Alliance to promote 3G developments

Out with old, in with the new.

As UWCC winds down its 5-year commitment to promote TDMA and prepares to close its doors, a new organization plans to take flight. According to Dave Williams, Cingular vice president strategic planning and the ad-hoc chairman of new organization, the new organization's launch should take place in the coming weeks.

The mission of the group is ensure a smooth transition to 3G services in the Americas. AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Compaq, Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Openwave Systems, Rogers AT&T Wireless and Siemens already have pledged their support for the new alliance.

According to Williams, recent developments for GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA (UMTS) technology migration by major carriers throughout North and South America, made it necessary to form a single organization that could address the converged carrier networks.

The mission of the as-yet-unnamed organization will be to promote, educate and advocate the success of the five wireless technologies, and their seamless evolution to future generations. The new association, representing TDMA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE and WCDMA (UMTS) technologies, will work with regulatory bodies, technical standards bodies, and other global wireless organizations to promote seamless interoperability and 3G migration.