Western Hemisphere getting behind AWS for 3G
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Dec 15th 2007 7:51AM
posted Dec 15th 2007 7:51AM
There isn't necessarily any single morsel of news here, but 3G Americas -- the group responsible for keeping GSM on the up and up this side of the pond -- just wants everyone to know that it likes AWS' chances for gaining ground in this part of the world for new HSPA (and eventually, LTE) deployments. Yanks may know AWS better as the weird flavor of bandwidth T-Mobile has gotten stuck with for deploying its desperately overdue 3G services; it utilizes spectrum in both the 1700 and 2100MHz spaces to push bits around, and while it hasn't yet been commercially deployed on a wide scale, the consortium points out that AWS spectrum auctions are in the pipe for Canada, Chile, and Mexico, among others. Naturally, that's very good news for anyone who finds themselves shopping for an AWS handset down the road, seeing how broader support across borders leads to broader manufacturer support -- a fact that 3G Americas is also quick to note. European and Asian buy-in is another matter altogether, but we'll take what we can get.[Via Phone Scoop]
How about everyone agree on 850MHz 3G instead? It's actually used outside the western hemisphere (even in Japan).
The problem is that the different ranges are used in different ways in each country. Even in Europe, where GSM was invented, we don't use the same frequencies.
And they're usually subject to frequency auctions, so some company has paid big bucks to use "their" spectrum for their application. In other words, unless you shake up the whole world - we're going to have to play on several frequencies.
I read this article on 3g.co.uk After reading through the whole thing I dare to say that we may see more 3G phones working on 1700/2100 WCDMA sooner than 850/1900/2100 (which means T-Mobile US 3G and Euro 3G in one device). The article also said that both Europe and Americas use 2100 Mhz frequency for transmission. It's the downlink that uses variable frequencies. I dream of the day that the manufacturers will put all of their efforts into software based radios...then the issue of frequency or type of network will be the thing of past...
Maciek
www.symbiosis60.com
Re: Software based Radios, I would love to see this too, one day. Unfortunately, this will never happen while the US has Carrier Distribution and Exclusivity agreements.
In my opinion a manufacturer that would build an SBR device and go for an exclusive agreement with any network operator would be the dumbest one of all. WHY in the hell would you want to kiss operator's ass when you have a device that works on any network in the world would be beyond my understanding. iPhone already proved that people ARE willing to pay $500 for the device AND still give up their soul for two years. Imagine if Nokia would release N95 or N82 with software based radio and sell it for $350-400 range. Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, at&t and all other tells could use the device without worrying that it's CDMA or WCDMA or 850 or 1700 or 2100...you get the point. In my opinion SBR phones would mark the end of operator monopoly. The operators would become "ISP's" of the telecommunication... You would go to them for the "data pipe" and not for the content (in that case it would be the device itself). In a perfect world I would love to see SBR devices and networks so open that you could go to say T-Mobile for your "local" (within the country minutes", then go to Verizon for international minutes (ok...stupid suggestion), and to at&t for the data pipe...basically mix and match...and then allow the carrier of your choice to maintain it all on one bill...ahhh....dreams can be a beautiful thing...
Maciek
Okay, how could you have missed that Intel just announced their new all in one software based chip that will handle different communication standards like this? Their Menlow chip package will handle WiMax, Wifi and 3G! So the future is looking brighter each day :)
Andrew,
You're right. I did not mention it but I do recall reading something about it. I do have to say that I just don't have too much confidence in Intel when it comes to launching SBR chips (WiMax, WiFi, 3G)... look at all Windows Mobile devices...they (not all but quite a few) run on ARM processors yet for the "telephone" portion they utilize a secondary chip (TI OMAP etc). I don't have anything against Intel and BLESS this world if there will be yet another entrant into this kind of market. The competition is just too small and there's too much fighting going on over patent infringements etc etc..who stole what, and what was implemented in whose chip. I'm sick of it. Intel better brace itself for a wave of lawsuits from Qualcomm (they're the most efficient when it comes to lawsuits) and then Broadcom, and then Nokia suing all of them over something else. Also Intel is not the first one in this run. As you may have possibly heard Samsung announced SBR phone for China that will run on TD-SCDMA AND GSM (MY GOD..the world will run out of letters for the technology acronyms). Again BLESS INTEL'S HEART if it will fly. I just hope Menlow won't become Mellow :-)
Maciek
I know this is off-topic, but....
Worst. Logo. Ever.
My 2 cents... the font stinks. The graphics are cool (North and South America). The text doesn't represent the third generation technology.