Eric. Why do you keep stating the Number of 1XRTT handsets over and over. Trimode is required in the US and it has taken a little longer -- especially after Audiovox/Tosbiba screwed the pooch. Also, the networks are not officially on--except Verizon in selected locations --where they sell the two you mention. QCOM says Sprint is selling 1X handsets. We know from research that at least one Sprint phone has a 1X ASIC in it. Just how could you have your salesmen talking to customers about buying a 1X handset before the network is turned on and !X services are in place --doing so would simply confuse customers.
Like a man trying to drive forward by looking in the rear view mirror you are missng the point. 1XRTT is on a ramp up. First you turn on the network with some services. Then the next week, you sell the new 1X handsets.
If you are interested in 1X handsets in service in various locations , I suggest you take a look at this web site:
3gtoday.com
Yes they are 1XRTT or W-CDMA or 1x EVDO. Yes, they often have Red Blue Green color screens -- not just the bule backlighted screens some call color. Yes some of them have cameras built in. Yes, often they have QCOM's Snaptrack superior location service built in.
Yes, as you must know, the phones are in channels and will be available when the networks turn on. Yes, Verizon and Sprint are being very careful about the quality and operational ability before they add a handset after all the problems in the past with NOK and more recently, Audiovox.
Yes, Unicom in China recently placed a hurried, no-bid order to have major parts of their network running to 1X before May 31, 2002. Yes, Unicom now has thousands of salespersons proactively selling CDMA's advantages and CDMA phones door to door in China and has seen a high rate od CDMA additions since April 1. Yes, KDDI in Japan has recently placed an order with Samsung for equipment and handsets to have parts of their 1X network running 2.4 mbps 1XEVDO prior to May 31. Yes there is CDMA roaming between Korea, Japan and China using a single phone and also roaming to Canada, US and parts of South America -- but a second phon is required. Yes Korea has 2.4 Mbps (3x the useful data rate of W-CDMA) operational in several cities in Korea. No, DoCoMo's homebrewed FOMA W-CDMA in Japan has not worked well technically and is being poorly received by customers. Yes there is an operating 1XEVDO network in Romania in Europe and it will cover say 80% of the country by year end. |
