April - 1999 - issue > Cover

There was a time, just a few short years ago, when gadgets seemed fairly predictable – a phone rang, you spoke, and you hung up. A pager paged, and called back. A fax machine received and sent documents. You browsed the Web on your computer. All that is changing today as technologies collide. The modern phone has truly evolved, so much so that it perhaps warrants a change of name or definition. Today, phones can be used to talk to people, receive text messages, schedule appointments, get e-mail, or even browse the web. ‘More, more, more’ seems to be the mantra of companies trying to dominate the markets with slicker, more sophisticated phones. And catering to the latest trend in the markets, they are trying to provide “more phone” with less hardware.
Smaller, Clearer, Cheaper

At the recently held Cellular

Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) Convention in New Orleans, Qualcomm, Inc. (www.qualcomm.com) announced its new consumer-focussed Thin Phone, a mere 4-ounces of hardware that offers a lot of communication in a very little package. “Thin is in for consumer electronics in 1999,” says Paul Jacobs, president of Qualcomm Consumer Products. “Our new Qualcomm Thin Phone combines a slim design with long battery life allowing users to take this phone anywhere.” Offered in fashionable colors to keep up with the trendy, this little phone offers all the accoutrements—it supports phone, pager, voice-mail, email, internet access, data transfer and is ‘data ready’. This means that using this phone, you can access your email and internet-based services like weather, stock quotes, and even personal scheduling, provided the long distance carrier deploys those services. You can even connect to a PC with an optional data cable, enabling you to download phone book information from your PC (or any other device connected to it) to the Qualcomm Thin Phone’s internal phone book memory. The Thin Phone is available in two models, the QCP-860 and QCP-1960. The QCP-860 operates on 800 MHz frequency and is a dual-mode phone—that is, it works as a CDMA digital cellular phone as well as an analog cellular phone. The QCP-1960 model operates on 1900 MHz frequency and is a single mode digital PCS phone. It is expected to be priced at around $100. Qualcomm expects to begin shipping their Thin Phones in the first half of 1999 – call your local carriers for availability. Qualcomm further captured attention when it announced that its eagerly awaited PdQ, the cellular phone-Palm III hybrid, is on schedule to start shipping by June of this year. This all-in-one digital phone and pen-based organizer integrates Qualcomm’s CDMA wireless technology with 3Com’s Palm computing platform. It allows users to make voice calls, keep track of appointments, catalog contact information, send and receive email, browse the Internet and receive alpha numeric pages. According to Joanne Coleman, senior director of public relations for this San Diego-based company, “Carriers haven’t dealt with a device quite like this, so the pricing is still up in the air,” adding “the price could vary anywhere between $500 and $1,000.”

Another company, Innovative Global Solutions (www.igsolution.com), touted its NeoPoint Phone and its robust features. This handsome slim phone incorporates scheduling, contact information and Unwired Planet Inc.’s UP.browser, but is unable to load third-party applications at this time. Its T9 text entry system enables users to enter and manipulate data on a nine digit key pad and provides dictionary assistance. This phone is expected to cost less than $300. An inherent advantage of these feature-rich gadgets is the full benefit of CDMA digital technology. You get crystal clear voice quality without static, interference or dropped calls, and your calls are completely secure and private.

Motorola’s i1000plus iDEN phone (a joint venture of Nextel Communications, Motorola, Inc., Netscape Communications Corp., and Unwired Planet Inc.) also created a sensation at the convention (www.mot.com ). A mere 5 ounces in weight, this palm-sized handset is no lightweight. It supports wireless access to the Internet, corporate intranets and networks, and enhanced phone features. Designed for business users who rely on voice communication and access to information over networks, the i1000plus handset integrates the capabilities of a digital phone, two-way radio and alphanumeric pager with Internet microbrowser, e-mail, fax and two-way messaging capabilities using Motorola’s iDEN integrated digital communication technology. Just like the NeoPoint phone, this phone enables browsing using UP.browser. Additionally, the handset can serve as a wireless modem when connected to a notebook computer personal digital assistant (PDA). “Because Motorola’s i1000plus handset supports mobile IP, it enables wireless access to a wealth of information on the Internet, and allows a user to send and receive messages from individuals around the world,” said Sam Desai, senior vice president and general manager of Motorola’s iDEN Subscriber Group.

All That Glitters

Demand for wireless telecommunications continues to grow at a rapid pace. There are over 60 million wireless subscribers in the US alone (as of June 30, 1998). Experts estimate that by 1999 there will be 200 million users around the world, and over 690 million by year 2003. This implies a compound annual growth rate of 19%. The worldwide demand for telephone service will grow in leaps and bounds over the next decade, but most growth will occur outside the United States and the Western European hot spots, according to a new study released by Deloitte Research in New York. Widespread availability of mobile telephones, declining costs fueled by competition and a favorable regulatory market have stimulated market growth in this sector. In developing countries, wireless services have become a viable alternative to fixed wireline services that are characterized by poor or limited capability and long installation periods.

Untangling Wireless

Wireless communication systems provide anytime, anywhere communication. Wireless telecommunication service is currently available using either analog or digital technology. Analog cellular, or AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System), was the first mobile phone technology available, therefore coverage is almost nation-wide. Although it is currently most widely used, analog has several limitations as compared to digital technology. This includes lower voice quality, more dropped calls, and greater susceptibility to fraud and cloning. Digital cellular, or D-AMPS (Digital AMPS) transmits calls in a stream of compressed digits, with improved sound quality and security. Digital wireless also boasts greater fraud protection, more privacy, low-priced service options, integrated voice and paging, e-mail, fax and wireless connections to computer networks. Digital wireless systems operate at either 800-900 MHz (generally called cellular) or 1800-1900 MHz (generally referred to as PCS). PCS phones are smaller and more energy efficient. A dual-mode unit can switch to analog transmission outside the limited digital network. Tri-mode phones allow you to switch between analog, digital and PCS.

Two primary digital technologies available for wireless applications are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access). The results of sending calls using CDMA or TDMA are basically the same except that CDMA phones won’t work in TDMA areas and vice versa. CDMA has been extensively deployed in the United States, Canada and South Korea and is being deployed in 35 other countries worldwide. TDMA has been deployed primarily in the United States and Latin America. A variation of TDMA, called GSM (Global System for Messaging Communication) has been extensively used in Asia, Europe and other markets. GSM is perhaps the most widely adopted technology for PCS phones today.

As phones get small and more sophisticated, they are taking the world with them in the same direction – a fast shrinking Global Village.