[TelstraClear] TelstraClear Announcement today (19 July)

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#42027 20-Jul-2006 10:02

sbiddle: I am assuming Vodafone will be launching with 3.6Mbps downstream? Any definate word on this?

Yes, that's what Phil Patel at Vodafone told me. It'll be for the data cards only I believe.

Was only demo'ed 1.8Mbit/s though, and at the time, that was the launch target with 3.6Mbit/s coming later.

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#42028 20-Jul-2006 10:05

sbiddle:
I am assuming Vodafone will be launching with 3.6Mbps downstream? Any definate word on this?

I remember reading an NZ Herald article sometime ago, stating that Vodafone would launch HSDPA at 3.6Mbit, we will have to wait & see I guess.

bcourtney

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#42033 20-Jul-2006 11:02

HSDPA2006: I remember reading an NZ Herald article sometime ago, stating that Vodafone would launch HSDPA at 3.6Mbit, we will have to wait & see I guess.

hah, Herald articles...

Jama

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#42039 20-Jul-2006 13:40

Perception vs reality....

HSDPA uses categories (12 in total)
1 and 2 - 1.2Mbps
3 and 4 - 1.8Mbps
5 and 6 - 3.6Mbps
7 and 8 - 7.2Mbps
9 - 10.2Mbps
10 - 14.4Mbps
11 - 0.9 Mbps
12 - 1.8 Mbps

Speed delivered is based on a number of factors including modulation which is either QPSK or 16 QAM. Not all categories support 16 QAM some are only QPSK. The speed is also based on the category that the device supports. So a Category 12 device will only ever have a max speed of 1.8Mbps.

Be aware of what you are buying. If Voda are launching a 7.2Mbps network make sure you buy a Cat 8 device.

Lipex666

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#42076 20-Jul-2006 21:38

I dont want to sound like a wet blanket but HSDPA is WCDMA Voda NZ 3G on steriods and its sounds quick BUT you need to remember these are field and lab test on a unrestricted network like GPRS give it all the time slots / channels etc and you can get more than the current 35 - 45 speed. HSDPA revision 1 is not full speed and will not I imagine be a racecar let loose by the networks.

I looked at Vodacom in Sth Africa as a example. see also a overview from Vodacom

What is 3G HSDPA?
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access or HSDPA is a new mobile data protocol and is sometimes referred to as a 3.5G (or "3½G") technology.

The absolute maximum theoretical speeds are:

Downlink: 1.8 Mbps
Uplink: 128 Kbps

plus like GPRS there sounds like compression happening.

Why am I getting 3G like speeds whilst "connected" to HSDPA?
The HSDPA/3G network has the intelligence to supply you with increased bandwidth, where available, only as you require it thereby providing a far more efficient utilisation of bandwidth. For instance, searching for a Web site on Google would not require large bandwidth, yet downloading a large video clip would require a lot more bandwidth and thus will allocate you more bandwidth only when you start downloading.

The service offered is data cards

Does the 3G HSDPA card look different to the current 3G data cards?
No, the Option Nozomi, HSDPA card is identical to the Option Quad lite and Option Fusion cards. To identify your card, look at the serial number on the back of the card. These are the prefixes to the various cards.

Card Name	Serial Prefix	HSDPA Enabled
Option Colt	CL	No
Option Quad-lite	QL	No
Option Fusion	RC	No
Option Nozomi	NZ	Yes

With regards to the Novatel U740, it too is identical to the Novatel U630 but the main sticker on the top of the card will denote that it is an HSDPA card

Vodacom is Shareholding: Telkom

SA - 50%, Vodafone Group - 50%.

The only thing that can be different is the network Voda NZ => Nokia there is also Ericson, Siemens

Europe's first HSDPA network was opened on the Isle of Man last month by O2. ZDNet UK carried out tests on O2's network after it launched and measured a peak download speed of 1.29Mbps, with an average of 480Kbps over a 10 minute period.

"The only way to learn some- thing is to do it"

juha

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#42078 20-Jul-2006 21:43

Seems our Australian friends think this means Telecom will drop CDMA Ev-Do now, and head towards UMTS/WCDMA instead:

The timing of the 3G network launch is well synchronised with Telstra’s national HSDPA 850
rollout in Australia, which aims to be commercially operational in most areas by this time next
year. A spokesperson from TelstraClear would not be drawn on the possibility of trans-Tasman network
link nor whether the New Zealand network would contribute to addressing the outstanding
issue of Telecom New Zealand’s loss of CDMA trans-Tasman roaming capability.

Sources close to the carrier claim that the once arctic relations between TelstraClear and Telecom
New Zealand have been resuscitated in recent months, with discussions on 3G network sharing
progressing in earnest. Insiders claim that despite Telecom New Zealand’s public commitment to
CDMA and recent intention to upgrade to Rev A, internally the carrier has resolved that there is no
other option but to move to UMTS. Sources maintain the Telecom NZ was propelled into renewed
talks by the failure to execute an agreement with Telstra on stemming the loss of trans-Tasman
CDMA roaming and faced with competitive pummelling by Vodafone NZ and further regulatory
intervention from the government is working on a more collaborative wholesale 3G approach.

Maybe that's why Jama all of a sudden knows so much about HSDPA gear?

Juha

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#42083 20-Jul-2006 22:02

Sources close to the carrier claim that the once arctic relations between TelstraClear and Telecom
New Zealand have been resuscitated in recent months, with discussions on 3G network sharing
progressing in earnest. Insiders claim that despite Telecom New Zealand’s public commitment to
CDMA and recent intention to upgrade to Rev A, internally the carrier has resolved that there is no
other option but to move to UMTS. Sources maintain the Telecom NZ was propelled into renewed
talks by the failure to execute an agreement with Telstra on stemming the loss of trans-Tasman
CDMA roaming and faced with competitive pummelling by Vodafone NZ and further regulatory
intervention from the government is working on a more collaborative wholesale 3G approach.

This passage is interesting, but hardly surprising. We geeks can fight all we like over which technology offers better performance, but the reality is that long term roaming and handset availability for CDMA are starting to look shaky, and Telecom will have to do something to manage this risk.

It makes perfect sense for Telecom to partner with TelstraClear to build a nationwide UMTS network, but the politics may well get in the way.

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sbiddle

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#42096 20-Jul-2006 23:16

It will be interesting to see if TelstraClear answer the big "are we partners" question or Telecom. It would obviously make a lot of sence for TCL to roll out a 850MHz WCDMA network in NZ since they currently have the contracts in Australia to do that. They obviously can't do that in NZ as Telecom own both AMPS A and B bands however some sort of frequency sharing arangement could prove rather interesting..Since Telstra sold their 900 GSM spectrum to Vodafone they can't deploy 900Mhz WCDMA and we all know 2100MHz WCDMA struggles to even go through paper..

juha

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#42108 21-Jul-2006 08:16

Don't forget mandated roaming - TCL can hitch a ride on Vodafone's network next year if indeed it goes ahead and builds the Tauranga network.

The government is also reviewing the licensing rights for a range of frequency bands, including the 8-900MHz ones. It seems the MED is fed up with spectrum squatters who take up management rights but don't use them.

Juha

Jama

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#42109 21-Jul-2006 08:18

Telecom have publicly announced an investment of $16M for EVDO RevA technology. You don't spend that sort of money if you intend to rip it out in the short to medium term.

I know about HSDPA because it is my job to understand what the competition are up to.

sbiddle

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#42111 21-Jul-2006 09:07

Jama: Telecom have publicly announced an investment of $16M for EVDO RevA technology. You don't spend that sort of money if you intend to rip it out in the short to medium term.

I know about HSDPA because it is my job to understand what the competition are up to.

But $16 million is peanuts.. Telecom only need to keep WAP charging at it's existing rates for another 16 weeks and that's paid for! :-)

juha

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#42113 21-Jul-2006 09:18

Jama: Telecom have publicly announced an investment of $16M for EVDO RevA technology. You don't spend that sort of money if you intend to rip it out in the short to medium term.

Yeah... kind of shows you how cost-efficient EV-DO is, that. Wonder how much Voda spent on the HSDPA upgrade? I don't know if Alcatelucent has got the cheque and contracts have been inked, but $16 million is pretty cheap to keep the existing network competitive in terms of performance while the UMTS one is being built.

From what I can tell, the plan for Telecom is to keep the CDMA network going for the time being, and wait for a single standard to emerge within the next year or two. Meanwhile, roaming will be taken care of with dual mode handsets.

Not sure if that'll come off though.

Juha

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#42123 21-Jul-2006 10:26

Lipex666:The absolute maximum theoretical speeds are: Downlink: 1.8 Mbps Uplink: 128 Kbps

Nonsense, currently HSDPA has a theoretical Maximum of 14.4Mbits/s & a theoretical Maximum Upload of 5.8Mbits/s with HSUPA implemented on the network.

Initially HSDPA will have an upload speed of 384KB/s however.

Jama

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#42124 21-Jul-2006 10:29

'theoretical' is the word! Just like 172kbps was the 'theoretical' maximum on GPRS.

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#42125 21-Jul-2006 10:34

Jama: 'theoretical' is the word! Just like 172kbps was the 'theoretical' maximum on GPRS.

Yes, but Lipex666 stating "The absolute maximum theoretical speeds are: Downlink: 1.8 Mbps Uplink: 128 Kbps" is completely incorrect.

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