Globalstar has been the only commercial failure for Qualcomm.
Pegaso, Leap Wireless, Vesper, Relliance are all viable business models. Leap has added over 1.1 million wireless customers in the US. Vesper has the same business model in Brazil using fixed wireless as an alternative to landlines. They have added 400,000 customers in Brazil and called for 1 million by the end of the year. Since CDMA2000 for fixed and mobile voice now include Broad band ISP services, customers are getting a big bang for their handset.
CDMA2000 is the culmination of local phone, long distance, and broadband all in one. The only thing they don't do is deliver cable. However, there is plenty of spectrum for companies to use CDMA for wireless cable - MMDS.
It is ridiculous to think that Qualcomm's technology can grow without it's support. Qualcomm has landed major new customers with China and India. Networks like Vesper, Pegaso, Metro PCS & Leap are part of the emerging presence of fixed wireless - or limited mobility (no international calls please.) It provides a great way for people to take advantage of low cost local phone service, long distance, and high speed internet. They are plugging in the digital divide both in the US and emerging markets. The insignificant numbers from any one company starts piling up when you add all the operators from E Europe, S Ameirca, L America, China, India, & the US.
The system operators are beginning to understand the basic advantages of CDMA. We have a global mandate for CDMA - some of the operators have been duped to think that an asynchronous network made WCDMA different than CDMA2000. However, synchronous base stations can only make the network planning better - never worse. The one drawback regarding US satellites for GPS has been replaced with new network techniques that do not require gps - self synchronous and quasi synchronous base stations. |
