CDMA2000 "Adds Operators And Expands To New Markets"

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cdg.org/news/press/2006/Jan30_06.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.cdg.org/news/press/2006/Jan30_06.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The CDMA Development Group (CDG) (<a href="www.cdg.org">www.cdg.org</a>) announced today that the number of CDMA2000® operators reached 143 at the end of the last year, and the technology is now deployed in 67 countries across 6 continents. Furthermore, the number of 1xEV-DO networks nearly doubled from 16 to 29 in 2005, highlighting the industry’s rapid transition to advanced broadband wireless services. CDMA2000 momentum will continue in 2006, with 30 new operators scheduled to deploy commercial networks (compared to 20 last year) and 21 additional trials underway. The number of 1xEV-DO networks will reach 70 in the coming months, and 1xEV-DO Rev A will enter the commercial phase."</i><br /><br />No doubt this smells like (and is) a PR, and as such should be taken as shameless self-promotion. However, CDMA is indeed alive and doing well in North America and Asia. Control-freak carriers aside, I like the technology; my officemate has a Cardbus EVDO setup on his laptop and gets very solid download capacity using it. I've managed to get my hands on a 700w and will be testing its ability to do EVDO download, too, as part of a review. In short, you should expect CDMA2000/EVDO and UMTS/HSDPA to remain competitors for quite some time to come. (For the European wireless geeks amongst you: the article makes a reference to a European CDMA 450 deployment, but doesn't state where it is. Does anyone know?)

[DaleReeck]

Unfortunately, one of the big advantages of GSM phones - their world availability (and thus, a wider range of selection) - is cancelled out by the fact the the UTMS freuqnecy in Europe is different than the one used in the US (1800 vs 2100 MHZ, I forget which is which). For instance, the JasJar Universal has this issue - its UTMS only works in Europe. Unless the phone supports both freqs, we will have a North America vs. Europe issue.

[KTamas]

CDMA in Europe? Dude, we have GSM _and_ coverage here ;) &lt;/sarcasm>

[freitasm]

Romania, Russia, Czech Republic, Norway... You'd be surprised that 450MHz is better than 2100MHz for 3G - better penetration in buildings, greater area coverage = lower deployment costs.

This is attractive to operators. By deploying in Norway they have an entry in the Nordic countries, where mobile is a big business.

[Janak Parekh]

Romania, Russia, Czech Republic, Norway... You'd be surprised that 450MHz is better than 2100MHz for 3G - bette penetration in buildings, greater area coverage = lower deployment costs.
Right, but I'm still surprised they deployed cdma2000 as opposed to HSDPA or its GSM compatriots.

--janak

[freitasm]

UMTS/WCDMA/HSDPA band licensing costs more apparently... And because of their reduced range the technology needs more cell sites than a lower band. 800/850/900MHz GSM/GPRS needs less cell sites than 1800/1900MHz GSM/GPRS sites.

This is probably one of the reasons why Telstra decided to standardise in 850MHz GMS/WCDMA for rural areas, phasing out their CDMA network in favour of a single standard in their Australian operations. Interesting concept since there's no 3G 850MHz in the market - yet.

Things will change a lot in the next two to three years, with CDMA2000 EVDO Rev A giving HSDPA a run...

[Phoenix]

Although it'll be some time (and who knows how long?), I'm looking forward to when everything melds into one single standard worldwide, which I'm confident will happen one day.

And hopefully, this single standard will include the continued use of SIM cards - I would never want to give up the choice I have in phones and the control I have in quickly swapping phones whenever I choose.

[aristoBrat]

Unfortunately, one of the big advantages of GSM phones - their world availability (and thus, a wider range of selection) - is cancelled out by the fact the the UTMS freuqnecy in Europe is different than the one used in the US (1800 vs 2100 MHZ, I forget which is which). For instance, the JasJar Universal has this issue - its UTMS only works in Europe. Unless the phone supports both freqs, we will have a North America vs. Europe issue.
If they can make GSM work today (where North America is 850/1900 and Europe is 900/1800), hopefully they'll figure something out for UTMS. :D