NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo - Koji Ohboshi, President, Capital: 
15,882 million) has been actively involved with this standardization, and is now going to proceed in an open manner with system tests of the wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), one of the most viable candidates for the next-generation mobile communications system, thus providing further cooperation with the standardization efforts.
1. Meeting the needs of the mobile multi-media era
(1) What is mobile multi-media
"Mobile multi-media" is a means of communication that makes it possible to transmit and receive various and yet integrated contents, such as voice, data and visual images through the network in a mobile environment, and a rapid increase of its need is projected in the 21st century.
(2) Our activities
In order to meet the needs of the multi-media era, NTT DoCoMo has provided the following services.
| March, 1993 March, 1995 April, 1995 February, 1997 March, 1997 May, 1997 |
Digital service (PDC) provided (2,400bps) Extension to nationwide digital service High-speed data transmission service - 9,600 bps "Data rate service" for 1.5 GHz ( 15 per minute)Packet transmission service with 28.8 kbps maximum (approximately 8 per mail of about 200 Japanese characters)" 10 Mail" will be provided.( 10 per mail up to about 1,000 Japanese characters) |
(3) How we proceed from here
- With the commercialization of the next-generation mobile communications system capable of realizing the mobile multi-media in the fiscal year 2000 as our goal, we are going to start the system tests for W-CDMA, a strong candidate for the next-generation mobile communications system, thus providing further cooperation with standardization efforts.
- In the current digital system, as well, we will carry out activities such as further promotion of mobile computing, simple connection to the Internet, and development and promotion of a variety of the PDA.
2. Standardization activities and NTT DoCoMo's involvement
(1) Standardization activities, domestic and international
Various systems for the next mobile communication are being reviewed in various countries around the world, all efforts seeking to provide a global service. Several types of technologies such as W-CDMA and TDMA are being studied.
International standardization is promoted with ITU as its center of activity, and in Japan also, discussions are held in groups such as MPT's "Study Group for the Next-Generation Mobile Communications System," ARIB and TTC, and a proposal is going to be made to ITU.
(2) Our involvement
NTT DoCoMo has been actively involved in domestic standardization, aiming at an early realization of such a system, with MPT at the center. In addition, preliminary tests are being carried out internally for W-CDMA which is one of the strong candidate technologies. We have succeeded in radio transmission test of 2 Mbps.
Now, based on these results and the progress of discussions, we will commence system tests to verify its viability in the field.
W-CDMA has the following characteristics, all of which are necessary for the next-generation mobile communications system.
a) High-quality transmission (equal to ISDN)
b) High-speed radio transmission (384kbps for mobile; 2Mbps for indoor)
c) Highly efficient processing of multiple traffic, such as multiple rates, upward/downward asynchronous services, etc.
We are anticipating that W-DCMA will be the technology to meet the needs of mobile multi-media communications.
3. Outline of the system tests
(1) Outline of the plan
These tests are to verify the viability of the W-CDMA technology, and their scope, menu and functionality test items are as follows:
Scope: Approximately 6 cell sites
Menu: High-quality voice (approx. 8kbps); Modem transmission (28.8kbps);
Unrestricted digital data transmission (64kbps); Packet data transmission (over 384kbps); Moving picture transmission (over 384kbps)
Functionality tests items: Sector structure, base station system structure;
high-speed cell search; diversity hand-over (DHO); random access;
ATM transmission
(2) Schedule
Aiming at commencement of service of the next-generation mobile communications system in fiscal year 2000, the tests are scheduled as follows:
Now until December, 1997: Prototype design
April, 1998 - March, 1999: Indoor tests
October, 1998 - September, 1999: Outdoor tests
(3) Procedure
Basic principle:
Promoting the tests in an open manner, we will actively cooperate with global standardization activities.
Specific measures:
a) We propose to all domestic as well as overseas cellular operators, including those in Korea, China, Europe and U.S., to get involved with the tests. (So far, we have visited operators in 8 countries in Asia/Oceania including China and Korea, and in 7 countries in America/Europe. We will continue such efforts.)
b) We will make the specifications and other details of the test available to non-participating manufacturers who have interest, and also disclose the know-how and software under certain conditions.
c) The results of the tests will be conveyed to the standardization organization and other organizations.
d) We will provide facilities for the tests which are to be established on the premises of Yokosuka Research Park (YRP) in the spring of 1998)
(4) Venders for the prototype
As for initial vendors, we have already asked venders to make proposals for the prototype, based on the track procurement procedures. We have selected 10 companies, aiming to start tests in the spring of next year.
The vendors selected are as follows:
Base station prototype - Ericsson, Fujitsu, Lucent Technologies, Matsushita Communication Industrial, NEC (in alphabetical order)
Mobile station prototype - Matsushita Communication Industrial, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Sharp, Toshiba (in alphabetical order)
We will also ask other manufactures to get involved as necessary. This procurement is for the system tests for W-CDMA, and as to the commercial system, considering the standardization process, we will carry out a separate track procurement procedure.
| IMT-2000: ITU: CDMA: PDC: PDA: TDMA: ATM: |
International Mobile Telecommunications - 2000 International Telecommunication Union Code Division Multiple Access Personal Digital Cellular system Personal Digital Assistance Time Division Multiple Access Asynchronous Transfer Mode |
