Telstra considering CDMA2000 1x


Australia’s largest mobile operator Telstra may switch to CDMA2000 1x as its 3G standard. Currently 10% of the company’s 5.9 million mobile customers are on a CDMA network, which is relatively easy to upgrade to 3G.

Telstra is currently testing the CDMA-based 3G systems. The company admits it is a real possibility that it could follow Japanese mobile company KDDI and the Korean operators in adopting the CDMA2000 1x systems.

Insight

This the danger to which PMN alluded in its comments on the 04/09/2002 BWCS article ‘CDMA2000 extends 3G dominance‘ and the various observations on the success of KDDI’s 3G service in Japan. Operators which are not completely tied to the GSM evolution path by their existing networks may now start to actively consider CDMA2000 as an alternative. This may be a danger for GSM evolution drum beaters such as Nokia and Ericsson, but could be a rewarding opportunity for operators and consumers.

In an ideal world the industry would be working towards a single, global standard for 3G telephony, but faced with economic realities and the continuing failure of W-CDMA proponents to state a strong case, operators will choose a technology which can satisfy demand and boost revenues today.


Originally published by PMN Mobile Industry Intelligence, the subscription-based analysis and insight platform founded by Marek Pawlowski.
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