t36,
<< how much of a threat is this to cdma >>
"this" being a GSM Java SIM card and JAVA enabled SIM's are the latest flavor of SIM's.
I am not sure that it is a threat. cdmaOne has done pretty well for itself without a SIM. It is a potential competitive advantage of GSM, however. Java functionality and many other features of the SIM can be incorporated in a soldered in chip rather than on a removable device with an ETSI (and ISO) specified form factor (but then you on't have a SIM).
In addition:
The SIM has been a standard component of every GSM mobile ever sold and was specified in the original phase 1 GSM standard and its functionality increased in phase 2 and phase 2+ and will increase again in the new GSM 3G specification (UTRA FDD aka WCDMA). Note that in ETSI UTRA a SIM is called a UIM.
The SIM or UIM has a variety of functions but its most essential is that without it you can NOT authenticate to a GSM network. What this means is that until such time as a CDMA handset incorporates a SIM, no GSM operator is going to consider a cdma overlay for a 2G or 2.5G network. Moreover, a with a cdma subscription from the US, you can't roam in Europe or other geographies where GSM is predominantly deployed (China, Russia, Africa). Several years ago the Koreans drafted a specification for a CDMA SIM, but to date the specification has not been implemented. Vodaphone tested a cdma air interface on a GSM network last year and Qualcomm collaborated with Nokia to implement a handset with SIM to authenticate to the network.
CDMA is the only digital technology in the US (and most of the world) that does not employ a SIM either as a requirement, or as an option. The new GSM/TDMA multi-mode, multi-band handsets will use a SIM, GlobalStar VSAT/GSM handsets employ a SIM, and a SIM is or will be an option in ESMR for Nextel. Interoperability and international roaming are the reasons.
NTT DoCoMo chose WCDMA because they were insistent upon a cdma air interface and also insistent that a SIM be incorporated to facilitates international roaming.
IMO, the lack of a SIM inhibits the adoption of cdmaOne in several regions of the world and consequently impacts the potential growth of Qualcomm. A quick fix would seem to be the development of a CDMA/GSM handset. I suspect that we'll see one before too long. Voda could dictate this, I would think. In addition, since interoperability is an objective of 3G harmonization I presume that cdma2000 will incorporate a SIM, because without it (unless I am misunderstanding something) there will be no interoperability between a cdma2000 handset and a UTRA FDD network.
Just my thoughts.
- Eric - |
