Lucent Technologies and Sprint PCS Thursday announced plans to conduct trials of a third-generation wireless data solution.
First trials of the code division multiple access high-speed wireless
technology is scheduled to begin this summer at the Sprint PCS Technology
Integration Center based in Lenexa, Kansas.
The pair intends to test the technology in a real-world environment to
determine the impact that the wireless programming advancement could have
on the mobile Internet market segment.
Lucent and Sprint PCS
hope to verify that
their technology is capable of attaining 2.4-megabit per second data speeds
over Lucent’s wireless network platform. The trials will also test the
functionality and network impact of a wide range of applications enabled by
the mobile Internet.
Oliver Valente, Sprint PCS vice president of technology and advanced
systems development, said the test demonstrates its commitment to provide
mobile Internet users with leading-edge technology and wireless data solutions.
“Sprint PCS continues to work with Lucent and other leading vendors to
refine standards under the DMA 2000 umbrella to ensure robust industry
support for the full range of CDMA evolution options,” Valente said.
Recently, the CDMA Development Group
submitted the 1xEV specification to a global standards organization, the
Third Generation Partnership Project 2. The first phase of 1xEV is
optimized for packet data services at speeds up to 2.4 megabit per second
based on current Internet protocols. It can also provide even greater voice
capacity in a 1.25 MHz channel.
The 1xEV specification is designed as an extension to the existing CDMA
third generation standard and provides a complementary solution to second
generation technologies by allowing service providers to protect their
current wireless and PCS network infrastructure investments as they evolve
into serving high-speed wireless applications.
Lucent’s wireless network platform includes the Flexent CDMA Modular Cell
base station. The commercially available system, which supports second
generation wireless data standards, and can be upgraded easily to support
the promising 1xEV standards.
Bill Wiberg, Lucent president of cellular and personal communications
services, said 1xEV adds high-speed IP-based wireless Internet access that
complements current wire-free voice and data technology.
“With 1xEV’s superior capacity and performance, operators like Sprint PCS
can truly meet the needs of the evolving mobile Internet,” Wiberg said.
Data transport services and devices limit current wireless access to the
Internet in the U.S. According to eTForecasts only a miniscule 2
percent of the Internet users in the U.S. go online using wireless Web access.
But in the next five years, the growth of wireless Web appliances will make
a dramatic change. By the end of 2005, eTForecasts estimate that 55 percent
of Internet users in the U.S. will be using web appliances for part of
their online activities, if advancements are made in developing third
generation wireless networks and devices.
Egil Juliussen, eTForecasts president said any high-speed wireless tests in
the U.S. is good news, but the nation remains far behind Europe and Japan
on wireless developments.
“Any third generation wireless test is good news, but we’re still behind
Japan and Europe,” Juliussen said. “Japan is clearly 1 to 2 years ahead of
the U.S. in wireless services and systems.”
Juliussen added that there is a multitude of reasons why the U.S., normally
a technology leader, remains behind the eight ball on wireless systems.
“The U.S. does not have one wireless standard like Europe a
nd Japan. That’s
a fairly major drawback,” Juliussen said. “Additionally, good wired phone
services in the U.S. has slowed wireless developments. Unlike Europe and
Japan, where wired services are charged on a per minute basis, wired phone
access remains essentially inexpensive in the U.S.”
“Pricing of wired versus wireless access has also slowed U.S. wireless
advancements.” Juliussen added. “Wired and wireless services cost nearly
the same in Europe and Japan, so there was less of a price prohibition for
consumer adoption of wireless services in those regions.”
“In less than 10 years Europe and Japan built a wireless infrastructure
that worked better than its wired network,” Juliussen concluded. “The U.S.
is still building their wireless systems.”
