Peoples has EDGE over 3G rivals
January 22, 2003
Peoples Telephone, one of the smaller Hong Kong operator, is to
deploy EDGE networks that could deliver near-3G speeds. The operator
plans to begin testing in the third quarter and expects the network
to be ready by the end of the year.
Peoples did not obtain a 3G license back in 2001. Chief Executive
Charles Henshaw said EDGE's bandwidth was crucial to its wireless
data strategy for the next two to three years, before WCDMA became
affordable to the consumer. EDGE has a theoretical maximum speed
capable of 384 kbps.
"There is a lot of work needed to get 3G to work," said Henshaw.
"You have to build a spanking new network and pay for the licenses.
That's a lot of money."
He said 3G networks have roaming problems such as 2G-to3G roaming,
but EDGE would have no problem with roaming because GSM was an established
standard.
The company already has a GPRS network, which was supposed to deliver
speeds of more than 100 kbps, but in reality is running at about
30 kpbs to 40 kbps. EDGE is relatively easy to upgrade by making
small changes to existing network hardware and software.
Managing director Michael Leung Kai-hung has said the investment
in EDGE would be only tens of millions of dollars.
Telecom analysts believe EDGE is a safer choice because it is not
too risky as the investment is small compared with 3G. They expressed
that consumers do not care much about the underlying network but
rather the applications available.
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