re: GSM in New Orleans - VoiceStream - GSM/GPRS/EDGE
There are two significant aspects to this announcement:
* VoiceStream joins AWS in planning (and contracting to migrate to EDGE in the US)
- "Ericsson will also deploy higher speed EDGE infrastructure in certain VoiceStream markets to support next generation voice and data services."
* GSM will complete a national USA footprint by building out New Orleans
- "Ericsson will immediately begin installation of GSM1900 network equipment, including core network and radio access infrastructure in New Orleans and Virginia"
When the smoke settled on FCC A/B block PCS 1900 MHz spectrum auctions (concluded 1995) and licensed carriers made their technology selections, GSM was left with big gaping holes where there was no GSM footprint, principally in the midwest (Chicago to Dallas) with smaller holes elsewhere.
FCC C Block auctions (started in late 1995 and completed late spring 1996 concluded with a bidding war between Nextwave (CDMA) and DC based DCR (GSM). The prices bid by each for major markets (and some minor ones) forced other designated entities out of the running as the price/pop well exceeded that budgeted in their business plans.
DCR was successful in obtaining licenses in most of the major markets where GSM carriers had failed to obtain licenses in A/B block the previous year. The one major market where GSM had no license, however, was New Orleans.
Unfortunately the VC markets had tightened up, venture backing fell apart, and both NextWave & DCR were forced to seek protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
GSM carriers managed to pick up some additional geography with smaller chunks of spectrum in D/E/F blocks but still were left with a gaping holes in US coverage and this more than offset the time to market advantage that GSM 1900 had gained over CDMA 1900 (and CDMA in 850 MHz since all GSM buildouts were in 1900 MHz).
GSMNA (the association of 20 some odd North American GSM carriers) banded together early to roam with each other to expand their own coverage and aggressively pursued international roaming agreements and implement IN and other requisite roaming infrastructure. Despite this international visitors to the United States could use their SIM in purchased or rented GSM 1900 phones in the United States but were severely limited in where they could roam, even after Bosch, Ericsson, and Motorola released dual-mode, dual band (GSM 900/GSM 1900) and eventually (GSM 900/GSM 1900/ GSM 1900) "Worldphones".
The multi-band, multi-mode phones appeared at about the same time as GSM/AMPS models
In the interim DCR and a few other bankrupted Designated Entities (DE's) chose a different tactic than NextWave and elected to return the majority of their C block licenses to the FCC and this resulted in a reauction of C Block licenses in early 2000. In this auction bidding entities for Omnipoint and Western Wireless (Voicestream) were able to obtain licenses that pretty much filled in the big holes with the exception of New Orleans.
Subsequently Voicestream acquired Omnipoint, Ariel and Powertel, accessed Sprint's old Sprint Specrum's GSM buildout in Baltimore/DC and recently DT T-Mobile acquired VoiceStream.
Finally by virtue of a spectrum swap VoiceStream acquired licensed spectrum for New Orleans.
Concurrently they have diligently been working to buildout the newly acquired licensed geography with evolved GSM/GPRS and soon will operate in New Orleans.
National footprint complete and shortly a 2nd national GSM footprint will be provided by AWS, supplemented by Cingular whose footprint is not complete nationally but is pretty broad, and likely to be GSM as well, and like AWS will extend into 850 MHz spectrum as well as 190 MHz.
>> VoiceStream Signs Second EDGE Contract
Ericsson has announced an agreement with VoiceStream to expand VoiceStream's national GSM wireless network and to deploy EDGE infrastructure. The agreement, initially valued at US$150 million, could exceed US$300 million over a three-year period.
Ericsson will immediately begin installation of GSM1900 network equipment, including core network and radio access infrastructure in New Orleans and Virginia, and will be expanding VoiceStream's existing network in Florida. Under the agreement announced today, Ericsson will also deploy higher speed EDGE infrastructure in certain VoiceStream markets to support next generation voice and data services.
In addition, Ericsson will provide advanced features and services for VoiceStream including mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities, location-based services and mobile gaming and entertainment applications. Ericsson equipment will provide Adaptive Multi-Rate vocoder (AMR) functionality for increased voice quality and greater spectrum efficiency.
This follows on from yesterday's 3 year agreement for EDGE infrastructure with Nortel Networks. <<
- Eric - |
