Tokyo Telecommunication Network Co., Inc. (TTNet) has released two Astel exe-series PHS terminals, one of which can cut the handover time to one-fiftieths the conventional level.

The new terminals AJ-32 (manufactured by Japan Radio Co., Ltd.) and AP-32 (by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) have incorporated the “Supersmooth” function, which reduces the handover time to less than one-fourth the conventional level in principle by commencing reception from a cell station (CS) in a good condition prior to reaching a handover point. This enables more stable, clearer and uninterrupted communications while moving.

AJ-32 has attained just about one-fiftieths the conventional handover time and much improved speech quality while travelling as a result of being equipped with “Supersmooth EX” (two radio transmitter-receivers). The model comes in a very thin and flat form with a large LCD (8 characters by 6 lines) and a cross-shaped operation key. It also comes with the three-note chord melody function, which enables use of these melodies as call ringing tones (refer to “MOZIO Super Chaku-Mero (ringing melody)” ).

This model is also equipped with the industry-first operation key called “Quick-touch Key,” which enables easy operation with the touch of a finger as well as high-speed scrolling of e-mails and telephone numbers. In addition, the terminal has a much improved e-mail functionality. It can hold up to 50 e-mails including direct server e-mails (which is a marked increase from the conventional system) and enables e-mail editing by its copy, cut, paste and other functions, similar to word-processing functions on personal computers.

“MOZIO Super Chaku-Mero (Ringing Melody)”

From August 30, 1999, TTNet began offering the “MOZIO Super Chaku-Mero (Ringing Melody)” service, the industry’s first ringing tone service available in three-note chords. This is an advanced form of conventional “Chaku-Mero (ringing melody)” service that allows Astel terminal holders to download chords to their terminals from the server using “MOZIO Service.”
Main features of this service are:

1. Very fine-tuned, beautiful melodies available in three-note chords.
   
2. More than 300 titles (melodies) available upon launch of this service, with about 1,000 titles to be made available in the future.
   
3. Brand new titles to be added upon releases in CDs.
   
4. MOZIO Service, a text information service, used to search for favorite titles, enabling searches by “new arrivals,” “ranking,” “titles,” “names of musicians” and others.
   
5. Downloading of these titles in just a few seconds due to the service’s high-speed data transmission capability.