April 10, 2008

Deliberation on Technical Measures for Advancement of IMT-2000

Deliberation begins at the Telecommunications Council
Today, deliberation on technical measures for advancement of the third-generation mobile communications system (IMT-2000) begins at the Telecommunications Technology Sub-Council (Chair: Prof. DOI Norihisa, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University) under the Telecommunications Council.

1. Background to the deliberation
Subscribers to the mobile phone and PHS services totaled 105.97 million (as of the end of February 2008) in Japan. As is evident from the 84.5% third-generation mobile communications system (IMT-2000) penetration, users have steadily switched from the second-generation system.

Meanwhile, with sophistication and diversification of social and economic activities, data communications using mobile phones, including internet access and video transmission, are on the rise. In response to growing expectations for the introduction of a mobile communications system that is faster, greater in capacity and more convenient, standardization of the 3.9 generation mobile communication system is about to be completed at the global level. In Japan, efforts to commercialize such a system by around 2010 have been accelerated.

In light of technical trends both in Japan and abroad, and with a view toward more efficient use of frequencies, the Council begins deliberation on the technical requirements and other matters necessary for the introduction of the 3.9-generation mobile communications system as IMT-2000.

2. Details of the deliberation
Technical measures for advancement of the third-generation mobile communications system (IMT-2000), which constitute part of the measures for efficient use of frequencies for cellular telephones and the like

3. Deliberation framework
To contribute to the study at the Telecommunications Technology Sub-Council, the Committee on Measures for Efficient Use of Frequencies for Cellular Telephones and the Like (Chair: Prof. HATTORI Takeshi, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University) will also conduct studies.

4. Future schedule
MIC expects to receive a report from the Sub-Council by around December 2008, after which it will develop related provisions.

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Telecommunications Bureau, MIC
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