Mobile data communications is evolving quickly because of Internet, Intranet, Laptops, PDAs and increased requirements of workforce mobility. 3G UMTS will be the commercial convergence of fixed line telephony, mobile, Internet and computer technology. New technologies are required to deliver high speed location and mobile terminal specific content to users. The emergence of new technologies thus provides an opportunity for a similar boom what the computer industry had in 1980s, and Internet and wireless voice had in 1990s.

The main IMT-2000 standardisation effort was to create a new air interface that would increase frequency usage efficiency. The WCDMA air interface was selected for paired frequency bands (FDD operation) and TDCDMA (TDD operation) for unpaired spectrum. 3G CDMA2000 standard was created to support IS-95 evolution.

 

Wideband Code-Division Multiple-Access (W-CDMA) is one of the main technologies for the implementation of third-generation (3G) cellular systems. It is base on radio access technique proposed by ETSI Alpha group and the specifications was finalized 1999.

 

The implementation of W-CDMA will be a technical challenge because of its complexity and versatility. The complexity of W-CDMA systems can be viewed from different angles: the complexity of each single algorithm, the complexity of the overall system and the computational complexity of a receiver. W-CDMA link-level simulations are over 10 times more compute-intensive than current second-generation simulations. In W-CDMA interface different users can simultaneously transmit at different data rates and data rates can even vary in time. UMTS networks need to support all current second generation services and numerous new applications and services.

 

WCDMA is fast emerging as the global standard of choice for next-generation communications, with 85% of the global 3G network markets expected to be based on WCDMA. According to Daniel Clauss, head of customer account team, Nokia Switzerland: "WCDMA is the only true wideband wireless standard and offers the most economical and efficient network solution with by far the largest user base, footprint and roaming."

 

ABI Research predicts that by 2007 the market for WCDMA and CDMA2000 1x EV-DO deployments will have expanded by over 40% on a CAGR basis, representing nearly 70% of a $16 billion infrastructure market.

 

So, for both Nokia and Sunrise, the WCDMA 3G core solution is a step in the right direction. Daniel Clauss again: "For a market innovator like Sunrise, Nokia's 3G solution will enable the operator to drive the advanced mobile services market in Switzerland."

 

Sunrise's next-generation network is expected to be launched commercially by the end of 2004.