HANNOVER, Germany-InterDigital Communications Corp. and Siemens AG said they are first to market with a broadband Code Division Multiple Access-based wireless local loop solution that delivers advanced broadband services.
Both companies are displaying their version of the system at CeBIT ’98 in Hannover, Germany, where they made the announcement. InterDigital calls its version TrueLink, and Siemens’ system is called CDMALink.
Alcatel Telecom, InterDigital, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Siemens are the members of the B-CDMA Alliance, which will market the WLL system worldwide.
Alliance members plan to deploy B-CDMA-based WLL systems this year in field trials in Asia, Africa and North America.
The systems will be refined and prepared for mass production this year. Actual production ramp-up is anticipated in 1999, said InterDigital.
The B-CDMA WLL system, practical for areas where it doesn’t make sense to lay cable, offers a combination of basic telecommunications services and advanced features such as high-speed fax and data, Internet access, video on demand and multimedia applications.
Projections of the WLL industry estimate between 180 million and 260 million subscribers by 2006, from just a few million today, said InterDigital.
More than 3 million lines were provided worldwide last year, and the market is growing at a rate in excess of 130 percent.
