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Jules, I realize you were free wheeling in your last post regarding VOD's future direction in the US, particularly WRT to Verizon. If you don't mind I'd like to offer a different perspective: First, I disagree that VOD is a GSM company. Gent is as data-centric as they come and that means CDMA (more particularly HDR), which is so absurdly more efficient at data transportation than GSM as to be comical. The amount of money VOD spent for spectrum almost literally insures that they will have to maximize that incredibly valuable resource--care to discss spectral efficiency, CDMA vs, GSM? VOD and Qualcomm experimented a year ago, and then again last month, with air interface overlays demonstrating the feasibility of "linking" the two. Both trials were successful. BEL will give VOD more practical experience deploying and operating a CDMA system. Meanwhile they can watch AT&T run out of ability to service customers with their TDMA system bursting at the seams. Just my vote Jules, but I think the last thing VOD will do is leave the USA which is just now moving into the sweet spot of wireless market penetration, where as Europe is pushing 50% which historically has proven to be a (slowing) inflection point for further growth. The future is wireless data which means CDMA which means VOD will, as you say, be unified around one standard, But that standard will not be GSM: Gent's way too smart to throw his money away. best, mike doyle |
