hsdpa

T-Mobile will have 3G in 27 markets by year's end

Peggy Albright — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:16:58 -0400

T-Mobile USA, expanding its 3G network to reach more of its customer base, said it will effectively double the number of markets covered with UMTS/HSDPA by the end of the year. The company currently has UMTS/HSDPA commercially available in 13 major metropolitan markets. It will have another eight up and running by mid-October and and additional six markets online by year's end. The announced deployments will bring the number of T-Mobile markets served by 3G to 27. With the expansion, more than two-thirds of the company's current data subscribers will have access to the new networks. The company plans to continue expansion to more customers and markets through 2009.

T-Mobile launched its much-delayed 3G network in May of this year, and as it works urgently to bring these new markets online, it intends to use what it calls "new and compelling" data-centric, all-in-one devices to attract new customers to its HSDPA network. Currently, T-Mobile's 3G customers have access to a number of UMTS handsets as well as the HSDPA-enabled Sony Ericsson TM506. One of the new devices to watch for, which T-Mobile is expected to announce on Tuesday this week, is the HTC Dream, the first commercial device based on the Google Android operating system. Clearly, T-Mobile hopes to create some buzz with this device. It has said that the Android device will hit the market in mid-October, which not-so-coincidentally is when the next round of cities will have its 3G services.

Separately, T-Mobile's parent company in Germany announced that it had conducted successful tests of the "4G" technology called LTE in partnership with Nortel Networks. The partners claim to have maintained a LTE mobile connection and data rates of up to 170 Mbps on the download, and up to 50 Mbps for uploads, while driving in a car at highway speeds and transferring connections between different cell sites.

For more:
- read the release about T-Mobile USA's network expansion

Related articles:
With little fanfare, T-Mobile launches 3G in New York
Google's Android phone to capture 4 percent of market
Rumor Mill: T-Mobile will launch an Android phone when it debuts 3G

Orange subsidizes HSDPA-embedded notebook from HP

Peggy Albright — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:44:28 -0400

Will operators some day regret their emerging tendency to follow the cell phone model and give away notebook computers for free?

This week saw yet another notebook promotion from the UK operator, Orange, which gives customers a HP notebook that run on its HSDPA network as well as WiFi, at no cost if a wireless data service bundle is purchased. Several HP notebooks are available. The products are targeted to small and medium size businesses. The rate plan includes a data allowance of 5 GB per month and 500 WiFi minutes per month, which can be used at more than 10,000 hot spots in the UK. The notebooks, which include the HP6735s, the 6730s and 6730b, are loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista Business software. Depending on the service bundle purchased, the laptop could come with embedded HSDPA or a USB modem. Service prices with a two-year contract range from (US)$64 to $82.

Several European operators, including Orange, have already begun selling subsidized laptops in certain markets and announcements along these lines are becoming more frequent. Last week, Vodafone said it will begin selling Dell's new HSDPA-equipped Inspirion Mini 9 notebook under an exclusive arrangement with Dell that is expected, though so far not announced, to provide subsidies for consumers. The U.S. market has yet to exhibit a trend in this direction. It will be interesting to see if domestic operators adopt this practice too for certain wireless broadband-enabled products, especially since they often lament having created the U.S. mobile phone market to be dependent on these types of deals.

For more:
- see Mobile Today

Related articles:
Are notebook subsidies inevitable?
Should operators subsidize laptops?

Are notebook subsidies inevitable?

Peggy Albright — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:00:34 -0400

It's no surprise that as notebook computers become embedded with wireless broadband connectivity, operators will offer subsidies and service contracts to encourage sales. Late last week, Vodafone said it will begin selling Dell's new HSDPA-equipped Inspirion Mini 9 notebook under an exclusive arrangement with Dell. Separately, Dell CEO Michael Dell suggested that notebook subsidies are inevitable. If these are hints that Vodafone is indeed taking this step, watch for other operators to follow. Article

Qualcomm, Nokia end long-standing patent disputes

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:52:21 -0400

The many bitter patent disputes between Qualcomm and Nokia have finally ended. The two telecom giants announced they have entered into a new 15-year patent agreement that effectively settles all litigation between the companies, including the withdrawal by Nokia of its complaint to the European Commission and numerous lawsuits filed in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Nokia filed a complaint with the EC in October 2005 with five other companies, which led to a flurry of lawsuits between Qualcomm and its rivals and several regulatory probes into Qualcomm's licensing practices. The two were also miles apart for some time when it came to renegotiating a new license agreement that expired in April 2007.

The new deal comes on the day Qualcomm and Nokia were to appear in a Delaware court to begin a key trial over WCDMA patents, but the judge had delayed the trial by a day. Nokia claimed Qualcomm charges too much for the patents. Nokia now has been granted a license under all of Qualcomm's patents for use in Nokia mobile devices and Nokia Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment. The agreement covers a number of technology standards, including GSM, EDGe, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA, OFDM, WiMAX, LTE and others. Nokia also agreed not to use any of its patents directly against Qualcomm, enabling Qualcomm to integrate Nokia's technology into Qualcomm's chipsets.

The financial structure of the settlement includes an up-front payment and on-going royalties payable to Qualcomm. Nokia has agreed to assign ownership of a number of patents to Qualcomm, including patents declared as essential to WCDMA, GSM and OFDMA. The specific terms, however, are confidential.

Qualcomm investors breathed a sigh of relief, pushing the company's shares up 18.7 percent in after-hours trading.

Qualcomm delayed the release of its fiscal third-quarter results for several hours to announce the agreement with Nokia. The company's profits fell 6 percent to $748 million, or 45 cents a share, for the three months ended June 29, down from $798 million, or 47 cents a share, the previous year. Revenue grew 19 percent to $2.76 billion from $2.33 billion.

For more:
- read AP
- see this release

Related stories:
Nokia gains patent victory over Qualcomm in Germany. Nokia patent story
Nokia, Qualcomm head to court this week over CDMA patents. Nokia/Qualcomm story
Qualcomm-Nokia lawsuits continue to fly. Lawsuit story
Nokia sues Qualcomm in Europe. Nokia-Qualcomm story

GSA says 207 HSDPA operating in 89 countries

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:57:16 -0400

The Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) said that 207 HSDPA networks are now commercial in 89 countries, compared with 126 commercial HSDPA networks in 63 countries a year ago. Today there are 110 commercial HSDPA operators in Europe, 44 in APAC, 26 in the Middle East and Africa region, and 27 in the Americas and Caribbean. A further 35 HSDPA networks in 10 additional countries are in various stages of deployment, the GSA said. Article

Related article:
HSDPA device growth accelerating. HSDPA report
The GSA reported an 80% rise in commercially launched HSDPA networks in 2007. GSA report

Infineon reveals new 3G platform

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:59:54 -0400

Chipmaker Infineon announced its new generation 3G platform family is ready. The platform is designed to reduce the number of devices in the chipset from three to two and the component count by about 50 percent. Infineon says the new 3G solutions sport the industry's smallest printed circuit board (PCB) footprint, allowing for space reduction of up to 40 percent. And power standby is reduced by up to 30 percent compared with existing HSDPA platform solutions, said Infineon.

"Our new platforms enable our customers to fully reuse their hardware and software developments and launch multiple phones covering all feature phone market segments with lower cost and faster time-to-market," said Prof. Dr. Hermann Eul, executive vice president of the Infineon Management Board and president of the Communication Solutions Business Group.

The platform offers HSDPA/HSUPA capabilities of 7.2Mbps uplink and 2.9 Mbps downline, an integrated high-end video accelerator for recording and playback of VGA video content and the ability to connect to cameras with up to 5 megapixels.

Earlier this week, Infineon warned that it anticipates a larger operating loss and flat sales for its communication chips unit this quarter. Infineon cited delays in shipping a single chip solution for Nokia's ultra low-end phones. Just last month Infineon had said the deal was on track. Infineon shares fell 7.8 percent on the news. Infineon is also rumored to be supplying the new 3G iPhone's HSDPA chipset.

For more on this story:
- read Cellular-News

Related stories:
Chipmaker Infineon warns of larger loss this quarter. Infineon story
Rumor du jour: HSDPA iPhone coming in June. HSDPA iPhone story

AT&T looks to roll out HSPA in time for 3G iPhone

Thu, 22 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

AT&T says it is nearly finished with its HSUPA network deployment with six more markets to go. The operator expects to have its HSUPA deployment finished by next month. AT&T says that the technology will give subscribers uplink speeds between 500 Kbps and 800 Kbps. Download speeds are in the 1.4 Mbps range.

The timing of AT&T's HSUPA network completion is key because June is when the 3G iPhone is expected to make its debut. In fact, GizModo is reporting 3G iPhone will launch June 9 or shortly thereafter. Originally it was thought the 3G version would be introduced in June but not available until year-end. HSUPA will give iPhone users access to much faster network speeds than the current iPhone, which uses AT&T's EDGE data network. AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega recently indicated that AT&T will have a time-to-market advantage over WiMAX with its HSUPA technology because HSUPA Release 7 will give the company 7 Mbps to 20 Mbps data speeds within the next two years.

For more:
- see this press release

Related stories:
AT&T: HSPA will provide 20 Mbps data speeds. See this story on AT&T's HSPA plans
AT&T CTO HSDPA progressing, HSUPA in test phase. See this story on AT&T's HSPA deployment

With little fanfare, T-Mobile launches 3G in New York

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

As anticipated, T-Mobile USA has commercially launched its 3G UMTS/HSDPA network in New York City. The carrier said the service will support both voice and data services, despite the rumors that the initial launch would not support data. By the end of 2008, T-Mobile USA plans to rollout its network in major cities across the U.S. The carrier also announced plans to launch its first HSDPA device in the coming months.

Current Analysis characterized the rollout as frustrating: "We are taking a slightly negative stance on T-Mobile's upgrade to a 3G network, as the much delayed launch (planned since T-Mobile won spectrum in late 2006) was further impaired by the fact that it is available in only one market (New York), with a limited number of compatible handsets and with the complete absence of suitable applications or services that can truly take advantage of faster network speeds. This provides potential early adopters of 3G technology with much less incentive to use the new network," the firm said in a recent note.

For more on T-Mobile USA's 3G plans:
- check out this T-Mobile USA 3G press release

Vodafone CEO: Verizon likely to deploy LTE first

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:59:55 -0400

Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin indicated in an interview with BusinessWeek that its partly owned venture Verizon Wireless would likely have to upgrade before Vodafone because the company is "riding the 3.5G wave."

"We are headed [toward LTE]. But we want to get a lot of the technical and standards and intellectual-property rights issues resolved before we say we are ready to sign up for it. Frankly, in this particular instance we have a great advantage. We have deployed something called HSDPA [High-Speed Downlink Packet Access] which is 3.5G. So if you said there is no technology available to you before 2012, we at Vodafone are completely relaxed because we are riding the 3.5-generation wave," Sarin said. "In fact our affiliate here in the U.S., Verizon Wireless, will need the fourth-generation wave faster than we do."

Is that really the case? Simply put, Verizon now has the spectrum in the 700 MHz band to deploy LTE. Vodafone has to ride the 3.5G wave until it has enough spectrum to deploy LTE. And EV-DO Rev. A appears to be running on all cylinders for Verizon Wireless.

For more on Sarin's 3.5G reasoning:
- read the whole interview over at BusinessWeek

Related articles:
- 700 MHz winners reveal plans, no big surprises Report on 700 MHz auction
- Verizon Wireless to trial and deploy LTE Report on Verizon's LTE plans

Another sign emerges pointing to 3G iPhone

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:59:53 -0400

Another sign has emerged pointing to a 3G version of the iPhone. iPhone hacker Zibri, which created the ZiPhone application that unlocks the device, says that while looking through the code of the iPhone beta SDK, it has discovered a line that makes reference to Infineon's HSDPA baseband processor. Specifically, Infineon's SGOLD3 is fully HSDPA 7.2Mbps capable.

To read more about the 3G iPhone speculation:
- check out this article from telecoms.com

Related articles:
- Analyst: Infineon-powered 3G phone by June? Report on 3G iPhone
- WSJ's Mossberg rescinds 3G iPhone prediction 3G iPhone article

ALSO NOTED: Softbank Mobile faces 3G glitch; Samsung introduces HSUPA handset; and much more...

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:59:51 -0400

> The Global Mobile Suppliers Association's latest HSPA devices survey identified 637 HSDPA products have launched, representing an annual growth of 150 percent. Article

> Softbank Mobile said a system glitch in its facilities disrupted communications for its 3G mobile phone service. Article

> Samsung Electronics introduced its first cell phone to support faster upload speeds using HSUPA technology. Article

And Finally... Where now for European spectrum auctions? Editorial

Rumor du jour: HSDPA iPhone coming in June

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:59:56 -0500

The iPhone rumor mill is running at full throttle with the expectation that Apple will announce an HSDPA-enabled version in June. But given Apple's long history of delays, meeting this schedule--albeit 12 months after the original U.S. launch of the iPhone, could be a risky punt.

However, what appears to be solid information is that the current iPhone baseband supplier Infineon will provide the HSDPA chipset--a story reinforced by the German company also planning to ramp down production of the EDGE baseband solution used in the current generation of the iPhone in order to clear inventories ahead of the 3G model.

At a more curious level, UBS analyst Ben Reitzes speculated these new iPhones would be offered by new international operators.

While it remains unclear what this might mean, Morgan Stanley offered the bizarre explanation that Steve Jobs' travel expenses could provide the answer. Apparently, Jobs spent $550,000 on air travel--nearly three times more than the average spent over the past year and a half. Morgan Stanley claims that this was the need for Jobs' integral involvement with operators in Asia and Europe vying to secure iPhone contracts. Wow, that's an interesting hypothesis.

For more on this story:
- read this report from The Times
- check out this article from Apple Insider

Related articles:
Network capacity is the issue, not the iPhone Editorial
Chungwha Telecom wants to offer the iPhone, if it's 3G. Report
AT&T: 95 percent of iPhone users surf the web. Report

Qualcomm reveals LTE chip plans

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

Qualcomm announced plans to ship its first multi-mode Long Term Evolution (LTE) chipsets in the second quarter of 2009, expanding both its device and base-station chipset roadmaps to include LTE and three multi-mode mobile data modem chipsets to enable UMTS and CDMA2000 operators to upgrade to LTE and have backward compatibility to their existing 3G networks.

Qualcomm said the chipsets will support both FDD and TDD duplex modes and will support peak data rates of up to 50 Mbps on the downlink and 25 Mbps on the uplink.

Qualcomm also announced that Hutchison 3G, Telecom Italia, Telefonica and Telstra have all agreed to trial the chip maker's HSPA+ chipsets later this year. The operators will use Qualcomm's MDM8200 chipset, which includes 64-QAM HSDPA for 21Mbps downlink data rates and 2x2 downlink MIMO for 28 Mbps downlink data rates. The expectation is that the high speed technology will be available as early as 2009.

For more about Qualcomm's LTE and HSPA+ plans:
- check out this article from telecoms.com

Related articles:
picoChip, mimoOn develop LTE base station reference design Report
Ubiquitous networks and the path to 4G Report

AT&T extends 3G deployments, backs LTE for 4G

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 06:59:56 -0500

AT&T announced plans to extend its deployment of 3G in the U.S. The WCDMA/HSDPA operator said its 2008 deployment plans include building out service to more than 80 additional cities, which will result in AT&T 3G service in 350 top U.S. markets by the end of this year. The move calls for more than 1,500 additional cell sites nationwide, which is good news for vendors complaining about the lack of growth in the U.S. market.

Other plans in 2008 include completion of the nation's first High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA)-enabled network by the middle of the year. Not surprisingly, the operator announced plans to deploy LTE as its 4G standard.

For more about AT&T's 3G plans:
- check out this cellular-news.com article

Related articles:
AT&T's HSUPA launches with Sierra data card Report
AT&T CEO: 3G coverage on par with CDMA rivals Report

Garmin enters 3.5G handset business

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

GPS manufacturer Garmin International has entered the mobile-phone market through the introduction of nuvifone, an all-in-one touchscreen device that combines a mobile web browser and personal navigator. The nuvifone integrates 3.5G technology (I'm guessing HSDPA) with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging and personal navigation functions.

The built-in camera allows users to take a picture that will automatically be tagged with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken. The user may then save the image so they can navigate back to the location, or email the image to a recipient who can navigate directly to the location. The nuvifone also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs available through Google's Panoramio picture sharing site.

For more about Garmin's new mobile device:
- check out this release

Related articles:
TomTom, Garmin developing branded GPS handsets? Report
Garmin makes $3.32M bid for Tele Atlas Report

WiMAX community looks to one-up 3G backers

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

The IMT-2000 Extension Band, the spectrum between the 2.5 GHz and 2.69 GHz band, has been the subject of much political maneuvering, with 3G backers such as Ericsson looking to preserve it for services such HSDPA and WiMAX advocates wanting to open it up to 802.16e technology.

The WiMAX world scored a victory on the issue late last year, when the International Telecommunication Union declared WiMAX a 3G standard, much to the chagrin of traditional 3G backers. But at least the 3G backers believed they had the upper hand. Their technology operates in FDD mode, or frequency division duplex, signaling with separate channels for the uplink and downlink. WiMAX only uses TDD, or time division duplex, signaling, which assigns time slots for both the uplink and downlink signals.

Those differences are significant because the IMT-2000 Extension Band will more than likely harmonize 2 x 70 MHz for FDD spectrum internationally, leaving 50 MHz for TDD technologies like WiMAX.

Now the WiMAX Forum appears poised to one-up the 3G community. According to a recent article in telecoms.com, the forum is expected to reveal an FDD profile for mobile WiMAX within six months. Paul Senior, chief technology officer of WiMAX vendor Airspan, said the WiMAX Forum has been hush hush about the move because it wanted to get IMT-2000 approval first and avoid the firestorm that an FDD profile would have created.

"... If we had gone to IMT with an FDD profile, we probably couldn't have got it through," Senior said. "We decided to go for something that was a little less threatening, which was a TDD profile. We didn't talk too much about the FDD work which we've been doing for the last 18 months. There will be an FDD profile, it will sit at 2.5GHz FDD allocations just as well as any other technology."

What makes the IMT-2000 Extension Band so important is the opportunity for global frequency harmonization that could help deliver mobile broadband services that interoperate internationally. That, in turn, could create massive economies of scale.

The question is, will the ITU accept an FDD version of WiMAX? Expect a huge political fight over this one.--Lynnette

T-Mobile UK bundles unlimited WiFi with 3G plans

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

Could T-Mobile UK's move be replicated in the U.S. once T-Mobile USA rolls out its 3G network? T-Mobile UK announced that it is bundling unlimited WiFi access with its Web'n'Walk Plus and Max 3G service plans. For an extra $18 per month, UK users can access the Internet using their laptops over 3G HSDPA and WiFi. T-Mobile UK has about 1,000 WiFi hotspots in the UK in locations such as Starbucks coffee shops, airports, train stations and service stations.

For more about T-Mobile UK's move to bundle 3G and WiFi access:
- read this article from telecoms.com

Related articles:
T-Mobile offers WiFi Blackberry Article
T-Mobile jumps into FMC pool Article

SPOTLIGHT: GSA says 166 HSDPA networks up and running

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:59:52 -0500

A survey published by the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) says operators worldwide commercially launched 68 HSDPA networks during 2007, representing an annual growth rate of 69 percent. The GSA says some 166 commercial HSDPA networks are up and running in 75 countries. Release

Verizon says it backs LTE, what's in store for UMB?

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

Verizon Wireless announced that it will deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology for what it calls its 4G network. Verizon and Vodafone, the co-owners of Verizon Wireless will coordinate a trial of LTE using equipment from Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens and Nortel. The carrier is also in talks with handset makers like LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson and other consumer electronics companies, which anticipate embedding wireless functionality in future products.

Back in September, Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg announced at the Goldman Sachs investor conference that both carriers were planning on using the same technology for their 4G networks and that both are studying the LTE standard. "It makes complete sense for us to go from HSDPA to LTE and it makes sense for Verizon to go from EV-DO to LTE." Sarin said at the time. Since then, Verizon has said it is looking at all of its options.

The big question is what does this mean for the CDMA2000's camp 4G roadmap, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB)? The announcement is certainly a blow for the CDMA community, but it isn't quite dead yet. Japan's KDDI still hasn't made its 4G decision.

For more on Verizon's LTE announcement:
- read this press release

BlackBerry 9000 specs leaked

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

The specifications for the highly anticipated BlackBerry 9000 have reportedly been leaked, and surprise, it looks a lot like the iPhone. However, the device will run on HSDPA networks and sports a more powerful processor than the iPhone. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera, WiFi and GPS capability and 1 GB of on board memory. No one is sure when the 9000 hits the streets.

To read more about the BlackBerry 9000:
- check out this Boy Genius report

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