CDMA2000 Finds Opportunities in Europe, Russia and Emerging Markets in the 450 MHz Band

Published on: 17th September 2008

The CDMA Development Group (CDG) says that CDMA450 is rapidly expanding across all regions, and that 126 operators in 65 countries have deployed or are planning to deploy CDMA450 services; 105 operators in 58 countries are already offering commercial services to more than 15 million people, and 21 operators are trialing or deploying CDMA450 in 8 more countries.

CDMA450 is a 3G solution that combines CDMA2000 with affordable network coverage using the 450 MHz frequency band.

"The opportunity for CDMA450 continues to expand, particularly in emerging markets with rural geographies and low Internet penetration," said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. "CDMA2000 has proven that it can competitively satisfy the demand for affordable voice and broadband data services using the 450 MHz band in markets where it has been traditionally cost-prohibitive for other technologies to address. Also, EV-DO is helping many CDMA450 operators bring Internet connectivity to hundreds of remote villages and towns for the very first time, linking them to the rest of the world at broadband speeds and fueling their local economies."

Nearly all CDMA450 operators offer telephony and high-speed data services using CDMA2000 1X technology. Additionally, 42 operators have deployed CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Release 0 (Rel. 0) wireless broadband data services, while 13 operators have deployed EV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) for even faster uplink and downlink speeds. Another 16 operators are deploying or planning to deploy Rel. 0 networks, while the cost benefits of Rev. A are evident with 22 operators deploying or planning to deploy the faster technology.

The International 450 Association (IA450) was recently incorporated as part of the CDG in an effort to broaden its reach and tap into additional resources to support global CDMA450 initiatives and provide increased benefits for its member companies. The merged IA450 has become a CDMA450 Special Interest Group (SIG) within the CDG, headed by former IA450 chairman Tina Radford, and continues its leadership role in promoting CDMA450 worldwide.

Russia has emerged as a prime case study for CDMA450. SkyLink, the largest CDMA service provider in Russia, operates most of the country's CDMA450 networks, providing 3G telecommunications services to 31 regions. In support of its plan to become a nationwide CDMA2000 operator, SkyLink is currently licensed to offer mobile services in 65 of Russia's 88 regions, encompassing 104 million people, or 72 percent of Russia' total population. The operator generates around US$50 in total ARPU from its CDMA450 subscribers and intends to increase this value with its recently introduced premium video and television services.

 

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