Digital Mobile Phones

Where are they, What are they? How do they work. Version 9.999. Where facts
are not confirmed, they have (?) after them. A lot of the facts may be
incomplete, or slightly inaccurate. This version is available via WWW as
http://www.kfs.org/~simon/phones/GSM.html and is back out of hibernation
after the author changed jobs and couldn't find the tape with it on.

Apologies for any weird links if you're reading it as a plain text file.

Contents

   * Introduction
   * Countries with digital cellular networks
   * GSM
   * PCN/DCS1800
   * SIM cards
   * SMS
   * Cell Broadcast
   * Redirecting calls
   * Questions & Answers on GSM & Derivatives
   * Data Services
   * Delays, Round trip times and echos
   * CT2
   * DECT
   * PHS
   * JDC
   * Eavesdropping
   * Other uses of mobile phones
   * USA and their standards
   * Manufacturers & Models
   * Companies involved
   * Typical Tariffs

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Introduction

Just as digital technology has modernised many normal phone services
throughout the world, it is becoming more and more useful in mobile
communications. Benefits that are noticeable include:

   * Less interference
   * More secure communications (The famous "squidgey" tapes of taped
     conversations, allegedly of members of the British royal family having
     intimate conversations on mobile phones has been quite a selling point
     in the UK). Most digital mobile phone systems feature some form of
     encryption.
   * More efficient use of radio bandwidth (due to digital voice
     compression)
   * Easier "roaming" with other networks, due to the remarkably large
     adherence to standards.

It is clear that the predominant world standard for digital cellular is GSM,
and its derivatives. The term mobile phone also includes cordless phones,
which have become remarkably adept and flexible with CT2, PHP and DECT
standards.
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Countries with digital cellular networks

NB AMPS, ETACS/TACS are NOT digital standards. Included here where known for
the sake of completeness. (Nobody has yet come up with a relevant list for
analogue networks) NB. Where no operator is listed, this means details have
not been confirmed.

   * South Africa GSM
        o Vodacom (GSM)
        o MTN (GSM)
   * France (& Monaco) GSM, PCN(under construction), CT2
        o France Telecom (GSM)
        o Societe Francais de Radiotelephone (GSM)
        o BiBop (France Telecom) CT2. 60000 users.
        o Bouygues (PCN) - under construction. Joint venture by Cable &
          Wireless, US West, Bouygues SA, Veba, Jean Claude Decaux Group and
          a few others
        o Trial PCN networks in Toulouse & Strasbourg by SFR and France
          Telecom.
   * Germany GSM, PCN
        o DeTeMobil (GSM)
        o Mannesmann Mobilfunk D2 (GSM)
        o E-Plus (PCN)
   * Austria GSM,(PCN due soon)
        o Austrian PTT
   * Belgium GSM
        o Belgacom/Pacific Telesis
   * Denmark: GSM,(PCN soon)
        o Tele Danmark (GSM)
        o Dansk Mobiltelefon (GSM)
   * Finland: GSM
        o Telecom Finland (GSM)
        o Radiolinja (GSM)
   * Greece: GSM
        o Panafon(Vodafone) (GSM)
        o Stet (GSM)
   * The Netherlands: CT2, GSM
        o Greepoint (CT2) 30,000 users
        o PTT Telecom (GSM). Subscription approx 55 guilder per month.
   * Luxembourg GSM
        o PTT Luxembourg (GSM)
   * Norway: GSM
        o Netcom (GSM)
        o Norwegian Telecom (GSM)
   * Sweden: GSM, (PCN soon)
        o Telia (GSM)
        o Nordictel (GSM)
        o Comvik (GSM)
   * Switzerland: GSM,PCN
        o Swiss PTT (GSM,PCN) (The Swiss PTT will implement a pilot DCS 1800
          network in the Geneva area to be operational in October 1995
          during the Telecom '95 exhibition.)
   * Portugal: GSM
        o TMN (state owned) (GSM & ?)
        o TELECEL (GSM)
   * Turkey: GSM
        o Turkiye GSM & Mobil Sebekesi (GSM)
        o Teknotell (GSM)
   * Italy ETACS, GSM
        o Telecom Italia (ETACS & GSM)
        o Omnitel (GSM) due to start end 1995
   * Spain ETACS, GSM
        o Telefonica (GSM)
   * Cyprus GSM
   * Egypt GSM
   * Hungary GSM (PCN due in 1997)
        o Pannon GSM (GSM)
        o Westel (GSM)
   * Argentina GSM
   * Russia GSM
        o (Moscow) Mobile Tele System (GSM)
        o (St Petersburg) North-West (GSM)
   * Estonia GSM
        o Eesti Mobiil Telecom (GSM)
        o Radiolinja (GSM). Name may change.
   * Latvia GSM
        o LMT GSM (GSM)
   * United Kingdom ETACS/TACS, PCN, GSM
        o Cellnet (ETACS & GSM). Owned by BT/Securicor Cellnet GSM does not
          offer SMS to users yet (Feb 1995?). Data Services now launched.
          (Send & Receive)
        o Vodafone (ETACS & GSM). Odd one this. Two GSM services from one
          operator! Metrodigital : Coverage in urban areas only. Eurodigital
          : Covers a large part of country. possible for metrodigital
          subscribers to use Eurodigital cells at high price. Currently 94%
          UK population coverage on Eurodigital claimed. Caller ID facility
          due in 1995
        o Orange (PCN) Owned by Hutchison Telecom/British Aerospace
        o Mercury One2One (PCN). Owned by (Cable & Wireless / US West)
          One2One does not offer SMS to users.

     NB. UK Analogue (E)TACS networks is due to be shut down by 2000

   * Irish Republic TACS, GSM
        o Eircell, Eircell GSM. Owned by Telecom Eireann.
   * USA AMPS, IS-54
        o Hundreds, each seems to be limited to a particular city or area,
          and commonly has roaming agreements with other operators. Has some
          weird half-digital systems.
   * Canada AMPS,CT2Plus
        o Telezone (CT2Plus)(launch 18th October 94)
   * Hong Kong CT2(3 networks) GSM
        o Hong Kong Telecom CSL (GSM)
        o Smartone (GSM)
        o Hutchison (CT2)
        o Cheavlier (CT2)
        o Pacific (CT2)
   * reports of PHS, IS-54 and IS-95 systems as well. 170000 CT2 users total
   * Phillipenes GSM
   * Vietnam GSM
   * Singapore CT2,GSM 30000 CT2 users
        o Singapore Telecom (GSM,PCN)
   * Thailand GSM, PCN, CT2 20000 CT2 users
        o Advanced Info Systems (GSM)
        o TAC (PCN)
   * Japan JDC,PHS (Analog:NTT Hi Cap, TACS(JTACS/NTACS)
        o NTT (800Mhz) JDC
        o Tuka Cellular (1.5GHz) JDC

Digital Phone (1.5GHz) JDC
Coming soon.. IDO (800MHz) JDC

* Malaysia GSM, D-AMPS, ETACS, PCN, NMT450, CT2 PCN-USER mailing list has a
home-page

   * Celcom ART900 (ETACS)
   * Celcom GSM (GSM)
   * Mobikom Mobifon 800 (D)-AMPS
   * Binariang Maxis (GSM)
   * Mutiara Digi1800 (PCN)
   * MRCB Emartel (PCN)
   * Sapura Adam (PCN)
   * Telekom Atur 450 (NMT450)
   * Telekom Smartfon (CT2)

   * China CT2 85000 CT2 users in 12 provinces
   * India GSM
        o PT Satelindo (GSM)
   * New Zealand AMPS, GSM
   * Fiji GSM
   * Australia AMPS, GSM(3 networks), CT2 derivative (on trial)
        o Telecom Australia(GSM,AMPS,CT2 derivative in one city only)
        o Vodafone (GSM) Vodafone GSM - instant roaming with most of Europe.
        o OPTUS (GSM,AMPS). (Reselling Telecom Australia)

     NB. AMPS in Australia is due to be shut down by 2000

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A few notes:

GSM

GSM uses a similar frequency range to conventional cellular phones, around
900MHz. It currently has a fairly restricted frequency range (within the UK)
since they have to share some of the channels with the old analogue systems
of Cellnet and Vodafone. Eventually, some of the channels will be reclaimed
from the analogue systems and handed over to the digital systems.

In the UK the TACS channels have all been allocated for GSM use, and the
licence for TACS usage runs out in 1999, which means all those oh-so-cheap
analogue phones have a limited lifetime.

PCN / DCS1800

PCN is based on GSM protocols, but has higher frequencies, (1800MHz), a
larger frequency range to work with, and lower power. This means that
instead of achieving a maximum of about 800 users per square km, it is
possible to double that figure. Also due to the reduced power levels,
batteries should last longer than the equivalent GSM version of the handset.
PCN is also known as DCS1800. Where GSM is mentioned, odds are that the same
thing applies to PCN.

DCS1900

One of the many standards proposed for digital mobile phones in the USA. The
USA doesn't have the 900MHz GSM band, or the 1800MHz DCS1800 band available.
Until otherwise proved otherwise, assume that protocols remain the same as
DCS1800, or GSM. Only differences so far seem to be the power levels and
frequency.

INMARSAT

Only really mentioned here because Nokia and Inmarsat have conducted trails
on a GSM based system, with a modified GSM handset attached to a special
antenna, have been able to set up a satellite GSM call. It sounds useful if
you're running a ship and want to give GSM service to passengers.

SIM cards

PCN and GSM both use SIM cards to identify the customer. These are smart
cards which hold the users phone number, subscription details, and a calling
directory. Theoretically, even though GSM and PCN phones have different
technologies, SIM roaming is possible. This has yet to be seen in practice.
SIM roaming is where when you go overseas, and say, rent a car with a phone
in it, you could just insert your SIM card and you take your phone number
with you. However, some manufacturers such as Nokia and Ericsson who use
"baby" SIM cards, which need an adapter to be fitted to normal handsets.
Some handset manufacturers have shown an interest in dual standard handsets
that work on both GSM and PCN networks. In this manner, plain roaming
between PCN and GSM would be possible.

Aspects Software Ltd are a company with lots of specialist knowledge about
SIMs, and provide tools for service providers to deal with SIM problems.

Some networks may be a little surprised when you ask for a SIM, without a
phone. (Orange, in the UK is one - In this case, ask to speak to the
registration supervisor, because they know that it can be done, and they
know the procedures to ship out an unregistered SIM to insert in your
phone).

SMS (Short Message Service)

PCN & GSM both have the ability in their protocols for customers to receive
text messages, rather like a text message pager, but delivery is guaranteed
(when the phone is unavailable due to being out of service area, etc., the
network will hold the message and deliver it shortly after the phone comes
back into range). The message can be sent by a central paging service, or by
a compatible handset (E.g. Nokia Orange). SMS is also used for "internal"
messages, such as activating a phone when you first buy it, remote
programming of numbers into your directory on your SIM card, and alerting
the user of voicemail. It's also used internally within the networks for
transfer of call logging information and the like from the switches to the
billing centres. If a phone is stolen, the provider can block the handset
and the SIM card, some phones will then continue to broadcast their
location, and some will display the message "STOLEN HANDSET", which cannot
be removed without the operator unblocking the handset.

CELL BROADCAST

A broadcast form of SMS. Some operators use it to inform users what cell
they are attached to, and therefore where local calls are possible, and how
much you can expect to pay for the call. In theory, could also be used for
news and information broadcast services, stockmarket prices and so on. These
would be subscription features. Don't buy a phone for Vodafone Metrodigital
without Cell Broadcast facilities, or you won't be able to see if you're in
your "home cell".

REDIRECTIONS

Almost all modern phone services provide some form of call redirection
facility. GSM & Derivatives have a number of standard call divert codes. Not
all are supported on all networks. Some phones have menu options to support
these easily. They take the form:

**divert code*number#

**divert code*number*service code#

divert codes:

61 no answer

62 not reachable

21 always

67 busy (would be an engaged tone)

service codes:

10 All teleservices

11 Voice calls

12 All data

13 All fax

16 SMS

18 All data except SMS

19 All teleservices except SMS

25 All Data Async

Also, divert on no answer has the option of **62*number*service code*n# -
divert after n seconds ringing
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Questions on GSM & Derivatives

Q) Why can't I make a call when my handset indicates a strong base station
signal. Particularly in rural areas.

A) Its probably due to dispersion of the digital signal. In simple terms,
its like the ghosting seen on a TV. Where a reflected signal is of similar
strength to the main signal. Normally the time difference between main and
reflected signal is small. However, in rural areas, the reflected path may
arrive at the handset at a far latter time than the main signal. This
confuses the handset/network at the call cannot be made. May also be that
the handset is greater than 35km from the base station.

Q) Why wont a GSM handset work more than 35km from a transmitter.

A) (Over simplification alert). GSM uses TDMA when communicating with the
many handsets in its cell. The GSM base station sends a page to a handset.
Because of TDMA, the base station can only wait a short period of time for
the handset to respond before it has to start looking after other handsets
on that frequency. If the handset is further than 35 KM from the base, the
signal does not have enough time to get out to the handset, and then the
handsets response back to the base station. At greater than 35km, the
handsets response falls into the next TDMA time slot. I.E., the base station
moves onto handling another phone.

Alcatel Australia have produced a system for 70km range. Works fine with a
standard 2W handheld. Implemented in a number of Telecom sites in Australia.
There is also a system in the standard for 70km range. Alcatel actually did
something different.

Q) Why can't I put a One2One SIM into my Orange handset and use it?

A) You can, but since both networks had to highly subsidize the development
of the phones (since DCS-1800 is quite new) they ship out the phones
"locked" onto their network, and networks with roaming agreements. If after
your initial service contract (1 year?) has expired, you pay about £50 and
they'll remove this block. This facility is available on almost all mobile
phones It's designed to restrict roaming so you don't "accidentally" roam
onto another network, with perhaps higher charges. (No, the Motorola test
mode setup as used on the Micro-TacII doesn't work on the DCS-1800
Motorola's)

Then you've got the problem that One2One only SUPPORT their phones, and
Orange only SUPPORT their phones. There's some quite clever phone- specific
stuff that can be done over the network.

Q) Can I plug my SIM card into any GSM family of phones and use it?

A) Yes, if there's a roaming agreement to support it, and the SIM is the
same size, and it's not locked. Some handsets have baby sized SIM cards
which are little more than the chip, some have the full credit-card sized
cards. It's possible to just trim the large ones to the smaller size if you
swap phones. If you have a smaller SIM card, it's possible to get a SIM
carrier that will allows you to put it into a full sized phone. Best talk to
your service provider before taking scissors to your SIM card.

Q) Why is digital coverage more patchy than analogue?

A) There is an essential difference between the old fashioned analogue
approach to radio transmissions (as used in the standard Cellnet and
Vodafone services) and digital services such as Orange et al. This is why
many users consider the basic Cellnet coverage better than a digital service
and why the Orange Engineers can be so precise about coverage of the Orange
service.

With an analogue system the signal deteriorates generally gradually. It also
gets worse as the distance from the transmitter increases. However, even at
the fringes of a coverage area the signal may be intelligible even if very
noisy, crackly, faint or whatever. So a one blob signal on an analogue
system may well be usable for anyone willing to persevere.

With a digital system the signal is either O.K. in which case you'll get
broadly excellent signal or it isn't in which case you'll get nothing. The
signal strength is only important in as far as it must be sufficient for the
digital signals to be registered at the cell serving the caller at any time.
Because of this, combined with the very high frequencies used by Orange, it
is possible to predict quite accurately where coverage will be good and
where it will be patchy or non existent. When you call Orange the customer
service staff can call up maps of the coverage areas of each cell and
overlay them on the screen to see whether you are in coverage of a
particular site.

CT2

The first standard for digital cordless phones, fine if you want a nice
cordless phone in your house/office, but they also have the ability to log
onto other base stations, if the bases are set up accordingly. Range is up
to around 300 metres from the nearest base, expect 100 metre range. No
hand-over between base stations, unless the base stations themselves do some
co-operation.

When using a "network" base rather than your own, you may, or may not
receive calls (This depends on the operator). BiBop offers call reception
for a small additional monthly fee, but the network cannot locate the phone
in a similar way to a cellular network. You need to log onto a base, and
stay there if you expect to receive a call. If you wander onto another base,
you will need to re-register there. If the call is unsuccessful, the call is
routed onto voicemail.

CT2 has the ability to handover, to adjacent bases. However, since the range
is far less than most other mobile phone systems, unless there are several
bases per kilometre, and you know that fact, don't expect to be able to walk
very far and keep a call active.

However, in an office situation, CT2 is fairly ideal, you can have a CT2
PBX, and all the office staff can have their own CT2 phone. Provided there
are enough bases to cover the office space, they can prove very useful, and
certainly cheaper than issuing all staff with cellular telephones.

There used several CT2 networks in the UK: Rabbit (which was the biggest),
Telepoint and so on. All of them have now closed down due to the very few
subscribers who ever used the service, but the handsets, when used with a
home base station, make excellent cordless phones. None of the former UK CT2
public networks allowed incoming calls, which kind of explains their lack of
market.

From Keith@pipex.net:

     Yup, there were originally 3 mutually incompatible CT2 networks.
     BT PhonePoint, Mercury CallPoint and Ferranti ZonePhone. The lack
     of an open standard was certainly one of the things that killed
     all these off. The 4th network, Hutchinson Rabbit, only came
     on the scene afterwards, once the CAI (Common Air Interface) standard
     had been defined.

From serge@systech.mhs.oz.au:

     Further to you re Digital Phones, Telecom Australia is finishing a
     disastrous trial of a CT2 compatible phone in Brisbane. The phone was
     quite expensive and in the usual Telecom style if you asked someone
     about
     having cell handoff when walking around town, one day you would get yes
     and another day you would get no.
     I did manage to speak to an engineer at one time. I asked are they CT2
     compatible or not? He said yes, sort of. Apparently there are about 40
     channels or so (I can't recall the exact number) and the Australian
     spectrum does not allow 100% mapping of foreign CT2 phones. Only 50%
     common frequency. So he said, even if you did register overseas, you
     would probably have trouble getting a line.

Telecom Finland seem to have discontinued their Pointer CT2 system due to
lack of consumer interest (since GSM is hugely popular and cheap there)

However, all this is not bad news. CT2 is still a very worthy cordless
telephone if you buy the base station as well. If you're looking for a
Cordless phone that has a decent range, doesn't suffer from interference, is
secure, and relatively cheap, then try to track down a supplier of old
Rabbit equipment.

Peter Parry wrote:

     CT2 uses a base frequency of about 1GHz I think. It is effectively
     secure,
     using digital speech encoding. Quality of reception and transmission is
     good, if you can get the Motorola Silverlink handset even better.
     Although the Rabbit network was discontinued CT2 is very much alive and
     well.
     Any CT2 handset will work with a Rabbit base station once registered (a
     simple procedure you do) so you will not be investing in obsolete
     technology.
     Why Hutchison never targeted the Rabbit at the cordless market is a
     source
     of wonderment to many, the Rabbit as a business competitor to mobile
     phones
     was a daft idea, as a business or home cordless it is wonderful.
     As a matter of interest Motorola amongst others are now heavily
     promoting
     CT2 systems for business and industrial use (at a price 3 times that of
     a
     Rabbit!!!)

DECT

DECT (Digital European Cordless Telecommunications) standard is for cordless
phones, and is intended to be a far more flexible standard than the CT2
standard, in that it has more RF channels (10 RF carriers x 12 duplex
bearers per carrier = 120 duplex voice channels). CT2 has 40 carriers x 1
duplex bearer per carrier = 40 voice channels. It also has a better
multimedia performance since 32kbit/s bearers can be concatenated.

PHS

Personal Handyphone, developed in Japan, some Hong Kong networks showing an
interest. Will start service in Japan Mid '95. Similar service to CT2.

JDC

Japanese Digital Cellular, a digital protocol unique to Japan. Known to
operate in two different frequency bands, 800MHz and 1.5GHz. GSM will
probably never be implemented in Japan. All the service providers now use
JDC.

EAVESDROPPING

Digital mobile phones are inherently difficult to eavesdrop, GSM and PCN
both feature multiple encryption systems, uncrackable by anyone without GCHQ
style equipment. PCN has the added bonus that it's very difficult to come by
scanners which cover the 1800MHz bandwidth. GSM and PCN both change the
encryption codes many times a second, and frequency hop on a regular basis.
Both standards have the encryption level set by the network operator.

Data services on GSM / PCN.

Since GSM was designed to be "a mobile version of ISDN", this was thought of
from the start. However, the channels are narrower than ISDN, rather than
64k they are 9600. The data cards generally offer no data compression.

PCMCIA card plugs into bottom of phone. Nokia's price is about 500 pounds.

The data passes down a 'data' channel, which is not the same as the
signaling channel used by SMS. The signaling for modem setup works the same
way as an ISDN phone dialing into PSTN where there is a modem at the
boundary - the signaling for call setup tells the network which parameters
to use, and the network then tells the modem. You don't need to know
anything except how to talk to your data adapter. Most of the data adapters
on the market emulate the AT command set and translate whatever is asked
into signalling.

Some networks have direct links to Internet Service Providers giving faster
connection and protocol negotiation.

Some networks (Radiolinja) charge extra for data services, call charges over
and above their voice call rates, presumably to cover the cost of providing
a modem pool.

A Diagram and some Swedish text about data services is available.

DELAYS, round trip times and echos

Because of the nature of the voice compression on GSM derivative networks,
there is a delay of approx. 100ms. This is not normally that noticeable if
the network is designed to eliminate a lagged sidetone. (Sidetone is the
amount of feedback that a phone system gives to the earpiece fed back from
the microphone, so the speaker doesn't think the line is dead).

I've noticed that it only affects people who talk loudly on the phone, so
loudly that their voice gets sounded in the earpiece of the mobile phone,
and also picked up by the microphone, thus giving approx. 200ms round trip
delay on the caller's own voice.

If your callers report these symptoms, the best thing to do is to lower the
earpiece volume on your handset such that you can hear it, but the other
person can't hear it fed back. Tricky if you're outside in a noisy street.

For data applications, the lag is about as noticeable as a transatlantic
submarine cable call, it's noticeable, but should quite easily be dealt
with.

Other uses of a mobile phone

This one seems useful, if you're sat next to a perfectly functional landline
telephone that accepts a call via DTMF, and you don't want to clock up your
mobile phone bill (since they are normally more expensive than a fixed line
phone), with the Nokia 2100 series phones, you can use them as a handy tone
dialer, so if you have someone's phone number on your SIM, you can get the
Nokia to dial it using [Menu] [Green phone] buttons.

United States of America

Large amounts of this section thanks to mcguffin@ll.mit.edu (Bruce McGuffin)

Cellular One, in New York are offering GSM roaming. If you have an account
with Cellular One, then you can take a GSM handset overseas and use it
there, with the billing all done to one account. You can't use the GSM
handset in the USA, you have to use a US standard handset. I think that
incoming calls will go to your GSM handset if that's in a GSM service area.

Bellcore & MIT are "developing a specification for a high frequency personal
communications network compatible with GSM". Sounds a little like PCN to me,
but the it's at a slightly higher 1900MHz. The FCC has been working very
hard on releasing a very large amount of bandwidth for these networks, and
anticipate lots and lots of networks.

PCS is a generic term used in the USA to mean Personal Communication
Systems. There are a number of standards in development, an generic guide
follows: PCS mobile phones will connect to the network via "microcells" or
very small receivers similar to those used for cellular phones. While a
cellular network uses cells with up to 8 or 9 mile radius, PCS networks will
use microcells located on each street corner, and in every building.
Companies interested in setting up PCS networks include Apple Computer, Time
Warner, Airtouch, Northern Telecom. PCS frequency allocation was established
by FCC in 1993.

The new PCS frequency band is 1850 to 1990 MHz.

This includes three 30 MHz allocations (15 MHz in each direction), three 10
MHz allocations, and 20 MHz for unlicensed use. The last I heard (Radio
Communications Report, June 29, 1994) the plan is:

   * A: 1850-1865 MHz and 1930-1945 MHz
   * B: 1870-1885 MHz and 1950-1965 MHz
   * C: 1895-1910 MHz and 1975-1990 MHz
   * D: 1865-1870 MHz and 1945-1950 MHz
   * E: 1885-1890 MHz and 1965-1970 MHz
   * F: 1890-1895 MHz and 1970-1975 MHz
   * Unlicensed: 1910-1930 MHz.

The licensed channels will be sold at auction starting in December 1994. A
and B licenses will be sold for each of 51 major trading areas (MTA), and
C-F licenses will be sold for each of 493 basic trading areas (BTA). No
single company will be allowed to own more than 40 MHz in an MTA or BTA. The
total number of licenses exceeds 2000, so obviously there will be many
different operators. Given the record setting bids at this summers
narrowband PCS auction (paging and messaging at 900 MHz), we're talking big
bucks.

PCS Standards are being set by the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the
ECSA (electronic communications ????? association?) which represents
operators, and the TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association) which
represents equipment manufacturers. There are currently 7 competing
proposals for PCS standards, several of which I expect will be approved and
compete in the market place, just as the TDMA and CDMA standards are
competing now at cellular frequencies.

IS-95 is CDMA based. IS-54 is TDMA based, and is actually a dual standard,
sometimes called Digital AMPS.

IS-95 and IS-54 both apparently will fall back to AMPS analog service if out
of range of a digital transmitter. This means the network providers can take
much longer to upgrade to a fully digital service, until people start
complaining that they can't use all the fancy facilities of their phone.

I don't know the details of all proposals, but here is a partial list

   * CDMA by Qualcomm (IS-95 based)
   * Wideband CDMA by interdigital
   * TDMA (IS-54 based)
   * DCS-1900 (GSM based)
   * ??? by Omnipoint

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Known manufacturers and models of Digital Cellular Phones

   * AT&T
   * AT&T 3245. (GSM)
   * [Motorola]
        o mr1 (PCN). Receive SMS, flip design, Cell Broadcast. Designed for
          Orange Price about 150 pounds.
        o m100 (PCN). Designed for One2One
        o m300 (PCN). Designed for One2One. Receive SMS (though not on
          One2One)
        o m301 (PCN). Designed for One2One. Receive SMS (though not on
          One2One)
        o m400 (PCN). Designed for One2One, Flip design, "simplified menus"
        o 7200 (GSM). Receive SMS, flip design, Cell Broadcast(?).
        o 5200 (GSM). Receive SMS, flip design, Cell Broadcast. New version
          of 7200 Badged as Pioneer PCC-D700. Telecom 528 Bosh Cartel SL/SC
        o 8200 (GSM). Receive SMS, Cell Broadcast, Caller ID, Vibration
          alarm, data/fax adapter available. Weight 149/179g
        o Flare (GSM,PCN versions) Receive SMS, Cell Broadcast, Caller ID
          nb. Motorola phones are often badged Storno, Bosch, Roadstar,
          Mercury
   * [Ericsson]
        o GH197 (GSM).
        o GH198 (GSM) Price about 176 pounds.
        o GH337 (GSM) Receive SMS, Caller ID, Cell Broadcast (Very small).
        o PH337 (PCN) Receive SMS, Caller ID, Cell Broadcast (see GH337)
          nb. Ericsson phones are often badged Ascom.
             + Mitel(Canada)
             + CT2 systems
             + [Nokia]
                  + Nokia 1011 (GSM). First GSM phone by Nokia. Send/Receive
                    SMS. 8 hours standby on standard NiCd
                  + Nokia 2110 (GSM) Send(?)/Receive SMS.
                  + Nokia 2010 (GSM) No data/fax adapter. Latest model, old
                    casing. Cheap design Send/Receive SMS.
                  + Nokia 2120 (TDMA)Large screen, similar design to Nokia
                    Orange, but works dual standard (TDMA/AMPS) on American
                    networks eg SBMS.
                  + Nokia 2191 (DCS 1900) Designed for the American Digital
                    Cellular System.
                  + Nokia Orange (PCN) also known as
                    Nokia 2140(PCN). Send/Receive SMS, Caller ID, nice big
                    screen. Designed for Orange. Price around 199 pounds.
                    nb. Nokia phones often badged Mobira, Technophone,
                    Philips.
             + Northern Telecom
             + CT2 & CT2plus PBX systems
             + Orbitel
                  + Orbitel 901 (GSM) Transportable. Has a V.24 connector on
                    the side.
                  + Orbitel 902 (GSM) Receive SMS, Caller ID, Cell
                    Broadcast. Price about UKP 120
             + Panasonic
                  + EU2000 (GSM)
             + Phillips
                  + Fizz (GSM)
                  + DECT
             + Peacock Computer(Germany)
                  + CT2 systems
             + Siemens
                  + m200 (PCN). Designed for One2One. Baby size SIM
                  + S3 (GSM). SMS, Caller ID, Data/fax adapter available,
                    large SIM Weight:278g
             + [Sony]
                  + CM-D100 (GSM)
                  + CM-D200 (GSM)

          Companies involved

             + These companies are in some way involved, albeit indirectly,
               with digital mobile phones. Cray Systems, the software
               development and systems integration division of Cray plc, has
               been selected by GSM Facilities Ltd (the legal entity formed
               by the GSM-MoU Group) to develop and supply the GSM Phase 2
               Mobile Station Type Approval Test Equipment. Contact is
               Stuart Loynes.
               Aspects Software Ltd are a company with lots of specialist
               knowledge about SIMs, and provide tools for service providers
               to deal with SIM problems.
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
        o Any updates to this document are welcome. Send updates to
          simon@zymurgy.org
          Credit goes to
             + serge@systech.mhs.oz.au (Serge Burzak)
             + John@g8dzh.demon.co.uk (John Ray)
             + richard@mandarin.com (Richard Cox)
             + mcguffin@ll.mit.edu (Bruce McGuffin)
             + bwright@jolt.mpx.com (Ben Wright)
             + pkh@computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk (Kevin Hopkins)
             + J.A.Phillips@bnr.co.uk (John Phillips)
             + kholley@parsley.demon.co.uk (Kevin Holley)
             + chris@slave.demon.co.uk (Chris Hodgkins)
             + janjoris@win.tue.nl (Jan Joris Vereijken)
             + Kimmo.Ketolainen@nic.funet.fi (Kimmo Ketolainen)
             + Patrick@pads.demon.co.uk (Patrick Lidstone)
             + J.Leske@ctin.adelaide.edu.au (John Leske)
             + rty868@email.mot.com (Masaaki Iwasa)
             + sloynes@craysys.demon.co.uk (Stuart Loynes)
             + iainh@cix.compulink.co.uk (Iain Harrison)
             + fongky@pop.jaring.my (Fong Ken Ying)
             + saby@sch.bme.hu (Szijarto Szabolcs)
          for helping to update this document.
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
        o Simon Hewison <simon@zymurgy.org>
