Pocket Bell (Pager)

FLEX-TD Technology

While pagers are the least expensive and simplest mobile communications tool, recent years have seen a growing expectation for pagers that can transmit more information than simple numeric messages but also communicate various text data such as e-mail, etc. The resulting demand for large-capacity radio paging systems has led us to develop the FLEX-TD system (ARIB standard STD-43, ITU-R Rec. 584-3).

In order to eliminate the higher probability of errors arising from radio wave fading when the volume of transmitted information is substantially increased, NTT DOCOMO developed a new "time diversity" technology that was adopted for the FLEX-TD system. This has made it possible to improve overall quality by enabling the receiver to better synthesize information subject to repeated transmissions.

Moreover, the FLEX-TD system includes an function that enables pagers to transmit data rather than just receive it. This has brought to light whole new possibilities, now allowing pagers to act as simplified multimedia terminals.

The FLEX-TD system has become the uniform standard in Japan asnd has been approved by the ITU. It is also compatible with the FLEXTM system, the de facto standard in many countries. It is therefore expected to be adopted worldwide as the second-generation paging system.

Receiver Configuration for Time Diversity Reception

Created 1999/03

Updated 2002/02