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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Moderated Thread - please read rules before posting -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Verve who wrote (5985)	1/7/2001 5:54:45 PM
From: Eric L	Respond to of 196777

Verve, << I wasn't investing in wireless when carriers migrated from 1G to 2G. What motivated carriers to migrate to 2G? >> First of course, 1G is analog, and 2G is digital. Motivation was, efficiency, capacity, battery life, data capabilities .... << Also, do you know (rough guess would suffice) what % of todays 2G operators actually migrated from 1G and what % started off directly with 2G? >> Percentages ... darned if I know ... but ... In the Americas (and a few other places) there was a large well built out single ANSI-41 based AMPS standard in 800 MHz as we entered the last decade. Europe in the eighties, however, was a fragmented mess of multiple analog standards. Along came GSM in 900 MHz (1992) and essentially all GSM networks built out from scratch, first in Europe, then Asia & EMEA. Eventually DCS-1800 (now GSM-1800) supplemented the GSM-900 buildout. GSM, unlike competitive (later) digital technologies, implemented data services from the outset. In the interim D-AMPS (digital AMPS) started overlaying 800 MHz analog cellular in the Americas, and was followed by IS-136 TDMA. The traditional American carriers were the RBOCs ("B" carriers) and entrepreneurial independent "A carriers" ... all in 800 MHz ... same for LA. From late 1994 to 1996 the US auctioned off 1900 MHz all digital PCS spectrum. All GSM carriers built out from scratch in 1900 MHz. Several traditional carriers (AWS, BellSouth, SBC) overlayed their existing spectrum properties with IS-136 TDMA while building out IS-136 TDMA in the new all digital spectrum, or in the case of Bell south building out GSM in new spectrum. Other traditional carriers like Bell Atlantic and US West overlayed their existing spectrum properties with IS-95A CDMA, and formed consortiums (PrimeCo) to build out all digital in new spectrum. Sprint PCS, after first launching a GSM network in Baltimore-DC (Sprint Spectrum) built the largest all digital US network Sprint PCS (CDMA) from scratch. Since then, a lot of M&A, has of course taken place and in the US we have gone from 300+ licensed carriers in 1997 to about 155 now. That trend continues. Hope that is responsive to your question. Best I can do - Eric -