GSM Milestones: Fourteen Years of Continued Success (1982-1996)

Date GSM Milestones
1982 -Group Speciale Mobile is created within CEPT
1986 -A permanent Nucleus is set up
1987 -Main radio transmission techniques are chosen, based on prototype evaluation (1986)
-MoU Group formed in September with 13 members from 12 areas
GSM MoU Association Chairmen:
- Sept '87 - March '88 - Armin Silberhorn. Bundes Ministerium Fur Post und Telecoms. Germany
- March '88 - Sept '88 - Philippe Dupuis. France Telecom. France
- Sept '88 - March '89 - Renzo Failli. SIP. Italy
1989 -GSM becomes an ETSI technical committee (TC)
GSM MoU Association Chairmen:
- March '89 - Sept '89 - Ted Beddoes. Vodafone. UK
- March '90 - Sept '90 - Dick Hoesfsloot. PTT Telecom. The Netherlands
- Sept '89 - March '90 - Gunner Fremin. Televerket Radio. Sweden
1990 -The phase 1 GSM 900 specifications (drafted 1987 - 1990) are frozen
-DCS adaptation starts
-Validation systems implemented
-First GSM World congress Rome - 650 Participants
GSM MoU Association Chairman:
- Sept '90 - March '91 - Petter Bliksrud. Telemobile. Norway
1991 -First systems are running (Telecom '91 exhibition)
-DCS specifications are frozen
-Delivery for opening of capital city service
-GSM World Congress Nice - 690 Participants
GSM MoU Association Chairmen:
- March '91 - Sept '91 - Miguel Menchen. Telefonica. Spain
- Sept '91 - March '92 - Arne Foxman. Tele Danmark. Denmark
1992 -Many major European GSM 900 operators begin commercial operations - the first network operator is Oy Radiolinja Ab - Finland - service starts January '92
-By end '92 - 13 networks on air in 7 areas.
-GSM World Congress Berlin - 630 Participants
GSM MoU Association Chairman:
- March '92 - March '93 - Kari Martinen. Telecom Finland. Finland
1993 -Roaming agreements between several operators put into practice
-Delivery to achieve linkage between major European capitals
-By end 1993 - 32 networks on air in 18 areas
-GSM World Congress Lisbon - 760 Participants
GSM MoU Association Chairman:
- March '93 - March '94 - George Schmitt. Mannesmann Mobilfunk. Germany
1994 -Data capabilities launched
-By end 1994 - 69 networks on air in 43 areas
-GSM World Congress Athens - 780 Participants
GSM MoU Association Chairman:
- March '94 - March '95 - Bruno Massiet Du Biest SFR. France
1995 -MoU is formally registered as an Association registered in Switzerland - 156 members from 86 areas.
-GSM phase 2 standardisation is completed, including adaptation for PCS 1900 (PCS)
-First PCS 1900 network live 'on air' in the USA
-Major European city coverage achieved
-Fax, data and SMS roaming started
-Video over GSM demonstrated
-Estimated 50,000 GSM sites installed worldwide
-By end 1995 117 networks on air - in 69 areas
-GSM World Congress Madrid - 1,400 participants
GSM MoU Association Chairman:
- March '95 - March '96 - Mike Short Cellnet UK
1996 -January 1996 - 120 networks on air in 71 areas
-GSM World Congress Cannes - 1500 participants expected.
-First ever GSM MoUA Plenary held in America - Atlanta GA.
-June 1996 - 133 networks on air - in 81 areas.
GSM MoU Association Chairperson:
- March '96 -
Gretel Holcomb Hoffman.
BellSouth Personal Communications Inc. USA

Last updated 8th December, 1996

Copyright 1996