Phone trial rings in the changes

By CHRIS BARTON

Ericsson New Zealand will begin a local trial of "third generation" mobile phone technology at the end of the month.

The trial, the first of its kind in Australia and New Zealand, will show off the multimedia possibilities - such as video conferencing - of mobile phones using the 2GHz radio spectrum due to go up for auction this year.

The 3G programme manager, Antony Bacon, said Ericsson had obtained a temporary licence to use the spectrum to demonstrate wideband cdma (code division multiple access).

The technology is capable of delivering data at 472Kbps - 50 times faster than current mobile phones.

The Government is expected to make an announcement later this month on when the 1.7 to 2.2GHz frequency band will be put up for auction.

Sale of the spectrum was delayed late last year because of Maori claims under the Treaty of Waitangi.

Mr Bacon said the trial involving wideband code division multiple access cell sites near the company's head office in Ellerslie would feature a moving vehicle to show truly mobile videophones at work.

The technology can also be used to instantly send "e-postcards" taken on the spot with a digital camera incorporated into the phone.

Other uses include phones combined with moving maps and global positioning systems to provide "location aware" applications such as directory services and route planning.

But while the future looks bright, the reality of third-generation mobile telephony is probably at least two years away.

Neither Telecom nor Vodafone have yet begun rolling out the new equipment necessary to deliver such services.

And while the specialised mobile phones designed to receive video data are in the laboratories, they are not yet in commercial production.

Meanwhile, Ericsson is pushing ahead with partnerships to promote new uses of existing mobile phones to deliver a range of information and transaction services using the short messaging service infrastructure.

The company has formed e-zebra as a conduit to new mobile phone applications.

Marketing manager Stephen Inglis said Ericsson was talking to a number of content providers, including Television New Zealand and Reuters, to provide information that could be sent to Wap (wireless application protocol) phones.

Wap phones are due for release in New Zealand in April.

They enable users to connect to specially constructed websites to receive a variety of information such as weather forecasts, stock quotes and news headlines.

First-release Wap phones will be for use on the Vodafone network only - although models that will work on Telecom's network are expected later in the year.

Transaction-based services, such as banking and ticket purchases using the send and receive short message capability of the Vodafone network, are also high on the agenda.

Mr Inglis said Ericsson had begun talking to the ASB Bank on providing services that would enable customers to check account balances and make bill payments from a mobile phone.