Wireless

February 21, 2003
T3G to speed up TD-SCDMA implementation

CHINA -- Datang, Royal Philips and Samsung have recently formed a joint venture company named T3G, which aims to significantly improve the rollout of commercial TD-SCDMA handsets. The company will distribute reference designs, hardware and software for developing mobile handsets and end user equipment.

Shin Jong Kyun, vice president--mobile communication division, Samsung, said, "Through T3G's solution, Samsung plans to introduce commercial handsets in 2004 that will help TD-SCDMA reach its full potential."

T3G aims to develop cost effective, dual-mode handsets by licensing core chipset and reference designs for TD-SCDMA/GSM handsets. In addition, it will also speed up and ease the migration of 2G to 3G networks. Meanwhile, experts responsible for planning the rollout of China’s 3G mobile services have recommended three options to the State Council for consideration. The proposal states that the regulator should award a total of four 3G licenses to China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom and China Netcom.

The first option allows operators to choose their preferred 3G technology to deploy. In the second option, China Telecom and China Netcom will have to deploy TD-SCDMA networks while China Mobile will adopt W-CDMA and China Unicom implement cdma2000. The final alternative will see China Telecom and China Netcom implement TD-SCDMA plus other standards they wish, provided TD-SCDMA is deployed in certain districts as the main network system.

Certainly, the first option seems to be redundant as it does not guarantee that any operators will implement TD-SCDMA. The Chinese have invested a lot in the technology and have strong backing from the government. Hence, the other two options are likely to get the nod.