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3G on US GSM providers? |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
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However, in Europe data services were not implemented due to increased demand but by pressure from the technology industry.
Here in the US, the providers seem to follow the demand rather than technological advancement.
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scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
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@amagab
To a certain extent you are correct, WAP having being introduced by BT Cellnet in 1999, but once that technology was introduced the customers demanded more and better services, which resulted in the manufacturers and networks releasing handsets with more fetaures and services to support those new features respectively.
The customers are actively using features such as MMS, video messaging, downloading vouchers, checking sports results, entering competitions, downloading maps, etc, which means that expansion of such services would probably be a good idea for the networks and the manufacturers. If U.S. customers are not using data services to the same extent then the American networks might be cautious about investing large sums of money in expanding those services.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
dave_uk
Joined: Mar 06, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
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Is this not a bit of a case of the chicken and the egg?
Surely, if customers are not exposed to the technology, by companies taking an educated guess (based on market research, obviously) and investing in it (though probably not in the same overly-generous way that the UK operators bought 3G licenses!) then the demand to justify the investment will never exist.
Maybe the operators in the States just need to take the plunge - after all, it's hardly a country of technological retards, now is it!
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scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
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From: UK
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@dave_uk
You make a good point, certainly it seems to have bene the case in the UK. The difference with America is that those services already exist in other parts of the world, so the technology is apparent to American customers, but if they still aren't showing an interest in it then perhaps the networks have decided to move more slowly.
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"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
[ This Message was edited by: scotsboyuk on 2005-01-12 23:10 ] |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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Being a gadget-freak I do hope T-Mobile implements 3G soon.
I don't know for sure but it seems like T-Mobile USA is being very cautious and waiting for the right momentum. Since they are the cheapest provider in the US they also have to look at cost. Once they implement 3G/UMTS they would have to increase their fees to cover the network expansion/upgrades and they would risk not being the cheapest provider anymore.
Another thing is that T-Mobile USA has very quickly built up a Wi-Fi/WLAN network across the nation, with HotSpots now available in most Starbucks, Borders bookstores, airports, hotels, and other public places. It could be that they want to finish this expansion before getting into UMTS. Or maybe they are working to eventually combine the two technologies.
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scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
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From: UK
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@amagab
It could very well be the case that T-Mobile are seeking to combine Wi-Fi and 3G and it would make sense to continue expanding their Wi-Fi network first, since there is already an established customer base for Wi-fi in the U.S.
As I said before, having the technology is not the same as having the services to support that technology. If the U.S. networks implement 3G with no major expansion of their data services then it would seem somewhat pointless. 3G would, in that case, be an expensive alternative to Wi-Fi and the customers would almost certainly stick to Wi-Fi.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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Yes, people are very much into WiFi here in the US. Several cities are now building WiFi networks and offering it for free to their inhabitants. Some of those cities are: Philadelphia - PA, Spokane - WA, Anchorage - AK, and some other smaller cities.
I guess that is why cell phone manufacturers don't put WiFi in the phones because the providers would loose a lot of business. Unless, you are T-Mobile.
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tonyl
Joined: May 17, 2005
Posts: 0
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Contacting my sources within T-Mobile USA, 3G/UMTS/Edge will not be launched at all. Instead, T-Mobile USA has a great plan for the wireless world. It definitely has to do with their nationwide WiFi rollout and it's integration with their GSM network. I cannot get into details. This is why you also see Verizon and Sprint, starting their rollout with WiFi. And they have a ways to go before they will catch up to T-Mobile. Just wait and see, it's coming soon. And if anyone is thinking of going with Cingular/Verizon/Sprint, think twice! |
dumbdumb
Joined: Mar 22, 2002
Posts: 183
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wow... 2G with wifi... sounds quite interesting...
but it also sound pretty weired... its like saying you use your normal house phone to call your friend and then you sit in front of your pc (use broadband) and use the PC webcam to look at your friend while talking on the house phone.
Ok but maybe you will say both voice and video will go through wifi... then does this mean there will be no more mobile network few years down the line? After all you can just use IP phone, etc...
Then what will happen to the mobile phone companies? All we need at the end is a PDA.. or labtop with wifi...
This then means there can be zillion of network providers since wifi is operating in a free frequency range....
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amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
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Quote:
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On 2005-05-17 09:38:42, dumbdumb wrote:
wow... 2G with wifi... sounds quite interesting...
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2.5G is the current T-Mobile USA technology.
Wow, I'm surprised to hear that T-Mobile will not implement UMTS at all. That is VERY INTERESTING!!!! I'd like to be part of their implementation meetings. While other providers put all their money down to implement their 3G networks, T-Mobile seems to be on a totally different path. Now I'm really excited to see what they have in mind regarding mobile telephony and Wi-Fi.
I'm crossing my fingers (holding my thumbs in Swedish) that this will turn out to be a successful strategy by T-Mobile USA.
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Supa_Fly
Joined: Apr 16, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Toronto, Ontario
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WOOO HOOOO NEWSFLASH TO ALL CANADIANS!!!
Rogers Wireless & Ericsson (they've had contracts totalling 5 years - including the changeover from TDMA to GPRS back in 2001, EDGE on the 850Mhz band since July 1st 2004) Have just announced Trialing begins NOW for UMTS/HSDPA!!!
Link: http://globetechnology.com/se[....]ogersoct13/BNStory/Technology/
"This trial represents a first step in creating a unique opportunity to offer customers complete freedom to use, view and access the information that matters most to them, when they want and wherever they are," said Rogers CEO Ted Rogers in a statement.
I just hope Ted's Marketing department truely shows people using this service for News, Entertainment, Contests with Entertainment, and for Wireless Data Services.
For those that dont know, Rogers Communications owns Rogers Wireless (Nationwide GSM/GPRS/EDGE), Rogers Cable (Cable, Digital Cable+TimeShifting,VoIP, Cable Internet), News Stations (FM/AM CHRY, 680News, etc), and Magazines (mostly womens mags). This means that Rogers Communications will be leveraging their bandwidth from their cable network for interconnection of towers - if possible - and network bandwidth.
"The services are expected to launch commercially in Canada in 2006." I'm guessing its July 1st 2006 = Canada Day (our independence day). |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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For some reason I'm starting to loose interest in 3G. 
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cpblu
Joined: Nov 19, 2005
Posts: 6
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cingular has started rolling it out should be nation wide by the end of 2006 |
Debu
Joined: Jan 15, 2003
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From: Colchester, UK
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I do believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) that the US of A will not be going into the mainstream 3G format (As prescribed by the 3GSM, Namely UMTS/WCDMA), Instread they will be going in for the more recent and faster format of EV-DO, running on CDMA 2000-3G-1X networks. This (IMO) will be a better step because then they will be able to use all the features of 3G such as video calling and media services, along with a much higher transfer rate as allowed by the EV-DO technology. But ofcourse, I may be quite wrong and you may see 3GSM too.
Visit My Blog : Debu's Innovations'When nine hundred years old you will be, look as good, you will not' - Yoda |
wapt
Joined: Jan 10, 2003
Posts: > 500
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@Debu, Cingular and T-Mobile are on track 3G WCDMA/HSDPA. Verizon and Sprint operate on cdma.
This message was posted from a K750 |
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Posted: 2005-01-12 17:08
