MAurice -
WCDMA upper layer software is GSM (Call Control, mobility management, etc).
This is done so that, for the most part, the extant GSM network backbone remains in place. Of course - the base stations will be swapped out.
Your multiple 'phone idea is a non starter in my mind, and should be in yours, since it could be used to argue against G*
Cheap 'phones are a fiction. The true cost being masked by
robbing service providers charging huge per minute rates and monthly access fees.
A new concept in GSM is the prepaid 'phone.
This eliminates the monthly access fee. In response the service providers are demanding cheap, basic 'phones from the likes of NOK. Even NOK can't make these new 'phones
cheaply enough, so NOK is subcontracting the design and manufacture to Taiwan. (Incidently, you will see this happening more frequently, as the Taiwanese OEM's get better, and as the big three free up engineering resources for 3G - good news for GSM ASIC vendors like Philips and CNXT)
The BOM for these 'cheap' 'phones is still $100
>> 'm not convinced that GSM/3G is a necessary ASIC package to offer.
Why was IS-95/AMPS required? 3G (whatever flavour) rollout
will be 'spotty', necessitating multimode 'phones. |
