3g wcdma report

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3G/WCDMA-HSPA, LTE Fact SheetFebruary 12, 2010

GSA regularly surveys the evolution of mobile to 3G and beyond, and confirms: 325 commercial WCDMA operators in 135 countries

WCDMA is the leading 3G system globally with over 73% commercial networks share 97% of commercial WCDMA operators have launched HSPA service

453 million WCDMA subscribers (Q4 09) 151 million WCDMA subscriptions added in 12 months; 50% annual growth

364 HSPA operator commitments in 144 countries 315 HSPA operators commercially launched in 133 countries

Over 79% of commercial HSDPA networks support 3.6 Mbps peak or higher 53.3% of commercial HSDPA networks support 7.2 Mbps peak or higher

80 HSPA+ network commitments; 41 HSPA+ networks in commercial service 110 operators committed to HSUPA; 98 HSUPA operators launched in 52 countries 14 commercial UMTS900 (HSPA) networks launched; 258 user devices announced

2,137 HSDPA devices launched; 67% annual growth 493 HSUPA devices launched; 156% annual growth

GSA Surveys referenced in this Fact Sheet include:

UMTS900 Global Status December 3, 2009 http://www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

HSPA Devices Survey January 26, 2010 www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/wcdma_databank.php4

Mobile broadband growth reports February 11, 2010 www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

WCDMA-HSPA Launches February 4, 2010 www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/wcdma_databank.php4

HSPA Operator Commitments February 4, 2010 www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/wcdma_databank.php4

Evolution to LTE December 10, 2009 http://www.gsacom.com/news/gsa_288.php4

Digital Dividend Update February 2, 2010 http://www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

EDGE Fact Sheet February 1, 2010 www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/edge_databank.php4#EDGE_Fact_Sheet

WCDMA subscribers including HSPAWCDMA (including HSPA) has more than 75% market share of global 3G subscriptions (WCDMA and EV-DO). WCDMAsubscriptions worldwide, including HSPA, exceeded 453 million at December 31, 2009 (source: Informa Telecoms &Media). This figure includes more than 217 million HSPA subscriptions.


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WCDMA is specified by the ITU as a 3G standard and isthe leading 3G system globally. 325 commercial WCDMAoperators are launched in 135 countries; see WCDMA-HSPA Launches Worldwide survey at www.gsacom.com

Most WCDMA systems operate in the IMT-2000 coreband of 1920 - 1980 MHz paired with 2110 - 2170 MHz.WCDMA systems including HSPA are deployed alreadyin several frequency bands: 850, 900, 1700, 1800, 1900as well as 2100 MHz. ITU WRC-2000 identified 2.50 -2.69 GHz spectrum as an "IMT-2000 Extension Band".Licensing of this band for wireless/mobile services hasbegun and will continue. Network operators have an

opportunity to expand their business, capacity andbroadband services by acquiring spectrum in this band.Strong interest is shown by WCDMA-HSPA mobiledevice manufacturers to support this band, and WCDMA-HSPA infrastructure products have been announced.

Mobile communications should be a key beneficiary of the Digital Dividend, which arises from the migration of broadcastTV services from analogue to digital transmissions. One example is the auction in the USA of 62 MHz of spectrum in the700 MHz band which will accommodate WCDMA-HSPA and LTE Long Term Evolution systems. Spectrum in the 700MHz band will also be auctioned in Canada, and most likely soon in Mexico and in Chile, for example. In Europe, 790 862 MHz is identified by ITU as a co-primary band for mobile communications, and several governments are preparing toallocate this spectrum for mobile broadband services. These lower frequencies offer wider area coverage at lower cost,and better building penetration, and will assist greatly extension of mobile broadband coverage to rural areas, and thus

reduce the digital divide. A growing number of governments in Europe have committed to allocating Digital Dividendspectrum for mobile broadband services. See GSA report: Digital Dividend Update (February 2010) at www.gsacom.com

High Speed Packet Access (HSPA)The path to mobile broadband began with WCDMA and moved to a new baseline with High Speed Packet Access(HSPA), a 3GPP global standard, with High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) being the first evolution of WCDMAto boost capacity and user downlink data speeds. HSDPA delivers advanced mobile multimedia services with typical userdata throughputs of 0.8 5.0 Mbps, according tonetwork and user device capabilities. GSA confirmsthere are a total of 364 HSPA operator commitments in144 countries/territories. 315 commercial HSPAoperators have launched in 133 countries. 97% of

WCDMA operators have launched HSPA. HSPA

delivers fast data access for music/video downloads,file sharing, large email attachments, web surfing,streaming services, efficient mobile working and more,and a similar customer experience to fixed linebroadband with the added value of mobility. Foroperators, HSPA means improved efficiencies, lowercost of delivery, increased revenues and profits, andmore competitiveness.

More network operators confirm traffic, revenuegrowth from data/HSPA services see Mobile

Broadband Growth - Reports from Operators Worldwide(Updated February 11, 2010) at www.gsacom.com

250 live HSPA operators (over 79%) support 3.6 Mbps or higher peak downlink speed, including 168 networks (53.3%)supporting 7.2 Mbps peak or higher, thus establishing the benchmark for mobile broadband globally.


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High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) alleviates uplink capacity bottlenecks, increases data throughput, reduceslatency, and improves the user experience of existing services while also enabling new services for increased usersatisfaction. 98 operators in 52 countries have launched HSUPA service, with another 12 deployments underway.Uplink speeds are evolving, from the initial 2 Mbps capabilities to 5.8 Mbps which is now becoming increasingly commontoday. 41 operators have commercially launchedHSPA Evolution (HSPA+) systems see next page for details.

Also s ee Industry p redicts 21 Mbps to be next mob i le broadband basel inewww.gsacom.com/news/gsa_286.php4UMTS900, UMTS850 (UMTS = WCDMA/HSPA)Using lower frequencies, e.g. 900 MHz or 850 MHz, a much larger coverage footprint compared to 2100 MHz can beachieved. The 900 MHz band is widely used by GSM systems throughout Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, the Middle Eastand Africa. 3G/HSPA deployment in the 900 MHz band (UMTS900) significantly reduces the number of cell sites needed

to cover rural and suburban areas, meaning substantial

CAPEX and OPEX savings for 3G deployments. Manyoperators choose a complementary combination of 900MHz and 2100 MHz; 900 MHz for lower cost wide areacoverage, and 2100 MHz for capacity in urban areas.Similar cost and coverage benefits apply to deploymentsin the 850 MHz band, which are commercially launchedin Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, and someAsian markets. 850 MHz spectrum is also available inAfrica, Russia, and the Middle East. In the Americas,some operators also utilise the 1900 MHz band or a dualband 850/1900 MHz combination. In Australia, Telstralaunched the worlds biggest UMTS850 network incombination with 2100 MHz; Optus uses the 900/2100

MHz combination. UMTS850 and UMTS900 systemsleverage economies of scale and maturity of the HSPAeco-system (see chart left), ensuring operators are wellpositioned for future evolution.

Deployment of WCDMA-HSPA systems in the 900 MHz band requires regulatory approval in many countries where thisband is reserved for GSM use. Many countries now permit UMTS900 deployments and regulatory actions have beentaken or are underway in several markets to remove the exclusivity condition. In Europe the GSM Directive was recentlyamended, allowing mobile broadband (e.g. UMTS-HSPA) to be deployed in the 900 MHz band. Several UMTS900networks are launched, in progress, or planned and GSA expects more HSPA deployments in the 900 MHz band andconsequently a realistic opportunity to address the rural-urban digital divide.

14 UMTS900 (HSPA) commercial networks are launched:

Elisa Finland launched the worlds first UMTS900 system on 8 November 2007 Elisa Estonia launched UMTS900, January 2008 AIS launched Asias first UMTS900 system in Thailand on 6 May 2008 Optus, Australia launched UMTS900, May 2008 Mobistar, Belgium launched UMTS900, May 2008 Vodafone NZ launched UMTS900, July 2008 Proximus, Belgium launched UMTS900, July 2008 DNA, Finland launched UMTS900, October 2008 Siminn, Iceland launched UMTS900, October 2008 Digitel, Venezuela launched Latin Americas first UMTS900 system, on 2 March 2009 TeliaSonera, Finland launched UMTS900, June 2009 Vodafone Australia launched UMTS900 on August 31, 2009 LMT launched UMTS900 in Latvia on November 10, 2009

Aero2 launched UMTS900-HSPA+ in Poland on November 16, 2009

258 UMTS900-HSPA devices are now launched by 48 suppliers, and more products are continually being introduced.

Updates/developments: GSA Information Paper UMTS 900 Global Status www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4


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UMTS900 Update: New Operator Insights - Presentation by Dr Eetu Prieur, Elisa FinlandAvailable to view/download at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

UMTS900 operator case study - Optus, Australiawww.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

UMTS900 operator case study Elisa, Finlandwww.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4GSA co-hosted two UMTS900 workshops giving information, practical insights and regional perspectives on the

benefits of deploying WCDMA-HSPA in 900MHz spectrum. The presentations are available as follows:

Cape Town presentations (November 2008): www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/cape_town_2008.php4Dubai presentations (December 2008): www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/dubai_2008.php4

HSPA Evolution (HSPA+)

HSPA Evolution (HSPA+) systems are market reality, and evolving to support peak DL data rates up to 42 Mbps in 2010with the transmission of multiple parallel data streams to a single terminal using Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO).3GPP Release 8 realizes 42 Mbps by combining 2x2 MIMO and 64QAM in a 5 MHz carrier, or by utilizing 64QAM andmulticarrier in 10 MHz bandwidth. Release 9 combines multicarrier and MIMO in 10 MHz to reach 84 Mbps peak. 16 QAMmodulation on the uplink instead of QPSK doubles the peak rate to 11.5 Mbps, rising to 23 Mbps with multicarrier.

80 operators have committed to HSPA+ network deployments, and 41 HSPA+ systems are commercially launched.

The worlds first HSPA+ systemwas launched by Telstra inAustralia on February 23

rd, 2009.

Using 64 QAM modulation, thenetwork supports a peak downlinkdata rate of 21 Mbps and a currentuplink data rate of 5.8 Mbps. Telstraplans further evolution of thedownlink to 42 Mbps in 2010.Mobilkom Austria launched thefirst commercial HSPA+ system inEurope on March 23

rd, 2009. This

network also supports a peakdownlink data rate of 21 Mbps andwill be upgraded to 28.8 Mbps duringthis year. The company has also

evolved the uplink to support 5.8Mbps in some areas. Starhublaunched Asias first HSPA+ systemin Singapore on March 27

th, 2009.

TIM Italy launched the worlds first28 Mbps peak downlink HSPA+system with MIMO on July 17, 2009.

36 HSPA+ systems now in commercial service support 64QAM-enabled 21 Mbps peak DL, and 5 systems support 28Mbps peak DL utilizing 16QAM with MIMO. Most HSPA+ operators position the typical user experience as being up to 8Mbps, depending on device availability. 32 HSPA+ devices have been launched by 11 suppliers.

For more details see GSA report: Global HSPA+ Network Commitments and Deployments (February 4, 2010)

which can be viewed/download at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

Further evolution of HSPA utilizing combinations of multi-carrier and MIMO technologies will soon reach 84 Mbps peak onthe downlink, and 23 Mbps peak uplink. Further evolution beyond that is also foreseen in 3GPP standardization.


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WCDMA/HSPA and GSM/EDGE combination

GSM/EDGE, a software enhancement to GPRS networks, is a mature global technology supported by a well-developedecosystem. Most HSPA network operators deploy GSM/EDGE for service continuity; 250 out of 364, i.e. over 68% ofHSPA network operator commitments have also committed to EDGE, with user data speeds up to 300 kbps, according tonetwork and user device capabilities. This strategy ensures that users receive a good experience of most 3G services.There are 503 GSM/EDGE operator commitments in 195 countries, including 487 networks launched in 190 countries.The first commercial EDGE network was launched in June 2003, and over 80% of GPRS operators have since committedto the EDGE enhancement, delivering significant data traffic and revenue growth. 80% of HSPA devices support EDGE.

See GSA EDGE Fact Sheet (February 1, 2010) at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4Also see related GSA Information Paper Dual Transfer Mode (DTM) www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

Evolved EDGE

WCDMA evolution to HSPA is the key driver for improving GSM/EDGE to minimize the performance gap. EvolvedGERAN (GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network) i.e. EDGE Evolution, aims to achieve several benefits with low impact onthe GSM/EDGE network, as part of the Release 7 specifications which are now approved:

Downlink speed up to 1.2 Mbps per user initially (the standard enables up to 1.9 Mbps per user)

Uplink speed up to 474 kbps per user (the standard enables up to 947 kbps per user). EGPRS-2 UL (HUGE) level Bwith maximum 118.4 kbps per timeslot. Peak implementation today 4 timeslots per user (standard enables up to 8timeslots per user)

Dual Carrier is the first step in evolving EDGE and will be available as a software upgrade, bringing the promise ofdoubling todays EDGE speeds to 592 kbps on existing EDGE-capable networks. Dual Carrier is part of the 3GPPRelease 7 standard. Several network vendors have committed to delivering solutions, and commercial trials with

operators are underway. EGPRS-2 is expected to arrive in the market in 2010. Several analysts forecast that the numberof EDGE subscriptions will continue to rise for years to come.

See GSA Information Paper EDGE Evolution www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

HSPA Devices: 2,137 Launched in the Market (January 2010)

67% annual growth in the number of HSPAdevices launched

897 mobile phones: 74.1% increase YoY.The number of HSPA-enabled notebook

products increased 51.8% in same period

1,510 HSPA devices (88%) support 3.6Mbps peak or higher (excl. notebooks). 876devices (51%) support 7.2 Mbps or higher(excl. notebooks)

493 HSUPA devices: increase of 156% YoY

219 HSUPA devices (more than 44%) support or are upgradeable for 5.76 Mbps (vs. 64 products in January 2009)

32 HSPA+ devices launched by 11 suppliers

More information/analysis: HSPA Devices Survey Key Findings (January 26, 2010)www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/wcdma_databank.php4


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3GPP Long Term Evolution in Radio Access Networks LTE

3GPP LTE is the next step for a superior mobile broadband experience, and is an evolution of the GSM/UMTS(comprising WCDMA, HSPA) systems family for the next generation mobile broadband access system. LTE targetscapacity and data rate enhancements to support new services and features requiring higher levels of capability andperformance. Data rates will be significantly higher for downlink and uplink paths, with the necessary network architecture

and technology enhancements. Thenew system includes support of a fullIP-based network, and harmonizationwith legacy 3GPP systems (GSM,GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA-HSPA) andother radio access technologies. LTEreduces the cost per Gigabyte

delivered, which is essential foraddressing the mass market. LTE willfurther enhance more demandingapplications such as interactive TV,mobile video blogging, advancedgames and professional services.

LTE radio technology is optimized toenhance networks by enablingsignificant new high capacity mobilebroadband applications and services,whilst providing cost efficient ubiquitousmobile coverage. LTE is also scalable

to allow operation in a wide range ofspectrum bandwidths, from 1.4 20MHz, using both Frequency DivisionDuplex (FDD) and Time Division

Duplex (TDD) modes, thus providing flexibility to suit any operators existing or future frequency allocation. LTE andHSPA are complementary to ensure seamless inter-operability.

51 Operators committed to LTE (see press release www.gsacom.com/news/gsa_288.php4)

LTE is the natural migration choice for GSM/HSPA operators. LTE is also the next generation mobile broadband systemof choice of leading CDMA operators, who are expected to be in the forefront of service introduction. LTE is on track,attracting global industry support. TeliaSonera launched the worlds first commercial LTE systems in Stockholmand Oslo on December 15

th, 2009 and ahead of schedule. According to GSA research, 51 operators - an increase of

almost 100% over the previous 8 months - have committed to deploy 3GPP LTE networks in 24 countries; GSAanticipates that 19 LTE networks will have entered commercial service by end 2010. GSA also believes that, over time,LTE will be the choice for many more operators and will be introduced according to business needs. When firm plans areknown, they will be added in as new commitments. Dozens of LTE technology trials are underway or planned in allregions and further commitment announcements are expected from those. Infrastructure solutions shipping today typicallyoffer an easy upgrade path to LTE. Availability of new spectrum, particularly in the 2.6 GHz and Digital Dividend bands, isa crucial factor for LTE deployments in many countries, as are the regulatory conditions, and will determine deploymentand launch dates in those markets.

Global LTE commitments map (PDF) www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4Global LTE commitments map (JPEG) www.gsacom.com/news/statistics.php4

The status of LTE worldwide including network operator commitments, deployment/launch plans, device, platformsavailability, trials results, spectrum, plans for future evolution of LTE for consideration for the ITU IMT-Advanced systemare contained in GSA Information Paper: Evolution to LTE www.gsacom.com/downloads/pdf/lte_3gpp.php4
http://www.gsacom.com/downloads/pdf/lte_3gpp.php4http://www.gsacom.com/downloads/pdf/lte_3gpp.php4http://www.gsacom.com/downloads/pdf/lte_3gpp.php4


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LTE/SAE Trial Initiative (LSTI)

Vendors and operators have joined forces under the LTE/SAE Trial Initiative to demonstrate the potential of LTE/SAEthrough joint tests, including radio performance, interoperability, field tests and full customer trials. Results feed intotechnology developments and standardization, help define/validate network launch plans, and also help to validate theemerging LTE ecosystem, including devices and applications.

A Proof of Concept activity has consolidated measurements from leading equipment vendors to show that the industry'stargets for performance are achievable: LTE/SAE does exactly what it says on the tin. In addition to peak rates andminimum latency, results also reveal the 'real world' performance that operators will be able to offer to end users. Moreinformation at www.lstiforum.org

A presentation is available on the GSA website providing an update of the work of the LSTI, including progress on the

Proof of Concept Activity for LTE FDD and TD LTE modes and the key results obtained, Interoperability Testing (IOT) and

preparations for the Friendly Customer Trials.

View/download Update from the LTE/SAE Trial Initiativeat www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4


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Download charts used in this Fact Sheet plus many more charts and maps at www.gsacom.com/news/statistics.php4

Abou t GSA

GSA represents leading GSM/3G/WCDMA-HSPA/LTE suppliers worldwide, covering close to 100% of mobile marketshare. Industry professionals and organizations from 200+ countries regularly use www.gsacom.com as a singleinformation resource, targeted to the industry, for authoritative facts, market intelligence, objective analysis andinformation. Interaction and enhanced information-sharing with network operators is facilitated by the Operators Zone forimmediate global reach, and seminars and relationship events, including the GSA Mobile Broadband Forum. GSAadvises governments, regulators and policy-makers on optimum conditions for market development. Briefings are given tomedia and analysts. GSA is a 3GPP Market Representation Partnerand co-operates with other key organisations worldwide.

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Access to resources mentioned in this document and other materials requires a one-off registration to become a registered user ofthe GSA website. If you are not yet registered, it only takes a minute at www.gsacom.com/php/register_form.php4

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