Hutchison To Migrate All Customers to 3G Network

Australia's Hutchison Telecoms is considering shutting down its 2G CDMA network as it pro-actively migrates all its customers onto its WCDMA network. From today, and over a short period of time, Hutchison will rebrand Orange to 3 - specifically 3 CDMA. Hutchison noted in their statement that Telstra has effectively put a timestamp on CDMA in Australia, with their announcement last year that the network will be replaced by a national WCDMA network in approximately three years - effectively closing their CDMA network.

Hutchison says that they are likely to see that happen sooner for their CDMA network, and will review plans for continuing to operate the 3 CDMA service once a critical mass of customers have migrated to the WCDMA platform.

"The appetite for 3G services is growing in Australia and globally," said Kevin Russell, CEO Hutchison Telecoms. "It is the future for delivering mobile services and in the next two to three years we will see its rapid adoption - fuelled by exciting multi functional handsets and appealing information, entertainment and communication services. 3 has led the way in making the 3G experience a present day reality for over half a million customers, and we want our 2G customers to be able to upgrade and experience 3G easily."

"In January alone, in a campaign to a targeted segment of our base, over 20,000 2G customers upgraded to 3G. This interest in upgrading will grow with today's launch of the first mass market Nokia 3G handset - the 6280," Russell added."

Posted to the site on 3rd February 2006