IPWireless announce FDD TD-CDMA solution

November 17, 2004

IPWireless announced the launch of a new TD-CDMA solution designed to operate in paired spectrum channels utilizing Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD). The solution seamlessly integrates with IPWireless's current UMTS TDD (Time Division Duplexing) solutions, allowing operators to maximize both their paired and unpaired spectrum assets. The solution will be launched for both the 1900-2100 MHz and 2500-2700 MHz bands with operator trials starting in the first quarter of 2005.

The solution leverages the inherent benefits of the 3GPP standard TD-CDMA to deliver unmatched mobile performance in a single pair of 5 MHz channels with up to 7 Mbps per sector of downlink capacity and 4.6 Mbps of uplink capacity.

The IP platform will also support the full vehicular speed mobility and lower latencies of the current UMTS TDD solution. These performance numbers support a whole range of new mobile broadband and IP services and revenue opportunities for operators. The FDD TD-CDMA solution leverages all of IPWireless's experience from UMTS TDD networks that have been commercially deployed around the world for more than two years as well as IPWireless's current fourth generation TD-CDMA chipset for devices.

Cell edge performance is one of the most important aspects for operators to evaluate in a wide area wireless network since this determines the service level an operator can market to subscribers. The FDD TD-CDMA solution will deliver 768 kbps downlink capacity at the cell edge in a pair of 5 MHz channels when overlaying a WCDMA network. On the uplink, FDD TD-CDMA will also deliver far higher throughputs at cell edge than any other technology, with 1.8 Mbps at the cell edge. These high cell edge performance numbers also result in very high average sector capacity for the solution, with 3 Mbps on the downlink and 1.8 Mbps for the uplink. In addition, since TD-CDMA uses a shared channel architecture that does not limit the number of active users on the system with dedicated channels, the TD-CDMA solution can support significantly more users than any other mobile broadband solution and is ideal for IP applications, resulting in more revenue potential for operators.

Operators with 10 MHz of paired spectrum can deliver twice the capacity using the same Node B base stations. Sector peak and average capacities are doubled, as is cell edge performance on both the down and uplink. For the same capital expenditure as the paired 5 MHz solution, a three-sector cell site using the 10 MHz solution can deliver up to 42 Mbps of peak downlink capacity.

Operators will be able to leverage the existing full range of devices that are commercially available for UMTS TDD networks, including PCMCIA cards, plug-and-play desktop modems, and a range of gateway devices. The recently announced mobile VoIP handsets for UMTS TDD will also work with the new platform. Devices will seamlessly roam between TD-CDMA networks in both paired and unpaired spectrum, allowing operators to start deployments in their existing unpaired frequencies and grow into the paired solution in the future.

The TD-CDMA devices do not require a duplexer, resulting in increased PA efficiency and lower power requirements.

"Operators are increasingly looking at solutions that let them get the most out of both their paired and unpaired spectrum. This will permit cellular operators to introduce wireless broadband services in their 3G spectrum," said Dr. Bill Jones, chief operating officer, IPWireless.