Nokia makes the world's first 3G WCDMA voice call on commercial 3GPP system

date: August 17, 2001 - source: Nokia

Nokia today successfully made the world's first 3GPP Release 99 standard compliant AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate) WCDMA voice call. The call was conducted using a 3GPP standard compatible commercial network and the first commercial versions of Nokia 3GPP standard compatible mobile terminals in WCDMA and GSM modes. .

The end-to-end WCDMA call was made between Nokia laboratories in Oulu and Salo, Finland, by representatives of the Finnish operators Radiolinja and Sonera. It marks another 3G milestone for Nokia.

The 3G voice call demonstrates the compliancy of the commercial Nokia 3G network elements and the first version of a Nokia dual mode GSM/WCDMA terminal with the December 2000 version of the 3GPP Release 99. It also validates the network elements necessary for volume deliveries and enables further development of functionality.

The future evolution of the network includes an upgrade to June 2001 version level of 3GPP Release 99. Upgrading the network software enables the opening of the 3G commercial networks for terminals compatible with version March 2001 or later. The delivered and installed equipment will be upgraded periodically with the latest software releases.

The connection was created over the Nokia 3G MSC (Mobile Services Switching Centre), Nokia Radio Network Controller (RNC), Nokia UltraSite WCDMA Supreme Indoor base station and the first Nokia 3G terminal.

"Although we have already demonstrated WCDMA calls and data transmission on experimental platforms as early as 1999, this is a crucial milestone in our commercial 3G platform end-to-end system capability development," says Dr J.T Bergqvist, Senior Vice President, Nokia Networks.

"Since all the network elements of our commercial 3G system have now been successfully connected, further development steps can be implemented and verified on real commercial equipment platforms. Further system development and testing activities will directly enhance our commercial infrastructure. We believe the first 3G networks will be launched for commercial use by a number of major operators during the second half of 2002, and this achievement paves the way for the timely ramp-up of 3G networks worldwide," he adds.

"The first complete end-to-end WCDMA to GSM voice call was carried out by using the first commercial version of a Nokia dual mode GSM/WCDMA mobile phone," says Yrjö Neuvo, Executive Vice President, CTO, Nokia Mobile Phones. "Our 3G terminal development is proceeding according to schedule, and we are expecting the first Nokia GSM/WCDMA mobile terminals to be available in the market in the GSM footprint during the second half of 2002."

"This is a very important proof of the maturity of Nokia UMTS equipment and it confirms the viability of our network deployment timetables", says Kari Partanen, Senior Vice President, Radiolinja.

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