Seeking to accelerate the advent of the high-performance Wireless Internet for consumers, Mitsubishi Electric Telecom Europe and Nortel Networks plan to conduct joint interoperability tests of 3G UMTS terminals and wireless network infrastructure.

Building on existing activities involving GPRS testing, the companies intend to test METE multi-mode GSM/GPRS/3G UMTS mobile terminals with advanced Wireless Internet infrastructure solutions from Nortel Networks.

Testing is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year, followed by joint trials in the summer. Tests will focus on compliance with 3GPP standards.

3GPP is intended to ensure that future regional standards will be open, consistent and compatible, allowing for unrestricted roaming and service portability. Organizational partners of 3GPP include ARIB (Japan), CWTS (PRC), ETSI (Europe), T1 (North America), TTA (Korea) and TTC (Japan). These organizations are working to develop technical specifications for a 3G mobile system based on the evolved GSM core networks and the radio access technologies they support (UTRA FDD and TDD modes).

In Europe, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's telecommunications business is handled by Mitsubishi Electric Telecom Europe. METE is responsible for the manufacture, research, development, design and marketing of all mobile handsets and accessories, which are sold under the brand name Trium. METE's research and development centre is one of the world's most advanced, dedicated to developing GSM and 3G/UMTS technology.

Nortel Networks is a global Internet and communications leader with capabilities spanning Optical, Wireless, Local, Personal Internet and eBusiness. The Company had 2000 U.S. GAAP revenues of US$30.3 billion and serves carrier, service provider and enterprise customers globally. Today, Nortel Networks is creating a high-performance Internet that is more reliable and faster than ever before. It is redefining the economics and quality of networking and the Internet, promising a new era of collaboration, communications and commerce.

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