The meandering path to 3G

Even though the concept of third generation network evolution tends to be somewhat elusive-and even though the 3G tag gets more marketing play these days than Y2K-the drivers behind the concept are firmly based in reality. Data's the thing throughout telecom for the foreseeable future, and although the role of wireless networks in that data-centric world is somewhat different, it will still be very important.

Everyone involved in the data side of wireless knows that. They also know that data's historical performance has been less than record-breaking, which may in dicate a somewhat bleak future. But some of the events and products that were featured at Wireless '99 last month suggest otherwise.

This year's big wireless event suggested that the industry has at least adopted a more realistic outlook on network and service evolution, if not an altogether new maturity. The hype about 3G and what it ultimately will be able to offer is most certainly still there, but carriers and vendors now appear to be buckling down to the nuts and bolts of building the bridge that will take them there.

Priming the air Although wireless data services are at the core of 3G, that data is going nowhere wirelessly without an evolved air interface specification behind it.

The Universal Wireless Communications Consortium, which backs IS-136 time division multiple access (TDMA) technology, and the GSM Alliance made strides toward better-orchestrated interaction between their respective platforms. They announced an interoperability and roaming agreement at the show.

The move was clearly a transitional one: Supporters of both technologies are moving toward 3G, and as they do so they plan to work together to make sure second generation customers are not left behind.

Proponents of code division multiple access (CDMA) also revealed plans for the transition. The CDMA Development Group announced that it has created a sub-group designed to organize the implementation of existing developed technologies that are part of the IS-95B standard.

"We don't want to lose sight of the second generation," said Limond Grindstaff, vice president and chief technical officer of PrimeCo Personal Communications and chairman of the new sub-group. Because operators have been focused on 3G, some may have neglected existing data enhancing opportunities, he said. "We have identified areas that are critical to get the maximum value out of existing CDMA standard enhancements," Grindstaff said.

One of the new group's goals is to prioritize the needs of operators so that vendors know which upgrades are most important, and it will address CDMA vocoders as one of its first items of business. Operators currently are at different stages of buying and marketing handsets embedded with the enhanced vocoder. Ideally, all CDMA carriers will upgrade their infrastructure on the same schedule so that customers will be able to roam seamlessly between networks.

The new CDG group also plans to further the development of open standards in the CDMA world. PrimeCo's decision to use a single vendor may help prove that CDMA needs more work on open standards. PrimeCo's single-vendor strategy has "simplified everything," according to Grindstaff. Implementing new features in particular is much easier for PrimeCo because they must be created only once and are easily deployed throughout the network.

Hardened hardware New products introduced by Lucent Technologies could further the new CDG group's cause. Lucent's new Flexent CDMA modular cell is available to both cellular and PCS operators and will adapt to 3G systems.

Later this year Lucent plans to introduce its cdma2000-1X technology, which can be implemented in the Flexent CDMA modular cell and will be the first step in the evolution toward 3G. The cdma2000-1X technology will double the capacity of the cell and introduce high-speed wireless data rates of up to 144 kb/s.

Keeping with its role as multi-technology supporter, Lucent also introduced the Flexent TDMA Macrocell, which aims to preserve existing investments by supporting both digital and analog service. The cell includes small radio modules that can be installed on walls, saving space for operators.

Nortel Networks unveiled its own 3G-ready base station at the show. The vendor's CDMA Metro Cell is designed to bring CDMA indoors as an extension of existing network base stations. It supports 800 and 1900 MHz service simultaneously and can be upgraded to support evolved CDMA standards.

Trials of the new Nortel unit are underway with Telstra in Australia and with Bell Mobility and BC Tel Mobility in Canada. Sprint PCS and other operators also plan to test it in upcoming 3G trials.

Nokia is also focused on carriers' future data needs. It introduced a high-capacity system for GSM operators. As operators add data capabilities, traffic on networks will increase. "It makes sense for the baseline products to keep up with the new technologies," said Mike Robinson, director of marketing for Nokia's infrastructure business. Nokia's new DX 200 i-series mobile switching center doubles the existing capacity of the switch, from 150,000 to 400,000 subscribers. Its new compact design reduces required site size by 60% and offers power savings of up to 70%. The i-series also includes high-capacity products for the home location register capable of supporting 1.2 million subscribers.

Nokia's new Compact MSCi supports 50,000 subscribers. The switching center is ideal for rural applications so operators don't have to backhaul to a remote switch.

Nokia also introduced the MetroHopper Radio, which offers efficient backhaul. It operates in the 58 GHz frequency, which is only licensed in the United States. Nokia is currently working with the FCC to win approval of the product here. "The intent is to use microwave links instead of new copper," Robinson said.

Feeling their way there It's often possible to see signs of things to come in things that are already here, and some of the events that marked Wireless '99 may well be harbingers of what a 3G world will look like.

Nextel Communications was one operator whose wireless data endorsement could go a long way to legitimize this long-suffering area. Nextel announced at the show that it has teamed with Motorola, Netscape Communications and Unwired Planet to deliver wireless data services to the customers of its enhanced specialized mobile radio network.

The plan involves a massive $100 million upgrade to all the base stations in Nextel's nationwide iDEN network, new browser-equipped handsets, the creation of a customized Netscape NetCenter for Nextel and-if all goes according to plan-the involvement of potentially hundreds of software applications makers and Web site developers.

The scheme likely will propel Nextel far ahead in the race to make its services different-a goal all wireless operators are pursuing but few are yet realizing. "It's two-and-a-half G," said Daniel Akerson, president and CEO of Nextel. "The big advantage we have is that the air interface is totally packetized."

Via the custom Netscape portal, Nextel will funnel a wide range of data services to holders of the new handsets, which likely will be primarily high-end business users that require constant access to information they would typically get through the Internet. The data is not meant for common Web surfers, but rather is intended to be very targeted information that must be either custom developed or converted to the Wireless Application Protocol created and supported by Unwired Planet.

The difference between this and other wireless data efforts to date is that with Netscape's help, Nextel will become an active pusher of data rather than simply providing the passive transport pipe. "The thing that makes data interactive is that it's pushed," said Jim Barksdale, president and CEO of Netscape. "It's not just fetch."

In addition to these existing technologies, operators and vendors of all wireless standards discussed an evolution toward Internet protocol-based networks at the show. Motorola and Cisco Systems announced that they will invest $1 billion over the next four to five years as part of an alliance to develop IP-based wireless systems. The companies have developed a road map that will allow operators of any wireless technology to evolve to true IP end-to-end networks, said Moe Grzelakowski, vice president and general manager of marketing for Motorola's network solutions sector.

Nortel also promoted its IP-based Webtone concept at the show, which promises to make Web access seem as ubiquitous as dial tone. IP technologies will allow operators to efficiently transform palmtop devices, which are quickly growing in popularity, into communications devices. The most efficient networks will be those that carry data only in packet form. John Roth, vice chairman and CEO of Nortel Networks, described IP as the next big event in the progress of wireless communications, following the push toward building out coverage fast and moving toward digital in response to demands for capacity.

U.S.-based GSM operators, meanwhile, are still debating high-speed circuit-switched data and general packet radio service (GPRS) while their European counterparts are already deploying HSCSD. Implementing HSCSD has advantages because it is ideal for time-sensitive information. But because it uses a full circuit, it also could lead to capacity problems. "Then it becomes an economic issue," Nokia's Robinson said.

On the other hand, GPRS is easy to implement-operators need only to deploy some GPRS nodes. It is not ideal for sending time-sensitive information, but it sends data more economically and doesn't use so much capacity. Nokia will commercially introduce GPRS systems at the end of this year.

Siemens offers an HSCSD product but believes most U.S. operators won't be interested for some time. Carriers here are still focused on improving coverage and signing up customers, said Girish Gandhi, director of wireless sales for Siemens. The market in the U.S. "is not matured or stabilized," he said. In time, though, data will become more important, and then GSM carriers will look closer at HSCSD and GPRS.

Ericsson demonstrated the next level of high-speed data with the Edge. The demonstration used an existing TDMA network, a standard base station and an Edge receiver to show simultaneous voice, live video and Internet access. When used together, the video and Internet connections were delivered at 144 kb/s. At that speed, the video transmitted at between five and 10 frames per second. Without the simultaneous Internet connection, video transmitted at 384 kb/s and 20 to 25 frames per second. Illustrating the merging of TDMA and GSM, the same Edge receiver can service either type of network. In two months Ericsson will display a testbed in Richardson, Texas, that will demonstrate the same features in a fully mobile environment.

Wireless '99 may have marked the eve of a new era in the evolution of wireless technology. The big shows next year then should find the industry already taking steps in that direction.