Nokia supplies HSDPA as part of extended, exclusive WCDMA 3G network contract

Latvian mobile operator Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT) has launched the first High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network in Latvia. The solution, provided by LMT’s sole network supplier Nokia, enables the operator to offer faster mobile data services to its customers and operate its network more cost-efficiently.

“LMT has always been the first to adopt new and promising technologies that benefit our customers and meet their needs. Adopting new technologies is a challenge that can only be met by cooperation with a reliable and proficient supplier like Nokia. Deploying public HSDPA data services in just a few weeks is another example of a well-balanced team that LMT and Nokia have become,” says Juris Binde, President and CEO, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons.

“We are happy to continue our successful cooperation with LMT in Latvia. For LMT, HSDPA is a natural next step towards more advanced networks. The Nokia HSDPA software is easy to deploy and enables LMT to leverage their mobile data opportunities and deliver new mobile broadband services and an enriched user experience to their customers,” says Jan Lindgren, Vice President, Networks, Nokia.

Nokia and LMT have been working together since 1992. Nokia has supplied the HSDPA solution to LMT as part of a frame agreement signed in 2005, and continues as the sole supplier of LMT’s mobile network infrastructure.

In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 63 customers to date. Nokia’s high-performing HSPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling a fast, cost-effective rollout. Nokia HSPA is made up of two key technologies, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access), offering breakthrough data speeds up to 14.4 Mbps in the downlink and up to 5.8 Mbps in the uplink.

Nokia HSDPA offers almost 10-times faster data services than current 3G networks, generating an enhanced service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with a large number of HSDPA contracts. Many network operators have already opened their HSDPA networks with the Nokia solution.

The leading mobile operator in Hong Kong, and Nokia, the global leader in mobility, announced today that Nokia has delivered the High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) solution to the operator. Nokia and CSL have successfully completed the first 16QAM call supporting 3.6 Mbps HSDPA in the CSL network. A smooth evolution to 3G networks, the Nokia HSDPA solution will enable CSL to offer its customers high-quality broadband mobile data services and gradually enhance the data rate to 3.6Mbps when supporting devices are available.

“The implementation of the Nokia HSDPA solution puts us in an unrivalled position, as the HSDPA 16QAM technology doubles the current HSDPA rate available in the market, hence giving our consumers an even more exciting mobile broadband experience,” said Adam Wong, Director, Mobile Networks of CSL.

“We are pleased to continue supporting CSL as their network evolves towards HSPA,” says Mike Wang, General Manager, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Networks, Nokia. “The deployment of Nokia HSDPA solution involves only simple software upgrade to current 3G network, giving a cost efficient and effective solution to CSL.”

Nokia and CSL have been working together since 1991, providing GSM, GPRS, EDGE and WCDMA infrastructure for the CSL’s network.

In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 63 customers to date. Nokia’s high-performing HSPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling a fast, cost-effective rollout. Nokia HSPA is made up of two key technologies, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access), offering breakthrough data speeds theoretically up to 14.4 Mbps in the downlink and up to 5.8 Mbps in the uplink.

Nokia HSDPA offers almost 10-times faster data services than current 3G networks, meaning an enhanced service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with a large number of HSDPA contracts. Many network operators have already opened their HSDPA networks with the Nokia solution.

The number of 3.5G mobile broadband subscribers worldwide will boom more than ten-fold from 2.5 million in 2006 to more than 300 million in 2011, but market growth in 2006-07 will be restrained by a lack of compelling devices, according to Future Mobile Broadband: HSPA, EV-DO, WiMAX & LTE, a new Strategic Report from Informa Telecoms & Media.

“A lack of compelling devices and content led to delayed launches and slow take-up of WCDMA and EV-DO services, and early HSDPA and EV-DO Revision A services are expected to suffer from the very same problems,” says Malik Saadi, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media and co-author of the Future Mobile Broadband Strategic Report.

Saadi notes that most HSDPA services are launching with only PC cards and notebooks, although a number of early handsets are also arriving. “However it is striking that as of June no major vendor has unveiled plans for EV-DO Rev. A handsets, although data cards are on the way.”

A lack of a wide range of compelling handsets will slow mass-market takeup of 3.5G mobile broadband services in 2006-07,but handsets will start to mature in 2008, leading to a sharp increase in 3.5G handset sales and subscribers in 2008-09. By 2011 85% of 3.5G devices sold will be handsets, and the remaining 15% will be notebooks and PC cards.

3.5G mobile broadband subscribers are defined as subscribersusing services based on HSDPA, HSUPA, EV-DO Revision A or EV-DO Revision B.

Mobile WiMAX will compete with HSPA and EV-DO Rev A/B in the mobile broadband market, but will suffer even more than those technologies from the slow arrival of compelling notebooks and handsets. “Mobile WiMAX will play a relatively minor role in the mobile broadband market through 2011, largely because Mobile WiMAX notebooks and tablets will not arrive in volume until 2008-09, and compelling Mobile WiMAX handsets won’t arrive until 2010,” says Mike Roberts, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media and co-author of the Future Mobile Broadband report. “By comparison HSDPA notebooks and handsets are already shipping, which means that the HSDPA device market is one to two years ahead of the Mobile WiMAX device market,” Roberts says.

However that should not obscure the fact that WiMAX will gain significant momentum in the fixed, nomadic and portable broadband segments in 2006-11, although many WiMAX subscribers will be using fixed indoor modems rather than mobile devices, Roberts adds.