UMTS Gathers European Momentum

The UMTS Forum welcomes the announcement from Sweden this week of the launch of UMTS services by "greenfield" operator Hutchison under the brand name "3". Bringing the number of European territories where UMTS is commercially available to five, 3's Swedish announcement demonstrates growing momentum for UMTS deployments. Several further launch announcements are anticipated from European operators this year and during 2004, supported by a growing choice of WCDMA terminal designs.

3's launch in Sweden initially covers Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo as well as other smaller cities. Network coverage reaches approximately half of the Swedish population, and Hutchison is targeting population coverage of 70 per cent by this year end. Customers can make voice and video calls as well as sending picture messages and enjoying news, email and location-based services.

UMTS services have already been launched by Hutchison in Italy and the UK mainland, while Mobilkom Austria has recently increased coverage of its own UMTS network to 42%, covering the 54 largest Austrian cities. Manx Telecom also introduced UMTS services - Europe's first WCDMA network launch - last year on the Isle of Man.

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As the leading mobile operator in Southern Europe, Telefonica Moviles represents a significant partnership for Tira Wireless," commented Chris Erickson, president and COO of Tira Wireless. "We can now offer our extensive portfolio of applications to a new market of European mobile users

Bringing the number of European territories where UMTS is commercially available to five, 3's Swedish announcement demonstrates growing momentum for UMTS deployments. Several further launch announcements are anticipated from European operators this year and during 2004, supported by a growing choice of WCDMA terminal designs.

The demand for mobile data services is driven not only by technology, but also by the content of such services. This fact inspired Siemens mobile together with Universal Studios Networks'TV channels STUDIO UNIVERSAL and 13TH STREET to take the initiative and join forces in a win-win partnership.

Siemens is a part of these two commercial starts of the new generation of mobile communication: With the U10 UMTS mobile phones in shops on the one hand, and Siemens'UMTS infrastructure forming the basis for the multimedia services from Hutchison 3G Austria on the other hand.

Built-in camera phones are the latest trend to hit cellphones, with an estimated 18 million sold last year. And that number is expected to double this year, as camera phones become better and more affordable than ever.

With a mobile communications network of the third generation VIPnet established a connection with the four major Croatian cities and performed the first UMTS long distance call; by doing so it has confirmed its status of leading innovator on the Croatian market of mobile communications.