Hong Kong W-CDMA trial
technologypost.com
Tuesday, April 11, 2000
TELECOMS
New World starts 3G mobile trials
ANH-THU PHAN
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The mobile telephone unit of New World Development, in partnership with network provider Nokia, is due to begin testing its third-generation (3G) technologies this month.
The Nokia 3G WCDMA trial system, comprising network equipment, software and mobile terminal prototypes, allows testing of coverage, transmission speed, handovers, power control and general functionalities of the technologies, as well as actual service applications.
The field trial will open the door to a new class of advanced mobile applications such as video-conferencing, multimedia data transmission and other applications based on advanced wideband mobile Internet access.
Tests will also be carried out to ensure seamless voice and data transmission.
Other firms already doing 3G trials include SmarTone and Cable & Wireless HKT.
Nokia, which is also involved in the HKT trials, said its demonstration networks had supported data transmission speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second (kbps), compared with the 9.6 kbps most local mobile networks now provide.
Most of Hong Kong's six existing mobile providers are expected to bid for 3G licences when the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (Ofta) accepts applications later this year.
New World Mobility has the biggest share of Hong Kong's PCS (personal communications services) market. As of mid-March, it had more than 550,000 subscribers, more than one-third of the market.
There were 3.8 million mobile subscribers in Hong Kong in January, according to Ofta statistics. |
