Cingular Wireless deploys 3G UMTS trial in Atlanta

May 27, 2004

Cingular Wireless and Lucent Technologies announced that Lucent has been selected to deploy a 3G UMTS trial network in the Atlanta market. The trial, which will be supporting internal users this summer, will allow Cingular to evaluate mobile voice, high-speed data and multimedia services.

The UMTS network will operate in Cingular Wireless' 1900 MHz spectrum, and will include testing of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), a technology that will ultimately support data speeds of up to 14.4 Megabits per second (Mbps). The network also will be designed to support voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services in the future.

With this network, Cingular Wireless will be able to provide services such as high-speed downloads of film trailers, and video clips of sporting and entertainment events; mobile access to e-mail (including large attachments); and the ability to locate nearby services such as ATMs, restaurants or movie theaters.

Additionally, this network deployment will allow Cingular to demonstrate technology that will enable businesses to provide their employees -- such as field service and sales personnel -- with high-speed mobile access to their corporate networks and all the business applications they normally use in the office.

"This trial offers us an ideal opportunity to evaluate the capabilities and range of services that we can offer to our customers using UMTS and HSDPA technology, and overcome technical challenges before pursuing broader deployments," said Kris Rinne, Acting Chief Technical Officer of Cingular Wireless.

"Over the past few years, we've seen an increased demand for the kinds of advanced voice and data services that Cingular will be evaluating in the Atlanta trial," said Cindy Christy, president, Mobility Solutions, Lucent Technologies. "Lucent remains deeply committed to delivering the highest-quality UMTS and HSDPA solutions, and we're excited to be Cingular's vendor of choice as they undertake this trial."

Lucent will supply Cingular Wireless with an end-to-end mobile network based on 3G UMTS technology, including the Merlin U520 UMTS Wireless PC Modem Cards - jointly developed by Lucent and Novatel Wireless -- which support high-speed data connections on laptops, PDAs and other mobile devices at speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second.

Lucent's UMTS solution can support HSDPA with a software-only upgrade to its existing equipment.