Mobile vendor strategies - 2/7/05

Curitel (Korea) will buy a controlling stake in SK Telecom’s handset unit SK Teletech.

Motorola will introduce a new EDGE Linux-based handset, the E895. Availability in 4Q05. It said it will use Bitfone MVP 2.0, a server solution that manages firmware over-the-air, to offer a hosted service to operators.

Motorola and Apple are finally launching iPhone, the first mobile phone with iTunes music downloading service.

Nokia is preparing for entering the Chinese TD-SCDMA market, and looks for partnerships. It will include Connected Device Configuration technology in its Series 60 platform for smart phones. It will give a more flexible platform for Java applications.

Ericsson will add multitasking technology to its Java offering in its Ericsson Mobile Platforms.

In Portugal, two new low-cost mobile operators have started operations. Rede4, is launched by Sonaecom and UZO, is launched by TMN.

TECORE Wireless says that it has launched FlightCore, an in-flight, all-IP GSM/CDMA wireless communications system for aircraft.

UTStarcom announced that its MovingMedia 8000 3G WCDMA wireless softswitch core infrastructure has passed 3GPP R4 performance testing in China.