Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Issa softens CDMA-only message

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 13:53:38 -0500

Looks like Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is backpedalling on his "CDMA Only" idea for Iraq.
His ridiculous idea was laughed at by the people on the Hill.   TDMA/GSM operators and
suppliers chewed him out in several letters. This is far from over and I predict in the
end everyone will submit proposals.

From a technical standpoint GSM will fit Iraq the best since other operators have already
deployed the standard. Deploying GSM will leave the door open for possibiliy roaming
between networks without handset replacement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Issa softens CDMA-only message
April 03 13:18:00, 2003

http://rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=7919

WASHINGTON—Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who late last month led the charge for the
military to deploy CDMA technology in post-war Iraq, on Wednesday seemed to step back from
his CDMA-only position when he urged the Semiconductor Industry Association to ask the
U.S. Agency for International Development to release a neutral request for proposals.

“At this time, I am requesting that USAID and the Department of Defense rethink their
decision and allow both CDMA and
GSM vendors to bid on this substantial contract and, after reviewing all of the proposals
available to them, choose the
one that serves the best interests of American taxpayers and the Iraqi people,” wrote Issa
in a letter to SIA President
George Scalise.

Issa was responding to a letter from Scalise, but SIA is not making its correspondence
public so it is impossible to tell
whether the SIA letter supported or opposed Issa’s CDMA-only position. SIA has both CDMA
and GSM members.

The wireless world was up in arms late last month after RCR Wireless News first reported
that Issa was circulating a
letter telling the Defense Department and USAID to use CDMA technology when rebuilding
Iraq’s wireless network. Issa
also introduced legislation with several co-sponsors requiring the use of CDMA technology.
The GSM Association was
quick to point out that most of the Arab world uses GSM technology and that a GSM network
was built in Afghanistan.

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
FREE Cell Phones with up to $400 Cash Back!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/_bBUKB/vYxFAA/i5gGAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/