In an initiative that looks to have a less than 50% change of success – do we really need yet another cellular standard? – Japan’s Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications says it plans to form a consortium of telecommunications equipment manufacturers next month to develop a new system for the next-generation cellular phones. The phones would be able to make calls from anywhere in the world and will also be capable of transmitting fax images, and the Ministry wants the system to become a world standard – it will be submitted to the International Telecommunications Union of the United Nations, which apparantly plans to issue a request for proposals next year. Members will include domestic and foreign companies, with Motorola Inc and L M Ericsson Telefon AB named as examples, although whether either will join is far from clear.
