LAS VEGAS—UTStarcom Inc. announced plans to commercialize Qualcomm Inc.’s mobile wireless network base station, which is designed to provide a portable, all-IP CDMA2000 800/1900 MHz network in remote or disaster-affected areas. The unit will work on UTStarcom’s MovingMedia 2000 all-IP CDMA wireless core infrastructure technology.
A prototype of the unit was deployed via helicopter to St. Barnard Parish, La., in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, according to Diane Winchell, of Qualcomm’s Government Technologies division. Winchell suggested that the unit would likely serve in natural disasters, emergency or military scenarios where existing infrastructure no longer operates.
Due to its portability—it can fit inside large consumer vehicles—the QDBS (Qualcomm Deployable Base Station) may have an advantage over similar technologies often referred to as cell on wheels (CoW) or cell on light trucks (CoLT).
Qualcomm initially developed the technology at the request of the White House, which sought a mobile cellular bubble for presidential motorcades. When Hurricane Katrina hit, the prototype was pulled from the lab and sent into the field to serve in Louisiana’s recovery effort.
In related news, UTStarcom announced on March 16 that it would delay filing its annual report in order to investigate premature recognition of revenues from a contract in India. On Wednesday, the company reported that it had been notified by Nasdaq that it would be delisted at the opening of business on March 29 unless it requests a hearing. UTStarcom indicated that it would indeed request such a hearing.
