3G Group Harmonizes

A recent meeting of the Operators Harmonization Group (OHG) yielded a framework document that will guide the blending of W-CDMA and CDMA 2000. The OHG was established a little over a year ago to boil down multiple standards submissions to the most common denominators, and about 30 carriers and 12 vendors met in Toronto to give their blessing to the framework.

The harmonization comes into play with the three modes -- direct spread, multicarrier and TDD. According to Oliver Valente, Sprint PCS vice president, technology and advanced systems deployment, part of the reason there has been such intense negotiations over the last several months was so that the industry doesn't end up with three standards disguised as one. Although there are three modes, the technical parameters that govern them will be the same so that each mode will be compatible with either the ANSI-41 or GSM MAP core networks.

"Operators, no matter where they are, whether they are GSM-based or IS-41 operators, can have the flexibility to choose whatever mode they want," Valente said.

Achieving the harmonious standard will lead to global economies of scale, single R&D initiatives for all the vendors, which translates into lower costs for carriers and potentially easier network deployments as well.

This agreement also is significant enough to make some carriers rethink 21/2G deployment, said Andrew Cole, head of the wireless practice at Renaissance Worldwide.

"They're not saying 'no' flat out, but they're saying 'let's hold off for a few months and see what happens,'" Cole said. "There is a lot of headway to be gained from just getting as much juice as you can from the existing 2G network with the help of WirelessKnowledge, and by the time you're done with that, frankly, 3G will be upon you."

Although the agreement is an important step for 3G, the frame still needs to be filled out. So, what's the next step? According to Garish Patel, Nortel director of wireless standards, the partnership projects need to work out the details.

"The harmonized direct spread will be worked in the partnership project 3GPP, and then hooks will be put into that so it can support the GSM MAP core network," Patel said. "It also will be brought into the 3GPP2 group to work out the enhancements needed to support ANSI-41-based networks in North America."

Patel said the agreement would lead to more cooperation between the two partnership projects, eventually leading to a single forum, probably as early as next year.