Bridging 3G, EDGE, GPRS, and WiFi

Rob writes to tell us CBR is reporting that T-Mobile is expanding their core network to provide seamless integration of 3G, EDGE, GPRS, and WiFi networks. From the article: "Nortel said it was able to provide T-Mobile with the new service thanks to integration of Nortel's existing Gateway GPRS Support Node with Azaire Networks' IP Converged Network Platform. Azaire's IP-CNP provides an integrated hybrid network by extending the services from the existing 3G and GSM core network investments over new access technologies like WiFi and WiMax, Nortel said."

Comments

TLA explanations

[H4x0r Jim Duggan]

For anyone who didn't order alphabet soup, here are the wikipedia articles on about 3G, about WIFI, about GPRS. Not sure about EDGE.

Re:TLA explanations

[Low2000]

EDGE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Data_Rates_f or_GSM_Evolution

Very weird coincidence

[dada21]

I am sitting in my car, right now, as I type this. I had to check my e-mail (T-Mobile sends an SMS to my phone when it detects new mail on my POP3 server). I am currently using an EDGE connection (Laptop -> Bluetooth Modem of my T-Mobile Samsung t809 cell) to connect. While I am sitting here (McDonalds parking lot), my laptop detected and picked an open WiFi access point from the Popeye's Restaurant across the street, overriding the T-Mobile EDGE connection.

It all works flawlessly from my standpoint, and this isn't even T-Mobile's entire network. I'm amazed at the speed of the EDGE connection (consistent 150kbps download in most of Chicagoland), and even more amazed at the amount of restaurants with open WiFi connections. I may run over to Popeye's right now and buy a way overpriced soda just to thank them financially for the connection.

I just ftp'd two photos of where I'm at right now to prove my story. Check http://www.unanimocracy.com/photos/popeyes1.jpg and http://www.unanimocracy.com/photos/popeyes2.jpg in a few minutes. I love technology.

Only In Europe...

[nano_assembler]

As an American, I read about these nifty phone network upgrades and know that I will not see them for at least 3 years. Why is this? Is it the geographical size of the market? The size of the customer bases that subscribe to the networks? Regulatory restrictions? User demand/knowledge/acceptance of these features?

I am inviting anyone in the know to please beat me with the clue stick!

Re:Only In Europe...

[The Mad Debugger]

Cingular is in the process of rolling out UMTS with HSDPA, it's already available in a bunch of markets, and Verizon and Sprint already have EVDO all over the place. I even see two UMTS handsets on the Cingular website for my market. Unless you're living somewhere pretty rural, we've already *got* all the good stuff.

My guess, BTW, is that T-Mobile is interested in this wi-fi stuff because they're farthest back in the pack to deploy 3G data. They're mostly stuck with EDGE, and they won't be able to compete without tying in all their Wi-Fi hotspots.. and I'm not even sure they have the spectrum they'd need for a UMTS rollout.

Re:Only In Europe...

[Karelian]

In Europe, the same phone works with nearly all major vendors - Telecom Italia Mobile, Telefonica, Orange, Vodafone, etc. Production ramp-ups of hot new models are geared for the GSM-900/1800 markets in Europe and Asia.

In North America, the same CDMA phone does not work with Verizon and Sprint - the technologies are slightly different. GSM operators T-Mobile and AT&T have less than half of the overall market - and a GSM variation operating on different bandwidths than the global 900/1800 combo. There are several CDMA flavors plus an idiosyncratic GSM variation.

With minor tweaks, the European GSM luxury phone designed for T-Mobile or Vodafone can be also sold to China Mobile or Indian GSM operators - the economies of scale outside the North America are vast. When you create a high-end phone, tapping into a billion sub user base of regular GSM 900/1800 subs is a big help - and the same is starting to apply to GSM-900/1800 plus GPRS plus EDGE plus W-CDMA phones.

Living in Interesting Times

[Karelian]

This is the crunch time for operators. Roughly half of mobile phone calls originate or end in homes. Most markets in North America, Europe and Asia have now 4-6 rival operators offering mobile call services if you count the MVNO's. The first wave of mobile/WiFi hybrid phones is arriving.

Will operators truly start offering seamlessly swithcing mobile/WiFi models to consumers? As long as the operators refuse to subsidize hybrid models they can prevent rapid pick-up of these models. But when the first major operator (or a cluster of smaller challenger operators) gets serious about offering hybrid phones, the ARPU pressure could suddenly spike in a brutal manner.

WiFi telephony is kind of unreliable and weird for most consumers - but as a supplementary feature in a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/W-CDMA phone it's lethally appealing. How about cutting your mobile minutes roughly in half by seamlessly swithching to WiFi every time you are at home?

It's a great marketing angle for the first operator latching onto it. Once you get 4-6 operators embracing the concept, the whole sector ARPU outlook is going to crater.

Will T-Mobile play the Judas goat?

screw 3G...etc

[atarione]

why couldn't we just bypass the cellular guys altogether (skipping 3G, GPRS and Edge). and instead focus on creating a new VoIP based service in conjunction w/ WiMAX?)

Re:screw 3G...etc

[Karelian]

Coverage is a big challenge. W-CDMA networks are complemented by GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks that have been built up over the past decade. Consumers need coverage in highways and beaches and parks - not just in cities and suburbs.

WiMAX is going to be hard pressed to handle high populations densities of major cities - mobile networks now flavors to handle both rural areas (GSM, CDMA) and cities (W-CDMA, CDMA-2000).

America the beautiful

[Internet Ronin]

Ahhh, it's always nice to know America's on the forefront of technology. I love this place. What? You mean it's only in Europe? What do you mean T-Mobile doesn't have UMTS in the states? As a former employee, all you business-suited technocrat wannabes can sit back down, because it takes FOREVER for T-Mobile (DT) to translate to T-Mobile (USA). In fact, if you RTA, you'll see that Nortel doesn't provide any infrastructure in the USA (though perhaps the article doesn't mention any either because it's beyond the scope of an article that is Euro-centric, or because Nortel doesn't provide their American infrastructure, I'm not sure). Frankly, T-Mobile USA and DT might as well be seperate companies, with the exception of where the money goes (TM USA provides quite a bit of capital for the DT folk, who last time I checked were struggling), which is to the DT execs, and where the marketing paraphanelia comes from (i.e. the big pink T). T-Mobile's (US) UMA plans have been sidetracked for more than a year now, with a planned launch initially scheduled for 2005. UMA= universal mobile access, the seamless handoff between Wifi and Cellular networks. Good luck to anyone who wants to see this stateside, the FCC, lack of sufficient political and financial capital, and internal company shenanigans will keep this on the other side for a while.

Re:GPRS/EDGE and the MDA

[Nexus7]

>I have to decide if it's worth switching to Windows Mobile and paying $450+ for

Getting a PDA that has a specific network technology built-in is going to have you looking for another PDA when the other networks have better plans or faster speeds. You might want to consider getting a PDA with Bluetooth, and use as a modem a Bluetooth-enabled phone that works on the network du jour.