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Mobile & Wireless
Sprint Nextel, Samsung to Trial Mobile WiMAX
Firms to Test IEEE 802.16e-compliant Terminals, Gear
by Jim Barthold
Sprint Nextel is teaming up with Samsung
Telecommunications America to explore the viability of mobile
WiMAX using over Sprint Nextel's 2.5 GHz spectrum. The two
companies have agreed to test prototype terminals and
supporting core network equipment over next-generation
wireless network infrastructure in both lab and field trials with
customers.
The testing will be based on emerging IEEE 802.16e – aka
mobile WiMAX – using 2.5 GHz spectrum with Samsung's
Wireless Broadband (WiBro) technology.
The trial throws another log onto a hotbed of activity going on
at Sprint Nextel as it explores wireless interactive multimedia
services. Mobile WiMAX is the third step of the WiMAX
standardization process, following fixed and portable
specifications, and is not expected to produce any
interoperable product for use until late next year or more
likely early 2007.
Still, it's important to test early equipment, said Ali Tabassi,
Sprint Nextel's vice president of technology development, who
said the carrier will "evaluate the technology with them in the
lab and do an extension of our technology trial into 10 cell
sites in our network."
Those field trials will include using field programmable gate
arrays (FPGAs), PCMCIA cards and handsets "in a fully mobile
environment ... being in a vehicle and being able to drive 60
to 70 miles an hour," Tabassi said.
Sprint Nextel is jockeying for position in the front of the
broadband wireless multimedia pack and has been exploring
a number of different methods including its PCS assets, Wi-
Fi, EV-DO and advanced versions of EV-DO and WiMAX to get
there. The company has plenty of bandwidth, with 2.5 GHz
licenses that blanket about 85 of the country's top 100
markets.
"As a nationwide operator our views are whatever we offer is
going to be a complement and an addition to the existing
services we have," said Tabassi. "There are different options
out there for us to consider as technologies to be used in
3.5G."
Other long range possibilities include multicarrier DO, a next
evolution of EV-DO and wideband CDMA or its cousin TD-
CDMA. Nextel has a legacy test ongoing with IPWireless in the
Washington, D.C. area using TD-CDMA and already tested
Flarion's FLASH technology. Flarion was recently acquired by
Qualcomm, with whom Sprint is also having discussions,
Tabassi said.
"By the time that we're done with our analysis we will have a
very good understanding of the technology and timeline and
availability of these technologies," Tabassi said.
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