Because operators prefer to manage capacity rather than allow it to dictate their businesses, the nation’s expanding subscriber base continues to pose problems.
The traditional answer has been to build more equipment, which also creates not only space inconveniences but also cost burdens. Whether in the Americas, where populations tend to be diffused, or in Asia Pacific, where they tend to concentrate in narrow confines, equipment has remained the answer to bringing efficient coverage to masses of people angling for wireless services.
Major infrastructure vendors have taken advantage of this to sell their base stations.
But improved technologies have created better ways to handle capacity. First is to sectorize the base station, which refers to splitting the equipment into three different 120-degree sectors, each enhancing the capacity of the equipment.
In the final analysis, it reaches its limit, and new base stations have to be installed.
Magnolia Corp. said it is savoring the advantage of a third option. Its solution, which is known as DiversityPlus, transmits power from handsets to networks by reducing interference and noise levels in CDMA networks in the 800 MHz band.
The product has earned Magnolia what it describes as a strategic agreement with Korean operator SK Telecom in a memorandum of understanding.
“The agreement also outlined cooperation in the areas of joint development and marketing of Magnolia’s patented technology, as well as consideration of SK Telecom to invest in Magnolia’s future funding rounds,” said both companies.
Part of the deal will enable SKT to deploy Magnolia’s technology in the handsets of three major suppliers that will not be disclosed as yet, according to John Moon, Magnolia senior vice president of corporate developments, adding that its deal with SK Telecom should extend to relationships with China Unicom and Japan’s KDDI. It also will affect such technologies as W-CDMA and 802.16.
In North America, Magnolia said it will conduct a trial with Sprint PCS in January in the New York area.
