[3g-g]

We've seen some take up of HSDPA in the UK with T-Mob and Vodafone's offereings, but is it the answer to the problem the operators have currently, that's getting folk onto UMTS networks? As great an addittion it is in terms of services offered by the operators I'm not sure it'll have people rushing onto 3G networks, other than those business types, oh, and Ben. Considering it's only a SW upgrade to the network, and some extra e1's to their relevant node B's I'm surprised we haven't seen everyone with a UMTS licence knock this out quicker!


GSA announced that there are 117 HSDPA network deployments in 54 countries of which 52 networks have commercially launched services in 35 countries. It means the number of commercial networks has more than quadrupled in 5 months (11 networks had launched by March 24, 2006). Seven networks have launched HSDPA-enabled services in the past 8 weeks. The first HSDPA network entered service only last October.

HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) is the first evolution of WCDMA, which is delivering the full mobile broadband experience for millions of users across the world. For end-users, HSDPA means shorter service response times, faster downloads, and new services. Operators are able to offer advanced services at lower costs, and with increased revenues and profitability. HSDPA is the industry baseline for 3G for the full mobile broadband experience. GSA estimates that by end December 2006 there will be 80 HSDPA networks in commercial service.

HSDPA rollout has been strongly evident in Europe, with 17 of the EU25 countries now delivering commercial HSDPA services, and network deployments planned or underway in a further 5 countries. Globally, HSDPA commercial services are spreading rapidly and are now available in the following 35 countries/territories:

APAC: Hong Kong, Malaysia, The Philippines, S. Korea, Sri Lanka
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech R., Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Madeira, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, UK Middle East/Africa: Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE. North America: USA

Market growth of mobile broadband is supported by the rapidly increasing range and availability of HSDPA-enabled user devices. GSA recently confirmed that 51 HSDPA devices are launched in the market, including 20 mobile phones.

[Ben]

I'd be hammering away on a 'Mobile Broadband' connection or two right now if it were available here. The slow rollout of HSDPA means it loses even more ground to other forms of wireless (and even wired) broadband before it has even really made it out the gate.

HSDPA (and HSUPA, if the operators ever justify that one) could make huge changes to how we connect to the Internet, especially in laptops where if marketed correctly it could rapidly become the de facto way to be online. It feels a little like everyone has been so burned by 3G at this stage they're unwilling to throw their full force behind mobile data right now.

[Hands0n]

If HSDPA (and its follow-up HSUPA) are to be the "savior" of 3G, and I'm not buying that at the moment, then the mobile network operators have got to get their Data tariffs down to some kind of level that even begins to compete with wired Broadband.

It is simply not good enough [them] telling us that there is a"Premium" to using broadband wirelessly. The buying public, generally, do not accept that point of view. They are quite happy with their wired connections that are as cheap as chips. It is only the corporates who [perhaps] truly have a premium interest in wireless data.

The mobile ops have brought it [data] upon themselves. It is up to them to make up for the loss, not the paying Customer. T-Mobile have provided something of a lead with Web N Walk Pro, but it is still not cheap enough - it does not compete, and is too expensive as an adjunct to wired connections.