Qualcomm wants IDA to allocate new spectrum
October 31, 2002
Telecom giant Qualcomm last week took out newspaper advertisements
to push Singapore telecom regulator, Infocomm Development Authority
(IDA), to accept proposals for adopting futuristic 3G technology.
It placed two adverts in each The Straits Times and Business Times
last Friday, which argued that the IDA should allocate a different
frequency than the ones accompanying the 3G licenses.
During the 2001 auction, IDA had allocated 1900 and 2100 MHz bands
to 3G operators, but Qualcomm wants the 800 MHz spectrum, to be
used instead. The reason is that the 800 MHz band will allow the
deployment of CDMA 2000 technology.
The IDA has backed CDMA 2000's rival technology WCDMA, but Qualcomm
argues that WCDMA is a non-starter as it has yet to be launched
commercially. Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan have
launched 3G services based on the CDMA 2000 technology.
Qualcomm's vice-president and managing director for South East
Asia Marshall Towe said Singapore is in danger of falling behind
the 3G race if it did not allow the use of the 800 MHz spectrum.
They have been in discussion with the IDA and other government
agencies over the spectrum issue.
Towe said, "We have come to the point in Singapore that there needed
to be some pointing out of the facts and educating put out, certainly
at the consumer level and the government level,'' and hinted that
the ads will continue.
The IDA said operators in Singapore are free to implement either
WCDMA or CDMA 2000 technology as long as it is within the 1900 and
2100 MHz bands. It has no intention of backing down over its stance
and that no additional spectrum will be issued until 2006.
Qualcomm suggested that IDA could reverse it commitment if it gets
agreement from all three 3G license holders.
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