New Wireless Technology Offers Twice the Data and Triple the Voice Calling Capacity

Qualcomm engineers recently achieved an important industry milestone by successfully completing the first-ever data call using High-Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) network technology (also referred to as HSPA Evolved or Enhanced HSPA). The call – which was made using Qualcomm’s new MDM8200™ chipset – reached a data transfer rate of more than 20 megabits per second (Mbps) in a 5 megahertz (MHz) channel.

By now, you may be asking “HSP-what?” or even “Why should I care?”

Well here’s why.

Higher Data Rates and Capacity with Backwards Compatibility
For wireless operators, HSPA+ provides up to double the data and triple the voice capacity of their previous WCDMA networks and does not require new spectrum for deployment. It is fully backwards compatible, allowing it to work with existing network equipment, and hence offering a lower-cost evolution path and seamless migration to higher capacities using existing spectrum and network infrastructure.

Faster Downloads and Uploads
For consumers, the faster data transfer rates will enable faster web browsing, much faster uploads and downloads and gaming with less delays. Imagine, for instance, being able to connect your handset to a big-screen TV and stream HD movies directly into your home or conference room.

HSPA+ uses a variety of leading edge technologies – including higher-order modulation (HOM) 64QAM and multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antennas – to achieve downlink data transfer rates up to 42 Mbps and uplink rates up to 11 Mbps. But never mind all the fancy techno-jargon – the bottom line is more speed, better response times, longer battery life and an enhanced always-on experience.

Operator Trials Starting
Network operators from around the world will soon begin HSPA+ trials, which are likely to continue into early 2009. “When operators begin launching commercial HSPA+ services next year, end users will enjoy quicker connections to the Internet and an overall better user experience,” says Alex Katouzian, vice president of product management, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.

Network Investment Protection
Better still, from the operators’ perspective, is that HSPA+ is backward compatible with prior generations of WCDMA technology and requires no new spectrum for deployment. That means operators can significantly increase their call-carrying capacity while preserving their investments in existing network equipment and wireless spectrum.

Efficient use of wireless spectrum is becoming increasingly important because the growing number of cell phones and mobile devices – not to mention radio and TV broadcasts and emergency equipment users – is quickly filling up the available airwaves, leaving only a limited amount available for further expansion. Moreover, many network operators already have spent billions of dollars licensing spectrum for their services, and they are eager to use this pricey commodity as efficiently as possible.

Qualcomm’s Roadmap
HSPA+ is the next step in the evolution of Qualcomm’s wireless technology roadmap. But it is far from the last. Already, even faster versions of HSPA+ are on the drawing boards with double the current data transfer rates.

By about 2011, some operators are likely to adopt LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology, which will complement their deployed HSPA+ networks by offering even faster uplink and downlink rates in high-traffic areas.

In the meantime, customers and partners can rest assured that Qualcomm will continue to invest in developing and enabling future generations of networks and devices to support the growing demand for data-intensive services.