Lucent Technologies and Sprint have completed the fastest third-generation (3G) over-the-air data call ever for a U.S. carrier. Data rates for the call reached up to 2.4 Mbits/s. Sprint PCS forecasts that within the next two years, customers will be able to take advantage of streaming video and audio, along with other 3G advanced mobile phone applications.
The call was completed at Sprint's test site in Lenexa, Kans., using a new technology protocol called CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (1x Evolution-Data Only). With this 3G CDMA technology, data can be transferred up to 165 times faster than rates now available on wireless voice and data networks.
Sprint will further test the increased data throughput and capacity available with 1xEV-DO technology. It also will test applications such as Web browsing, file transfer, and streaming video and audio. Lucent's commercial Flexent CDMA basestations and Qualcomm's 1xEV-DO test equipment are being used in this trial.
According to Sprint, the Flexent CDMA basestation equipment em-ployed to make the landmark call cost-effectively meets the demand for high-speed mobile Internet access. This is accomplished through the evolution to an all-Internet protocol (IP) core network with the Flexent Mobility Server and a simple circuit card and software upgrade to existing Lucent basestations.
With the speeds available on Sprint's imminent 3G network, users will be able to download music directly to their phones from the Internet or send pictures from a remote location. Business customers will be able to open complex e-mail attachments using wireless modems in their laptops.
While commercial availability of the CDMA2000 1xEV-DO basestation is expected in 2002, the technology is projected to be deployed in the Sprint PCS wireless network by 2003. The company expects the nationwide introduction of high-speed packet data (3G1x) by 2002. By 2003, Sprint also expects a nationwide network that can transfer data at 2.4 Mbits/s.
For more details, visit www.lucent.com or www.sprint.com.