(keitai-l) Re: Whats wrong in Europe?

From: Benedict Evans <inherent_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 07/24/01
Message-ID: <LAW2-F128fKHmj9n1xx00005571@hotmail.com>
In no particular order:

>i-mode delayed,

Anyone from KPN here? I suspect the main part of the problem is actually the 
problems with GPRS (see below)

>GPRS not working as expected,

Handover between base-stations, apparently, is the main isue - some people 
are also still complaining about getting per-packet billing to work properly

>UMTS delayed,no handsets available,

Two issues here. THe network equipment is (fairly) widely available, if 
pricey. The handsets are a huge problem because they need not just 
W-CDMA/UMTS, but also GSM and GPRS, and to be able to handover betwen all 
three based on what's available. Just getting this to woork, let alone 
putting it on a chip, let alone mass-producing that is a huge headache. 
Plus, of course, the screen and battery life issues common to Japan.

Hence: will FOMA phones work on PDC if no FOMA is available?

>companys close one after the other and even German wireless programmers ask 
>me for a job.

The equity market's shut, so VCs are tightening belts. Lots of people are 
having problems getting further funding. Ah, well.

-Benedict Evans
-WestLB Panmure

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Received on Tue Jul 24 09:17:56 2001