<Bt-7z68>CellularOne: It's full speed ahead with service upgrade
The new technology will enable faster downloads and uploads, instant messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications.
It allows video conferencing, richly rendered 3D multiplayer gaming, fully interactive multimedia services and the ability to send e-mails with large attachments.
“CellularOne has reached another milestone in the delivery of cutting-edge wireless services to Bermuda,” Michael Leverock, the company’s chief operating officer, said.
“With the introduction of EV-DO Revision A technology, our customers will be able to take advantage of our superior wireless network wherever and whenever they want.
“It’s the next stage in the company’s ongoing plans to bring reliable and advanced wireless broadband service to Bermuda — one that promises to increase operational efficiency, data speeds and capacity, while adding value and functionality to the island’s telecommunications infrastructure as a whole.”
He added that Bermuda’s solid telecommunications infrastructure and progressive telecommunications laws enabled the early introduction.
“We’re lucky and we’re fortunate to have it in Bermuda. We’re only the second to launch it world-wide. Sprint announced it would launch it only in the last two weeks. We were pushing to get it up and running before them, but they beat us to the punch. That says a lot for Bermuda.”
The new technology will deliver faster download speeds of between 500 and 800 kbps with a peak speed of 3.1 Mbps. Upload speeds will range between 300 and 500 kbps, with a peak of 1.8 Mbps.
“Essentially, what you’re getting is four times the speed,” Mr. Leverock explained. “It’s a revved-up version of what we have in place now, the first iteration of what we consider third generation wireless technology. Its main component is IP telephony or data, giving you data functionality. And, it’s digital.”
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) was developed by a San Diego-based company, Qualcomm Incorporated. CellularOne is able to offer the technology, using the very latest network equipment from Lucent Technologies.
“CDMA is an advanced digital service. It uses what we call spread spectrum, in that it takes your analogue voice, all your analogue data, and converts it into digital and blasts it down the pipe. It goes through the air in little bits and pieces and then gets to the other end and compiles it back and sends it through to the computer.”
Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDMA Development Group (CDG), a trade association formed to foster use of the technology had this to say: “Around the world, Revision A is demonstrating CDMA2000 1xEV-DO continues to be the leading third generation technology of choice.
“With the evolution to Revision A, operators like CellularOne Bermuda are leveraging the first-to-market advantage of the CDMA2000 evolution path to reap the benefits of delivering greater performance, a larger selection of popular services, and ultimately a better customer experience when compared to other competing technologies.
“We applaud CellularOne Bermuda’s decision to bring this innovative technology to its subscribers.”
Mr. Leverock added that the company was now in the process of rigorous testing, prior to offering the service to the local market.
“We have technology buffs who are always looking for the newest and best thing and this will allow us to accommodate them. The international business sector, they have certain requirements given that a lot of them come from jurisdictions where they have advanced networks.
“They expect to get the same when they come to Bermuda. So this will help us to satisfy that part of the market sector.
“For us, it’s a progressive thing. We’ve always tried to stay on the cutting edge. We want to bring new and better things into Bermuda. We want to appear entrepreneurial and innovative.
“This is just another example of that. We decided that we would bring in this technology because we think it’s the better technology in as far as the wireless, third-generation technology’s concerned and we set about finding how we can get it in here sooner rather than later.
“Like I said, it’s just been launched in the States. It really just became commercially viable at the latter part of last year or early this year.”
The technology will assist in moving toward even faster service, the COO said. “Deploying EV-DO Revision A technology will also pave the way for a smooth migration path to EV-DO Revisions B and C, that will enable CellularOne to offer Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) service within the next few years.
“The next two iterations are going to give us even faster speeds but the best thing about it is that it’s going to allow us to offer better variety of products and services. It will accommodate IP telephony a lot better.
“When I say IP telephony, I mean video streaming, voice services. We’re talking any kind of multimedia-type application — gaming, music downloading and even real time, peer-to-peer video conferencing. Not just on a PC — you can kind of do that now if you have your computer camera and you use services like Skype.
“I think Yahoo now has it. MSN now has it. Our technology handles that a lot more efficiently, a lot more effectively. You get a lot better quality.
“I’ll be able to talk on a specially-designed handset with someone in St. George’s. I can be in Somerset and still be able to see and hear her perfectly.”
