Verizon Wireless To Test Super-Speed Network
story.news.yahoo.com
Wed Mar 20, 1:56 PM ET
Jay Wrolstad, Wireless.NewsFactor.com
Testing of an ultra-high-speed network will begin in Washington, D.C., next
month, Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday, with additional trials set for the
San Diego, California, market this summer.
The data-only network promises to deliver transmission speeds approaching 2.4
megabits per second (mbps), allowing users to send and receive massive graphics
files, download multimedia content, play interactive games and access corporate
intranets, Verizon Wireless said.
The network is an upgrade variant of CDMA20001X (code division multiple
access) next-generation mobile technology.
Nascent Technology
Company spokesperson Jeffrey Nelson emphasized that the CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (1X evolution-data optimized) network is in its infancy, and said that it most likely will not be available commercially until 2003.
"We want to be prepared to roll out higher-speed service as we assess the adoption of our Express Network service, which is currently being launched throughout the country," he told Wireless NewsFactor.
The EV-DO service would mark a quantum leap over Express Network, which provides voice and packet data transmission at average speeds of between 40 kilobits per second (kbps) and 60 kbps -- similar to dial-up Internet service on a PC -- and tops out at 144 kbps.
D.C. Guinea Pig
For Washington, D.C., area trial, Verizon Wireless has teamed with Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU - news) to provide a select number of business customers with mobile IP (Internet protocol) VPN (virtual private network) connections on the new network. Access will be offered as an extension of the corporate LAN (local area network) or intranet.
"We will assess various devices that support higher-speed networks and look at the various applications for business and individual users," Nelson said. "We want to see how this will be used before adding specific applications."
At this week's CTIA trade show in Florida, he said, a presentation showed a passenger in a moving car receiving a live TV broadcast on a handheld device.
Lucent, Nortel Infrastructure
Nelson said the company also will take a look at the costs for providing the service, adding that it was premature to offer an estimate on fees for 1XEV-DO subscribers.
Among the hardware being used to test the network are wireless PC cards and embedded modules from AirPrime and Sierra Wireless. Compaq has agreed to supply its Evo Notebook PC with the Compaq 1xEV-DO MultiPort Module.
Lucent will upgrade its CDMA (news - web sites) base stations and software for the carrier, following through on a three-year, US$5 billion contract it signed a year ago with Verizon Wireless to provide 3G (third-generation) high-speed network infrastructure.
Similar trials of the 1xEV-DO network in San Diego will start in June, Verizon Wireless said, using existing infrastructure from Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT - news) and mobile technology from Airvana.
"This is just the assessment phase," Nelson said. "We will bring in application developers and look at how important this is to end-users. We want to determine how to best take advantage of the hardware and software for higher-speed networks." |
