PDA

View Full Version : Free the Iraqis...but make 'em use US cell phones


zakur
28th March 2003, 11:12 AM
Congressman says Iraq should have American cell phones (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=8598)

WHAT A BEAUTY. An American congressman Darrell Issa of California wants to introduce a bill that will give preference to a cdmaOne based mobile network in Iraq, after the US has finished conquering that country.

The congressman argues that if the rival system, GSM, used in over 70 per cent of the world is allowed to take root it will harm the revenues of US companies like Qualcomm and instead favour French (boo!) and European manufacturers. (Whoops Siemens appears to be a German GSm manufacturer).Iraq war sparks wireless row (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2894987.stm)

The widening gulf between the US and European countries opposed to the war has spread to the world of wireless.

Which mobile standard will prevail in post-war Iraq?
A band of US politicians are angered over plans to build a communication system in post-war Iraq based upon European wireless standards.

Members of the US Congress are adding their names to a letter drafted by Californian republican Darrell Issa objecting to the use of US funds to build a GSM network in Iraq after Saddam has gone.

They want the government to use the US-developed CDMA standard instead.

Congressman Issa is furious that French and German firms such as Alcatel and Siemens would benefit while US firms would lose out.

France and Germany are the two European countries most opposed to the war in Iraq.

"If European GSM technology is deployed in Iraq, much of the equipment would be manufactured in France, Germany and elsewhere in western and northern Europe," reads the letter addressed to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.More on this story here (http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=iraq+gsm+cdma).

ZeeGerman
28th March 2003, 01:38 PM
Sadly enough politicians have usually not a clue about technology. Would be a shame if the superiour system would be stopped by this boneheaded bigotry.

Zee

Thumbo
28th March 2003, 02:50 PM
The Google link above leads to this http://gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/21519-1.html article which includes the quote:

“The Europeans have acted collectively to lock the U.S. out of Europe,” Neugebauer said. “Just because they have conspired to keep us out doesn’t mean we should accede.”

Is the US really locked out of Europe? Is there anything that prevents US companies from making GSM phones and marketing them there?

karl
28th March 2003, 03:23 PM
Originally posted by Thumbo
Is the US really locked out of Europe? Is there anything that prevents US companies from making GSM phones and marketing them there?

No. Motorola has been doing it for a long time.

Some of the models available in for example Sweden: http://direct.motorola.com/swd/comparephones.asp?country=SWE&language=SWD&productid=&cat=3

Nothing is stopping US companies from manufacturing GSM networks either, which they also do. It's just that they aren't as totally dominant as with the CDMA technology. And that's apparently a Bad Thing according to many patriotic US politicians.