3G update

3G update

By Joanie Wexler

Carriers seem to be hastening the buildout of their broadband mobile data networks - perhaps feeling a bit of competitive pressure from mobile WiMAX, expected in 2007?

Sprint Nextel said last week that it has expanded its fastest mobile data WAN service, launched in July in 34 markets, to more than 141 major markets and 250 airports nationwide.

The carrier says the Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) service, based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology and offering download speeds of about 400K to 700K bit/sec and bursts to 2M bit/sec, will be accessible on various devices to about 150 million people in over 220 major markets by early 2006.

The service is accessible via Sierra Wireless or Novatel Wireless PC card, Windows Mobile 5.0-powered smart phone and handsets from Samsung and Sanyo Electronic. Sprint Nextel also said it plans to make available an EV-DO PC card from UTStarcom for accessibility later this month.

Flexible pricing plans start at $39.99 per month or $59.99 monthly for unlimited access (with a voice subscription). Verizon Wireless reestablished the industry price point at $59.99 a month for all-you-can-eat mobile data in September, when it dared drop its EV-DO price from $79.99 a month by 25%.

Verizon Wireless' Web site now claims that its competing EV-DO network service is available in 171 markets covering more than 140 million potential customers, or "pops," and including more than 68 airports.

Meanwhile, on the GSM side of the house, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) service is available in six markets from Cingular Wireless and is expected to 15 to 20 by year-end. By using a derivative of the technology called High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) the services will reportedly match the average stated speeds of EV-DO.