EDGE and UMTS technologies are both on a roll, says new research. But while EDGE accounts for more deployments, all eyes are on the benefits UMTS can bring.
However, CDMA is singing its own song. At the CDMA Americas Congress in Miami, the technology’s advocacy group, the CDMA Development Group, rolled out a spate of numbers highlighting that protocol’s success.
According to the research by Rysavy Research and sponsored by 3G Americas, an upswing in data interest and demand is the main driver for the GSM-based technologies. The CDMA protocol is on the other side of the GSM aisle.
“The GPRS, EDGE, UMTS and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) family of wireless data technologies provides an extraordinary evolution in capability that will allow cellular networks to support the most demanding data applications, whether consumer or enterprise oriented,” said Peter Rysavy, who authored the research.
The research did not look at competing technologies at great length, instead focusing on the GSM-based family. UMTS has been deployed in 46 commercial networks already in operation in 24 countries, with 71 more either in pre-commercial, planning, licensed or in the process of being deployed in the world, said Rysavy.
EDGE has been deployed in 106 operators around the world, 46 of them are in the Americas. Sixty carriers have deployed it in the rest of the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America.
The CDG said it counts 124 million CDMA2000 subscribers worldwide, with the number of users growing at 4 million per month. A total of 94 carriers in 47 countries on six continents operate the protocol, adding 34 more networks are scheduled to deploy service this year. More than 650 CDMA2000 devices, including 88 1x EV-DO models, churned out by 57 vendors now populate the market, the CDG said.
The Shosteck Group anticipates up to 150 million UMTS subscribers around the world in 2007.
Some of the Rysavy study’s highlights include:
c With very low latency and average data rates of 220-130 Kbps, UMTS is spectrally efficient for high-data throughput services. HSDPA should provide average speeds of 550-1100 Kbps with even lower latency.
c HSDPA will enhance Wideband CDMA performance more than EDGE will do for GPRS.
c The spectral efficiency of EDGE is suited more to medium-bandwidth applications.
c Using simple software upgrades to the UMTS networks, operators can support HSDPA in the same way they have done with GPRS in their migration to EDGE.
The study said the momentum of data is tempting consumers to enjoy the variety of applications that these protocols can access. “Awareness of data capabilities has increased, especially through the widespread success of SMS, wireless e-mail, downloadable ring tones and downloadable games,” said the report.
Rysavy noted that content developers already have entered the 3G groove, scoring successes in providing downloadable ring tones and games. In the enterprise arena, developers are gaining traction with a number of applications. Middleware players are also serving as catalysts by providing such technologies as security with virtual private networks as well as switching between networks and session maintenance under adverse radio conditions.
In 2003, wireless Internet usage has roared up 145 percent with 134 million people trying or using services, projecting it to grow to 600 million by 2008, Rysavy said. Mobile Java is expected to blossom from $1.4 billion in 2003 to $15.5 billion in 2008.
In spite of the progress, wireless data still has a long journey ahead. “Though awareness of services is higher than ever before, many people still do not understand the true range of data options available to them,” he explained. “For example, how many business users realize they can use their Bluetooth-equipped phone as a modem for their laptops?” he asked, adding that the number of enhanced mobile data applications is still low relative to its market potential.
“CDMA2000 is the leading 3G technology, with nearly 100 operators worldwide and 94-percent share of the market,” said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. “The rapid expansion and acceptance of CDMA2000 services and the positive returns they generate are a testimony to the benefits that the technology offers to users and operators.”
CDG refers to such carriers as Bell Mobility in Canada, Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and Reliance in India as the protocol’s flag bearers around the globe.
“CDMA2000 operators have a clear time-to-market advantage,” said LaForge. “They will continue to lead in the revolution to broadband wireless technologies and the introduction of advanced wireless services,” adding nearly 9 million subscribers use EV-DO.
