re: Bids for Korean 2.5G Networks
How fast is half fast?
"2.5G mobile networks deliver a big improvement of presently 64 kbps and soon 128 kbps."
I do NOT necessarrily read the statement below as a swipe at the chip (phone instead), but VOD remains a concern that is talked to in every Korean release on this subject.
"LG introduced its 2.5G cellular handset, the Cyber-IX1 with Qualcomm's embedded MSM5000 chip late last year, but experts said the model is difficult to operate, and cannot easily send or receive high-density motion pictures."
Ya got a kick starter?
Beginning of year, or end of year?
"Meanwhile, the government and business groups aim to join forces to kick start the full-scale development of the new technology in the year ending May 2002."
>> Bids Coming In for 2.5G Network Equipment
Korea Times
2001/05/21
The 2.5-generation (2.5G) telecom equipment market is being auctioned off by two local mobile phone operators, signaling that consumers will be able to use 40-times faster, Internet-enabled telephone services by the end of this year at the earliest, an industry source said yesterday.
The domestic 2.5G telecom equipment market is estimated to be worth up to 200 billion won, the source said.
Early this month, the second largest mobile phone carrier, KTF, sent requests for proposals (RFP) to telecom equipment companies for the commercial launch of cdma2000 1x operations.
There have allegedly been seven bidders so far, including Samsung Electronics, Kisan Telecom, a Hitachi consortium, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Ericsson and LG Electronics.
SK Telecom, the dominant cellular phone operator, is also negotiating with an alleged five companies, both at home and abroad, to buy the needed equipment for establishing 2.5G networks.
Conversely, the smallest mobile phone operator, LG Telecom, is seen to need more time to kick off its own 2.5G mobile network service. Unlike its two contenders, LG Telecom has prepared its 2.5G networks with a different form of service.
LG introduced its 2.5G cellular handset, the Cyber-IX1 with Qualcomm's embedded MSM5000 chip late last year, but experts said the model is difficult to operate, and cannot easily send or receive high-density motion pictures.
Industry experts said that a cdma2000 1x wireless system enables high- speed access from laptops, handheld computers and Internet appliances to enterprise applications, streaming audio and video and the Internet.
Compared with the current second-generation (2G) service, which offers between 9.6 kbps and 19.2 kbps of data transmission speed, 2.5G mobile networks deliver a big improvement of presently 64 kbps and soon 128 kbps.
However, a problem is looming over the non-fixed royalty payment system on the use of code division multiple access (CDMA) technology by the U.S.
Telecom Giant Qualcomm
So far, local CDMA-based equipment makers have paid a royalty rate of around 5.5 percent per mobile phone. The royalty is based on the retail price of the device.
In case of notebook computers, for instance, local companies should pay a more than 10-fold expensive royalty, in accordance with the pact with Qualcomm.
Samsung and LG Electronics already signed further agreements with Qualcomm to use the technology in other mobile gadgets.
Even so, people close to the situation pointed out that most revenues from cdma2000 1x devices would translate into royalty payments as device prices increase.
Meanwhile, the government and business groups aim to join forces to kick start the full-scale development of the new technology in the year ending May 2002. <<
- Eric - |
