranet and corporate data services for mobile customers around the world. It will involve about 1000 mobile phone users in the United Kingdom and Norway.
Among several applications that the users will test is the ability to send and receive e-mail as well as access their Microsoft exchange-based calendaring, address list, personalized Web content and online information services all from their mobile phones, over established radio interfaces.
In support of this initiative, BT and Microsoft have signed development agreements with France-based SAGEM S.A. and Samsung Electronics Company Ltd., based in the Republic of Korea. — BT.
The turnkey contract includes the provision of services such as prepaid SIM, advanced premium rate and free phone, as well as voice mail system and short message services.
Thuraya will launch its satellite in mid-2000 and start services in the fourth quarter of the same year. Once operational, Thuraya will provide coverage to 99 countries in Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. — Thuraya.
Resulting devices will run both Palm and Symbian applications. Nokia will introduce its first pen-based products in the American market and subsequently on a worldwide basis. This cooperation will make it possible to deliver to consumers the benefits of pen-based wireless devices with ease of use that integrates telephony with data applications, personal and professional information management and other value-added services. — Nokia/Palm Computing.
VoIP enables voice conversations to travel over IP data networks, providing savings and convenience from the desktop. — GTE.
The 3G strategy will be rolled out in two phases and paves the way for wireless voice services over IP networks.
Phase I, scheduled for market trials by year-end 2000, will support the IS-2000, Release 0 (1XRTT) standard, which will increase mobile packet data and voice access speeds up to 144 kbit/s.
Phase II is scheduled for early 2002 and will initially support the IS-2000, Release A (3XRTT) standard for higher access speeds of up to 384 kbit/s for mobile packet data and voice, as well as video. — 3Com.
Total investment in the project, which is fully funded, will be USD 1.2 billion for initial system delivery. — FLAG Telecom/GTS.
The Leo One low-Earth orbit mobile satellite system will provide near real-time store-and-forward data services to users around the world. The Leo One system is designed to support numerous wireless data applications, including tracking, monitoring, messaging, emergency and transaction services. — Leo One.
TAS will consider the inputs and announce its policy decision by the first quarter of the year 2000. — TAS.
The United States ITU Association (USITUA) has been created as an open industry forum that will work in concert with officials who represent the United States Government before the ITU. The ITU often finds itself at the centre of critical global telecommunication issues.
Initial members include companies that actively participate in the work of ITU, namely: AT&T, Aeronautical Radio, Inc., Alcatel USA, American Online, Inc., American Radio Relay League, BellSouth Corporation, The Boeing Company, Cablelabs, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., CompassRose International, Comsat Corporation, Coudert Brothers, Ericsson, Inc., Fisher Wayland Cooper Leader & Zaragoza, Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis, LLP, Hughes Electronics Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Loral Space & Communications, Ltd., Motorola, Inc., Nokia Inc., Nortel Wireless Networks, Omnipoint Corporation, Satellite Industry Association, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P., Telcordia Technologies, Telecommunications Industry Association, Teledesic LLC. Additional members are expected to join from the rapidly growing United States telecommunication and information technology industries.
The association appointed an interim executive committee and officers: Ben Fisher, Chairperson; Raymond Crowell, Vice-Chairperson; Gene Rappoport, Secretary; and Scott Blake Harris, Treasurer. The association's first formal elections will be held in January 2000. — USITUA.
in Fiji
Mr Meli Bogileka has been appointed as Minister for Communication and Civil Aviation and Mr Brian Singh has been appointed Permanent Secretary for Communication and Civil Aviation.
in Kenya
Mr W. Musalia Mudavadi has been appointed Minister for Information, Transport and Communications.
in Syria
Mr Ramzi Ramadan has been appointed Director of Public Relations, Syrian Telecommunications Establishment. — ITU Notification No. 1383.
In issue No. 9/99 of ITU News, page 36, under the heading "Personnel changes", the sub-heading "in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" was published in error and should be replaced by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.