O2 and Alcatel-Lucent Complete 3G 900MHz Network Deployment

Alcatel-Lucent and Manx Telecom - a wholly owned subsidiary of O2, say that they have successfully completed the first UMTS and HSDPA network deployment using the 900MHz spectrum on the Isle of Man.

During the six-month trial, the companies leveraged the lower frequency to extend UMTS voice and HSDPA data coverage and measured the benefits of deploying UMTS at 900MHz. A scanner supplied by Rhode & Shwartz was used to measure UMTS900 against UMTS2100 and GSM900 for indoor and outdoor coverage.

Deploying UMTS/HSDPA technology in the 900 MHz spectrum can help mobile operators cost-effectively deliver UMTS/HSDPA services because the lower frequency provides an important increase in base station coverage, significantly reducing (by 60 % in this trial) the number of sites required for rural coverage.

Additionally, it enables better signal penetration for in-building coverage, 30% better than with 2100 MHz and can reach 40% in deep indoor penetration.

The trial also proved that the HSDPA throughput could increase by as much as 10%, raising overall network capacity by around 5%. Another critical finding was the ability of the network to hand over calls between base stations operating at different frequencies.

On Nov. 1, 2005, O2, Manx Telecom and what is now Alcatel-Lucent, launched the first commercial HSDPA network service in Europe on the Isle of Man. This commercial network, deployed in the 2100 MHz spectrum band, was used during the trial to benchmark against the 900 MHz field trial."

Posted to the site on 16th March 2007