ORLANDO, Fla.-Qualcomm last week at PCS ’98 announced it now is offering its cdmaOne Interim Standard-95 network with an open system radio-switch interface, meaning carriers using Qualcomm equipment can use its radio access equipment but use switches from a different vendor.
In the United States, Chase Telecommunications Inc. is providing Code Division Multiple Access personal communications services using Qualcomm’s radio access equipment and Alcatel’s switching platform. In addition, the Pegaso consortium in Mexico, a new PCS company in which Qualcomm has a stake along with Mexican media empire Televisa and Mexican entrepreneur Alajandro Burillo Aczarraga, will be the first carrier to use this arrangement.
“Alcatel and Qualcomm understand that operators need access to versatile products that can be adapted to meet specific market needs,” said Larry Brittain, regional vice president of North American Operations for Qualcomm’s Wireless Infrastructure division.
“We are pioneering the implementation of open interface standards for CDMA networks so operators … can separate the evaluation of switching and CDMA access components, selecting the best combined CDMA network solution for their needs.”
“Successful operators of wireless networks are demanding support of open interfaces, and we see a continued, growing demand for this type of solution,” added Joe Turgeon, assistant vice president of product marketing and sales for Alcatel’s Mobile Switching Group.
The ChaseTel network features Qualcomm’s QCore 22 base station controllers fully integrated with the Alcatel 1000 S12 switching center via the IS-634 open interface, as well as QCell base stations from Qualcomm.
ChaseTel’s CDMA network will provide coverage to more than 300,000 potential customers in the Chattanooga, Tenn., area. The carrier is a C-block license holder with 15 MHz PCS licenses in 11 basic trading areas throughout Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states.
