Keith,
<< I don't see anything that suggests SKT is going to wait until 2003 to deploy 3G services. All the article is saying is that SKT is willing to deploy CDMA2000 right now and delay the launch of any "potential" WCDMA services until 2003, by which time Korean equipment companies may have WCDMA equipment. >>
I totally agree with you on this. SKT will deploy IS-95C in existing spectrum and no doubt evolve right through the migration path of cdma2000.
<< The real key is that CDMA2000 has concluded the standardization process and has the equipment to back it up right now. WCDMA has not concluded the standardization process and has no equipment to back it up >>
I maintain (once again <g>) that the opposite is true (as it relates to the standard, not the equipment). Most certainly CDMA2000 has NOT concluded the standardization process. Now for that matter, neither has UMTS. Both will evolve in phases. The short term timetables and priorities for both have been established.
Qualcomm is delivering (or about to deliver) a chipset that I do not think is compliant to the IS-2000 standard as finally approved by the ITU last April. Shortly (?) they will deliver a chipset (MSM5105) that is. There is however, no standard yet from 3GPP2 that takes data transmission beyond 144 kbps.
At issue here is the interpretation of what constitutes IMT-2000, or 3G, or 3G3 standards.
Terms "3G" or "3G3" or "IMT-2000" are being used differently in North America, then they are in Korea. Regardless of whose right, implementation of services in the 2Ghz spectrum (which is what UMTS UTRA) is standardized to, determines how the Koreans (all 3 carriers) set implementation timetables, whether it be for UMTS UTRA ('R99 or 'R2000') or later phase cdma2000.
The Korean carriers are not referring to IS-95C as a "3G", "3G3" or "IMT-2000" service.
In my opinion, any Korean carrier that chooses UMTS UTRA (WCDMA) for the spectrum about to be licensed, is not significantly disadvantaged over one choosing cdma2000 for that spectrum (at least as it relates to implementation timetable) because they will no doubt be implementing the latest and greatest cdma2000 rev ahead of or concurrently with their buildout in new spectrum.
Now, it is entirely possible that the same carrier may have chosen an inferior technology, and could be disadvantaged for that reason.
I personally think, as I'm sure you do, that commercial implementation of WCDMA will be delayed, beyond tentative schedules we are now hearing. I also feel that when commercial launch of WCDMA occurs that there will be kinks that cdma2000 will not suffer.
In the meantime, HDR (1xEV DO or 1xEVDV) is something akin to WCDMA, in that it is not an evolutionary product. This means there will no doubt be kinks, devices will be limited, and there will be a lag between standardization and commercial deployment, before we as Qualcomm investors, enjoy the benefits.
Meantime Korean manufacturers have a leg up on the world in regard to supplying cdma2000 equipment as it evolves, and will lag the Europeans (who are designing to 'R99') in supplying UMTS UTRA gear, although we are hearing that 90% of the componentry will be common between both.
<< By the time that WCDMA is standardized >>
The 131 specifications that comprise the released standardized UMTS UTRA 'R99' are publicly available at 3GPP. The IS-2000 standard as it currently exists is available as a single 8MB .pdf at 3GPP2.
Respectfully,
- Eric - |
