Q and A: HSDPA
Q&A: HSDPA
What is HSDPA?
How fast is HSDPA?
Where is HSDPA available?
Which companies offer HSDPA products?
For users, what are the main benefits of HSDPA?
For operators, what are the main benefits of HSDPA?
How does HSDPA compare to other 3G technologies?
How does HSDPA compare to WiMAX?
How will HSDPA evolve?
High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a data upgrade to UMTS/WCDMA that increases the download speeds by up to 3.5 times, with average data rates of 550-800 Kbps, based on the 72 networks in commercial service at the end of October 2006. Users currently experience data rates in excess of 1 Mbps under favorable conditions. These speeds will increase to as much as 14 Mbps with planned enhancements to HSDPA.
HSDPA’s current speeds are ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications such as large file transfers, streaming multimedia and fast Web browsing. HSDPA also has latency as low as 70 milliseconds, which makes it ideal for real-time applications such as interactive gaming and delay-sensitive business applications such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
HSDPA has been commercially available since December 2005, when Cingular Wireless launched the world’s first HSDPA service. As of October 2006, there were 72 networks in commercial service in 41 countries. This rapid expansion – 72 commercial network launches in just 10 months – highlights one of the key benefits of the GSM family of technologies: HSDPA is an upgrade to UMTS networks that usually requires only new software and base station channel cards, instead of replacing major pieces of infrastructure. As a result, operators can deploy HSDPA quickly and cost-effectively. Vendors, 3G Americas and many analysts expect that virtually all of the nearly 300 operators committed to deploying UMTS will also choose to deploy HSDPA. As of October 2006, 127 operators worldwide have committed to deploying HSDPA.
HSDPA also benefits operators by making more efficient use of spectrum: up to three times more capacity than UMTS. This efficiency means that operators can easily and cost-effectively accommodate more users and services without having to buy additional spectrum just to keep up with growth. That efficiency reduces operators’ overhead costs and thus makes them better able to price their HSDPA services at a point that’s competitive yet profitable.
Although HSDPA is a new technology, it is backward-compatible with UMTS, EDGE and GPRS. This design benefits customers because when they travel to areas that have not yet been upgraded to HSDPA, their HSDPA handsets and modems will still provide fast packet-data connections. This design also benefits operators and application developers because applications designed for UMTS run on HSDPA networks and devices, too.
HSDPA benefits from the scope and scale of the GSM ecosystem of vendors. Vendors currently offer dozens of models of HSDPA devices at a variety of price points. Besides handsets and PC card modems, HSDPA also is embedded in many laptops from major vendors such as Acer, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, HP, Lenovo and Panasonic. Embedded HSDPA modems are particularly attractive to enterprises because CIOs and IT managers do not have to worry about whether a particular modem is compatible with a particular laptop model. HSDPA devices also are available at most GSM frequencies, enabling global roaming.
What is HSDPA?
High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a data upgrade to UMTS/WCDMA, which is a voice and high-speed data technology that is part of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) IMT-2000 family of third-generation (3G) wireless standards. Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) is the radio technology used in UMTS. As a result, the terms “UMTS” and “WCDMA” are often used interchangeably.
HSDPA increases UMTS’ download speeds by up to 3.5 times, with average data rates of 550-800 Kbps, based on the 72 networks in commercial service at the end of October 2006. Users currently experience data rates in excess of 1 Mbps under favorable conditions. These speeds will increase to as much as 14 Mbps with planned enhancements to HSDPA.
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How fast is HSDPA?
HSDPA increases UMTS’ download speeds by up to 3.5 times, with average data rates of 550-800 Kbps, based on the 72 networks in commercial service at the end of October 2006. Users currently experience data rates in excess of 1 Mbps under favorable conditions. These speeds will increase to as much as 14 Mbps with planned enhancements to HSDPA.
HSDPA’s current speeds are ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications such as large file transfers, streaming multimedia and fast Web browsing. HSDPA also has latency as low as 70-100 milliseconds, which makes it ideal for real-time applications such as interactive gaming and delay-sensitive business applications such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Like GPRS and EDGE, HSDPA also provides an "always-on" data connection, so users do not have to log on each time they want data access. The packet architecture also means that users pay only for the data itself rather than for the airtime used to establish a connection and download data.
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Where is HSDPA available?
HSDPA has been commercially available since December 2005, when Cingular Wireless launched the world’s first HSDPA service. As of October 2006, there were 72 networks in commercial service in 41 countries. This rapid expansion – 72 commercial network launches in just 10 months – highlights one of the key benefits of the GSM family of technologies: HSDPA is an upgrade to UMTS networks that usually requires only new software and base station channel cards, instead of replacing major pieces of infrastructure. As a result, operators can deploy HSDPA quickly and cost-effectively.
UMTS is commercially available from 142 operators in 61 countries, as of October 2006. Vendors, 3G Americas and many analysts expect that virtually all of the nearly 300 operators committed to deploying UMTS will also choose to deploy HSDPA. As of October 2006, 127 operators worldwide have committed to deploying HSDPA.
As a member of the GSM family of technologies, HSDPA supports global roaming, and it is backward-compatible with UMTS, EDGE and GSM/GPRS networks. As a result, when users with UMTS/HSDPA devices travel to an area that has not yet been upgraded HSDPA, they still can access voice and many data services, provided that their UMTS/HSDPA device supports the spectrum band used in that area.
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Which companies offer HSDPA products?
HSDPA benefits from the global scope and scale of the GSM ecosystem of vendors. Vendors currently offer dozens of models of HSDPA devices at a variety of price points. Besides handsets and PC card modems, HSDPA also is embedded in many laptops from major vendors such as Acer, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, HP, Lenovo and Panasonic. Embedded HSDPA modems are particularly attractive to enterprises because CIOs and IT managers do not have to worry about whether a particular modem is compatible with a particular laptop model. HSDPA devices also are available at most GSM frequencies, enabling global roaming.
HSDPA network infrastructure is available from leading vendors such as Alcatel, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks and Siemens.
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For users, what are the main benefits of HSDPA?
Like GPRS and EDGE, HSDPA is a packet-based technology, which means that data is divided into packets and transmitted in short bursts over an IP network. This design is much more efficient than circuit-switched networks, resulting in reduced network operating costs. The packet design benefits users in three primary ways:
The reduced network operating costs can be passed on to users in the form of lower data charges. UMTS/HSDPA provides an "always-on" connection, so users do not have to log on each time they want data access. Users pay only for the data itself rather than for the airtime used to establish a connection and airtime downloading data.
HSDPA’s current speeds – average data rates of 550-800 Kbps and user-achievable peaks of 1 Mbps – are ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications such as large file transfers, streaming multimedia and fast Web browsing. HSDPA also has latency as low as 70 – 100 milliseconds, which makes it ideal for real-time applications such as interactive gaming and delay-sensitive business applications such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Another benefit is that UMTS and HSDPA are widely available in regions such as Europe and North America. UMTS is commercially available from 142 operators in 61 countries, as of October 2006. As of October 2006, there were 72 HSDPA networks in commercial service in 41 countries. Vendors, 3G Americas and many analysts expect that virtually all of the nearly 300 operators committed to deploying UMTS will also choose to deploy HSDPA. As of October 2006, 127 operators worldwide have committed to deploying HSDPA.
As a member of the GSM family of technologies, HSDPA supports global roaming, and it is backward-compatible with GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS networks. As a result, when users with UMTS/HSDPA devices travel to an area that has not yet been upgraded to HSDPA, they still can access voice and many data services, provided that their UMTS/HSDPA device supports the spectrum band used in that area.
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What are the main benefits of HSDPA for operators?
HSDPA has several key benefits for operators:
HSDPA is a cost-effective, relatively straightforward upgrade for UMTS networks. As a result, operators can deploy HSDPA quickly, without replacing major pieces of infrastructure, such as base stations. HSDPA provides data rates that are ideal for a wide variety of consumer and enterprise applications and services. For example, HSDPA’s current download speeds – average data rates of 550-800 Kbps and peaks of 1 Mbps – are ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications such as large file transfers, streaming multimedia and fast Web browsing. HSDPA also has latency as low as 70 – 100 milliseconds, which makes it ideal for real-time applications such as interactive gaming and delay-sensitive business applications such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). UMTS and HSDPA both support multiple classes of service, which ensure that each application gets the quality of service (QoS) it requires in order to provide a good user experience. For example, delay-sensitive applications such as voice over IP (VoIP) and videoconferencing are given priority over e-mail and other applications that can tolerate some delay. UMTS/HSDPA radio network infrastructure and user devices are available for a wide variety of spectrum bands When a GSM operator deploys GPRS, it adds infrastructure to handle packet-data traffic: Gateway GPRS Support Nodes (GGSNs) and Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs). HSDPA re-uses this packet infrastructure, extending the life of this investment. HSDPA makes more efficient use of spectrum, providing up to three times more capacity than UMTS. This efficiency means that operators can easily and cost-effectively accommodate more users and services without having to buy additional spectrum just to keep up with growth. It also significantly reduces the cost to deliver 1 MB of data. These efficiencies reduce operators’ overhead costs and thus make them better able to price their HSDPA services at a point that is competitive yet profitable. As a member of the GSM family of technologies, HSDPA supports global roaming, and it is backward-compatible with GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS networks. As a result, when users with UMTS/HSDPA devices travel to an area that has not yet been upgraded to HSPDA, they still can access voice and many data services, provided that their UMTS/HSDPA device supports the spectrum band used in that area. Although HSDPA is a new technology, it is backward-compatible with UMTS, EDGE and GPRS. This design benefits customers because when they travel to areas that haven’t yet been upgraded to HSDPA, their HSDPA handsets and modems will still provide fast packet-data connections. This design also benefits operators and application developers because applications designed for UMTS run on HSDPA networks and devices, too.
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How does HSDPA compare to other 3G technologies?
There are at least two key areas to consider when comparing one 3G technology to another:
These commitments and commercial deployments translate into large and growing volumes of HSDPA network infrastructure and user devices, which drive down costs. For operators, those savings mean that with HSDPA, they can price their devices and services more competitively than with any other 3G technology. HSDPA's market share also attracts vendors and application developers, whose innovative content, services and devices help operators attract and retain customers.
For a detailed comparison of HSDPA and CDMA2000, see pages 67-68 of the September 2006 white paper “Mobile Broadband: EDGE, HSPA and LTE.”
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How does HSDPA compare to WiMAX?
WiMAX can be divided into two types: “fixed” WiMAX (802.16d) and “mobile” WiMAX (802.16e). Because HSDPA is used primarily for mobile applications and services, the most appropriate comparison is to mobile WiMAX.
Vendors and service providers that are developing mobile WiMAX products anticipate download speeds of 2-4 Mbps. That is faster than the 1 Mbps peaks and 550-800 Kbps averages that HSDPA networks currently provide. However, this difference is short-lived. That is because mobile WiMAX devices and networks will not be commercially available in the Americas until 2H 2007, at the earliest, due to the WiMAX Forum’s certification process and the lead time to build networks. By the time mobile WiMAX devices and networks are widely available – probably in 2008-2009, based on public statements by vendors and analysts – many GSM operators in the Americas will have upgraded their HSDPA networks to versions that support peak data rates of 3.6 Mbps or 7.2 Mbps. That is faster than mobile WiMAX. HSDPA eventually will support peak download speeds of 14 Mbps, based on the standard’s planned enhancements. Put simply, HSDPA has a head start of several years in terms of technological evolution.
It is also important to note that like any other wireless technology, mobile WiMAX is a shared resource. As a result, users are likely to experience throughput significantly lower than 2-4 Mbps if, for example, they are sharing a mobile WiMAX base station with dozens of other users.
Mobile WiMAX and HSDPA also can be compared in terms of the ecosystems that support them. For example, although more than 100 vendors and service providers are developing mobile WiMAX products, 127 operators worldwide have committed to deploying HSDPA, and 72 HSDPA networks are already in commercial service in 41 countries, as of October 2006. Vendors, 3G Americas and many analysts expect that virtually all of the nearly 300 operators committed to deploying UMTS will also choose to deploy HSDPA.
As a result, HSDPA already enjoys – and will continue to have – a significantly larger ecosystem of service providers and vendors. This ecosystem provides several benefits for HSDPA operators and their customers, including support for global roaming, extensive coverage throughout the Americas and the rest of the world and a wide selection of devices and network infrastructure. It will take mobile WiMAX years to achieve an ecosystem capable of delivering comparable benefits – if ever.
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How will HSDPA evolve?
HSDPA is part of a long, clearly defined, standards-based evolution. The next major step is High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), which increases UMTS’ upload speeds from 384 kbps to 1.45 Mbps. This increase enables a wider range of data applications, including IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and voice over IP (VoIP). HSUPA user devices and services are expected to be commercially available in 2007.
HSDPA and HSUPA increasingly are referred to by the catch-all term “HSPA” because they complement each other. Operators typically will upgrade their networks to HSUPA even as they continue to upgrade their existing HSDPA infrastructure to support peak download speed of 3.6 Mbps, 7.2 Mbps and beyond. This approach means that HSDPA/HSUPA devices and networks will provide increasingly fast upload and download speeds. That near-symmetry is important for users who send large files as often as they receive them and for bandwidth-intensive applications such as videoconferencing.
After HSPA, the next major step is Long Term Evolution (LTE), which is expected to be commercially available by 2009. LTE is being designed to support peak download rates of 100 Mbps and peak upload rates of 50 Mbps. LTE also will feature all-IP network infrastructure.
For more details about HSUPA and LTE, see the September 2006 white paper “Mobile Broadband: EDGE, HSPA and LTE” and the July 2006 white paper “Mobile Broadband: The Global Evolution of UMTS/HSPA – 3GPP Release 7 and Beyond.”
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