Austel to use PHS system

AUSTRALIA'S telecommunications regulatory authority, Austel, has approved the use of Japan's personal handyphone system(PHS) standard for new cellular phones.

Testing is expected to begin in mid-1996.

PHS standard technology, which is based on a scaled-down version of cellular phone models, uses a handset less powerful than existing mobile phones and relies on a greater number of base transmitting stations.

The system is also being tested in Hong Kong and Singapore.