News
Issue #2003 - 14 (April 2003)
(Updated Apr. 23, 2003)

INFRASTRUCTURE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

3G News This Week

1. Verizon Wireless Announces Plan for Wireless Data Only Network
The company says it plans to launch CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (EVolution, Data Only) services in Washington, D.C., and San Diego later in 2003.

2. DoCoMo Partners with SingTel Mobile in 3G Venture
NTT DoCoMo announced it will partner with Singapore Telecom Mobile to expand its advanced 3G network in Asia. According to the terms of the agreement, SingTel Mobile will share NTT DoCoMo's 3G technology, which enables teleconferencing and other high-speed interactive functions. The two companies will jointly develop a system for interconnection and roaming between NTT DoCoMo's existing 3G network and the network to be built in Singapore by SingTel Mobile. NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest wireless service provider, sees this agreement as a step forward in making its 3G technology an international standard.

For more information: http://www.3G.Co.uk

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: It is interesting to see a data only 3G (or hall we say 2.75G, to be precise) CDMA network being planned by Verizon. Does that go against the business model that carriers have for getting maximum voice channels out of the bandwidth available and then selling wireless data out of whatever is left? Perhaps ongoing profitability of Mobitex network of the past has a lesson for future network planners. We are of the opinion that 1xEV-DO does make business, economic and technical sense. Otherwise, Wi-Fi will make 3G cellular networks less relevant for data applications, as it is already doing to some extent. For the sake of national roaming where Wi-Fi hot spots would not go, Verizon is right in pushing 1xEV-DO networks. 

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