The CDMA Development Group said wideband cdmaOne technology is ready to be submitted to the International Telecommunications Union after gaining approval from groups within the Telecommunications Industry Association.
The CDG said the TIA TR 45 Committee, the TIA Wireless Communications Division, the TIA Ad Hoc Committee on 3G wireless systems and the TIA TR 45.5 IMT-2000 Standards Coordinating Ad Hoc committee all have endorsed W-cdmaOne technology, a standard based on Interim Standard 95 Code Division Multiple Access technology.
Standards bodies in the United States, Japan and Europe are required to submit their proposals for a third-generation mobile standard by June to the ITU, which as placed itself in charge of setting worldwide standards for future networks. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute at this point plans to submit a plan that uses W-CDMA technology for mobile networks. The ITU has listed a set of requirements for the new technology, which includes high-speed data rates and global roaming capabilities.
Eric Schimmel, vice president of TIA, said the association likely will submit three separate proposals to the ITU. W-CDMA technology, based on a Global System for Mobile communications platform, and a Time Division Multiple Access proposal called UWC-136, recently announced by the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium, are two other proposals working their way through standards committees within TIA.
It’s unclear whether the two CDMA proposals will be harmonized prior to their submission to the ITU. Harmonization efforts are taking place around the world, with Japan and Korea indicating interest in converging the W-cdmaOne and W-CDMA proposals. Many vendors, carriers and interest groups are lobbying ETSI to mesh the two proposals, but so far the GSM-centric group has resisted those efforts.
“Ultimately, we might see the ITU look at the proposals to see what is common and what is not and converge the various proposals,” said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG.
Illustrating the types of political maneuvers associated with the worldwide third-generation debate, TIA’s TR-46.1 subcommittee-a W-CDMA backer working under the auspices of the TR-46 engineering committee-caused a stir in recent months after it released a press statement indicating Japan’s standards group, the Association of Radio Industries and Business, the Korean standards group and TR-46.1 formally united behind W-CDMA technology for ITU consideration.
“In contrast, the rival system cdmaOne has received almost no support since it is not backward compatible to GSM, the major 2G communication system used throughout the world,” read the press release.
TIA issued its own release, stating TR-46.1 was incorrect in reporting that it has taken a position supporting W-CDMA technology. “TIA has precise processes that need to be followed before an individual engineering committee or subcommittee can `take a position’ or `formally adopt’ a particular technology choice,” said TIA.
