From Q RB Club. What about those quiet, non-talkative Finns whose forte is performance, not dissing the opposition? Desperation showing? Unsourced:
Nokia's 'arrogant propaganda' endangers its seat on CDG
30 May 2001
Manufacturers of CDMA equipment are incensed by a white paper from Nokia, designed to win over TDMA and CDMA operators to a GSM-based 3G evolution, in a heated war of words that could lead to the Finnish vendor's forced eviction from the CDMA Development Group (CDG).
The document, titled Opening a New Road for 3G Evolution and subtitled GSM in 800MHz for TDMA and CDMA Migration, is the latest in a series of public sallies between Nokia and its counterparts in the CDG. Both parties are grappling over the hearts and minds of the remaining CDMA and TDMA operators, particularly in the Americas, which have yet to commit to a single 3G pathway.
This time, however, Nokia appears to have overstepped the mark and angered CDMA proponents with what they claim are "factual inaccuracies" about 1xRTT being a "current-generation" technology, delivering "acceptable packet data services." [Compared to what? GPRS? LOL]
"I'm a bit steamed by this. The ITU has recognized 1xRTT as a 3G standard," said one high-level CDMA source, adding that the white paper was nothing more than "arrogant propaganda."
The description of 1xRTT has particularly stung CDMA vendors given the poor performance of GPRS to date. "They're delivering around 10Kbps packet data on GPRS when they promised 171Kbps, and yet an ITU-approved, 3G standard delivering 153Kbps packet data is somehow 'current-generation' technology with 'acceptable performance?'" the source said. "When do these guys have to start answering for all their misinformation?"
Nokia's Joe Barrett, head of 3G market relations, stood by the contents of the paper. "We wrote what we believe is the realistic view of the technologies," he said. "From a technical view, 1xRTT is very similar to 2.5G, even if the ITU sees it as 3G." [Since when does Nokia get to decide what is and what isn't 3G?] He denied that the language of the paper strove to undermine 1xRTT. [Gotta bridge in Brooklyn to sell me while you're at it?] "Whatever technology it is, it sits within its capability," said Barrett. "It's not offering anything additional to GPRS." [Your nose is growing, pal.]
CDMA supporters are also disturbed by Nokia's suggestion that 1xEV-DV (data and voice), the CDMA standard backed by Nokia and Motorola, will be available by the end of the year, before Qualcomm's 1xEV-DO (data only) is deployed in 2002. They point out that the ITU has not even standardized 1xEV-DV and the technology is still undergoing a balloting process at the CDG. Although standardization could be achievable by year-end, it is unlikely that any products would be available in the same time frame.
Indeed, speaking last week at Nokia's HQ in Helsinki, Finland, Tero Ojanpera, vice president of research, standardization and technology at Nokia Networks, told journalists that he did not expect 1xEV-DV to be deployed until 2004.
The CDG now considers Nokia in breach of its obligations as a member, and the lobby group's senior executives are considering revoking Nokia's membership. "They're meant to be promoting CDMA on a global scale," the source said. "Instead, they're damaging it." He said that deprecating assessments of 1xRTT could only damage the standing of CDMA operators worldwide.
The main hurdle to Nokia's expulsion is the fact that such a move is unprecedented. CDG members would have to be consulted, and the group's management is considering circulating Nokia's white paper among its membership to engender the correct emotions before a wholesale consultation.
Squabbles concerning the 1xRTT's classification are only the start. Nokia is still smarting from a Qualcomm white paper released in February, in which the CDMA developer compared cdma2000 1xEV-DO with WCDMA. Qualcomm claimed it would cost US$4 in network expenses to send 200MB over a 1xEV-Do network, compared with US$14 for WCDMA.
"That was totally inaccurate," said Barrett. He said it was unfair to compare a data overlay - 1xEV-DO, with a voice and data network - to WCDMA.
For this reason, Nokia has little sympathy for any injuries sustained by the CDMA corner. "They can't come and criticize Nokia if they're going to promote their technology in their own way," he said. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." |
