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Nortel demonstrates 3.6Mbps HSDPA

news
Dec 23, 20051 min

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access technology being used by some operators to upgrade 3G networks

Nortel Networks Corp. on Friday demonstrated a live mobile data connection supporting 3.6Mbps (bits per second) using a data card. The demonstration, conducted in France, is the latest in a string of announcements from Nortel showcasing developments being made to the latest mobile network upgrade technology.

For the demonstration, Nortel used commercial network equipment supporting HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access), the technology some operators are using to upgrade their 3G (third-generation) GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks to support faster data rates. The demonstration included a data card from Option NV that uses Qualcomm Inc.’s HSDPA chip. The connections were made from a laptop in a moving vehicle and supported activities including applications that might be used by mobile workers, MP3 downloads, high definition video on demand and live TV.

Nortel claims it is the first demonstration of a live HSDPA data card connection reaching 3.6M bps throughput. Previous demonstrations from Nortel and Qualcomm have shown connections at 3.6M bps using test terminals. Nortel has also done HSDPA trials with various operators including mm02 PLC, Orange PLC and SK Telecom Corp.

nancy_gohring

Nancy Gohring is a freelance journalist who started writing about mobile phones just in time to cover the transition to digital. She's written about PCs from Hanover, cellular networks from Singapore, wireless standards from Cyprus, cloud computing from Seattle and just about any technology subject you can think of from Las Vegas. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Computerworld, Wired, the Seattle Times and other well-respected publications.

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