Qualcomm is anticipating the wider commercial deployment of
dual-carrier HSPA+ and multi-mode 3G/LTE mobile networks in the
second half of next year and it has started sampling chipsets that
are aimed to better support the transition from existing CDMA-based
mobile infrastructure to next generation mobile technologies.
The chip firm confirmed that a number of network operators,
infrastructure vendors and mobile device manufacturers are working
with it for commercial launches of these new types of high speed
data mobiles to begin during the second half of 2010.
Among multiple network operators evaluating the new technologies
are Japan’s EMOBILE and Telstra Wireless. Qualcomm is also working
with multiple infrastructure vendors, such as Huawei Technologies
and Nokia Siemens Networks, to perform interoperability tests for
dual-carrier HSPA+ and LTE.
Among the device manufacturers currently evaluating the chipsets
are Huawei, LG Electronics, Novatel Wireless, Sierra Wireless and
ZTE.
See:
Huawei doubles HSPA+ data rate to 56Mbit/s next
year
“We are pleased to be working with so many industry leaders to
bring these advanced technologies to market,” said Alex Katouzian,
vice president of product management, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.
“We remain committed to CDMA and OFDMA WAN modem leadership and the
seamless and cost-effective commercialization of next-generation
technologies around the world.”
According to Tommi Uitto, head of Wireless Access product
management at Nokia Siemens Networks. “Flexible solutions that
offer a seamless migration path to next-generation network
technologies are critical for our industry to move fast and
encourage a quick uptake of new services.”
The MDM8220 dual-carrier HSPA+ chipset is based on the 3GPP Release
8 standard and provides peak downlink data rates of up to 42Mbit/s
and 11Mbit/s on the uplink. Its dual-carrier technology effectively
doubles networks’ bandwidth from 5MHz to 10MHz by aggregating two
HSPA carriers in parallel.
“HSPA’s faster data speeds and added capacity offers an attractive
upgrade path for our growing network,” said Eric Gan,
representative director, president and COO at Japan EMOBILE.
It is believed that technology delays have a challenge for the
widespread adoption of LTE, with interoperability being a
concern.
The MDM9200 and the MDM9600 chipsets will allow UMTS and
CDMA2000 operators to upgrade to future LTE services while
preserving backward compatibility to their existing 3G
networks.
MDM9200 supports UMTS, HSPA+ and LTE, while the MDM9600 supports
CDMA2000 1X, EV-DO Rev. B, SV-DO, SV-LTE, UMTS, HSPA+ and LTE. All
of the new chipsets support FDD LTE and TDD LTE modes and different
carrier bandwidths, and are capable of using orthogonal frequency
division multiple access (OFDMA) and multiple-input and
multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology to support peak data
rates of up to 100Mbit/s on the downlink and 50Mbit/s on the
uplink.