Week Summary

This week we will focus on some technical aspects for 3G technology like performance of different standards, spectrum allocation

3G Standards

Let us review 3g standards along with some performace metrices like highest data rate supported.

• CDMA2000 1x, which is currently deployed by some Indian operators offer 144 kbit/s
• CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized). The initial design of 1xEV-DO was developed by Qualcomm in 1999 to meet IMT-2000 requirements for a greater-than 2.5 Mbit/s downlink for stationary communications.
• W-CDMA (UMTS) was developed by NTT DoCoMo as the air interface for their 3G network FOMA. Later NTT DoCoMo submitted the specification to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a candidate for the international 3G standard known as IMT-2000 which is supossed to offer maximum data rate of 2.3 Mbit/s.

Spectrum War

We will see spectrum war regarding allocation of extension of exisiting services in IMT2000 (3G) band.

• CDMA operators in India are demanding fresh spectrum in the 1900 Mhz frequency band, GSM operators are opposing it on the ground that the band has been earmarked globally for third generation services. GSM players hold that if CDMA operators are also accommodated in the 1900 Mhz band it would interfere with 3G deployment.
• The forum representing the leading GSM/3G suppliers worldwide, GSA, has rejected the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s proposal on allocation of frequencies to existing CDMA operators in India. GSA rejected the proposal saying the upper frequencies conflict with the internationally agreed IMT-2000 spectrum plan identified by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for 3G/IMT-2000 systems
• It also says that severe interference between existing CDMA base stations and users of 3G systems will reduce service quality and performance of 3G systems. This would then lead to higher costs and restrict competition

Technological Criticality

• Apart from revenues, 3G technology deployment in India will also bring in efficiency in spectrum usage. For instance, in a 3G network, 175 calls can be taken in 10 MHz compared to 110 calls in 2G.
• For deployment of 3G there exist difference seen technically from GSM and CDMA operators point of view. GSM operators are rushing in with their 3G strategy because of the impending threat from the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile operators such as Reliance Infocomm India and Tata Teleservices India. CDMA operators have an advantage over their GSM counterparts when it comes to 3G deployment because most CDMA networks in India are already 3G-enabled. Simply put, a Reliance Infocomm India is in a position to start offering 3G services from tomorrow once spectrum is allocated while GSM operators will have to set up a whole new network.
• It’s the way the two technologies have evolved. CDMA operators like Reliance have the CDMA 1X technology and they can easily migrate to EVDO (Evolution Data Only). On the other hand, GSM operators will have to set up a parallel network with their existing 2G network to offer 3G services.

Advantage of 3G Technology

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson believes that the rollout of 3G telecom networks in India will help operators reduce costs, offer an array of services to users, and connect millions in rural areas who have never used a phone. "3G as a technology is more advanced and more efficient. One base station in a 3G network can take 80 calls as against 17 calls per base station in 2G," says Sudhin Mathur, Manager, Sony-Ericsson.

Week Summary

This week, we will see about different players that are planning to deploy 3G technology in India and competition policies.

Current 3G operators in India

The following is the list of the 3g operators in india which are not truely 3G in nature. All of these service providers have deployment of CDMA2000 1x standard whic comes from CDMA 2000 family of standards.

• TATA Indicom Ltd (from Nov 7th 2002)
• Reliance Info com Ltd (from May 01st 2003)
• Garuda 1X (MTNL, India) (from MAy 19th 2003)
• Shyam Telelink (from Sep 5th 2003

Although CDMA2000 1x capable of higher data rates, most deployments have limited the peak data rate to 144 kbit/s. While 1xRTT (1 times Radio Transmission Technology) officially qualifies as 3G technology, 1xRTT is considered by some to be a 2.5G (or sometimes 2.75G) technology.