SAO PAULO, Brazil, May 30, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The CDMA Development Group (CDG) (www.cdg.org) reported today that 22 operators in 17 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have deployed or are building CDMA2000(r) 1xEV-DO networks. Capitalizing on the high-speed data capabilities of 1xEV-DO technologies, operators have introduced a broad range of broadband data services to address diverse market needs, ranging from broadband access in underserved areas to the most advanced applications, such as live TV and 3D gaming, for the mobile customer. Operators are seeing a significant demand for 1xEV-DO services, with the subscriber base growing at 40% per quarter.
Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG commented, "CDMA2000 operators were first to market with 3G and now have at least a three-year lead in broadband services in the region. The time-to-market advantage has allowed them to differentiate their services, expand to new markets and grow revenues. With future enhancements, like Rev A and Rev C, they will also be first with all-IP and advanced multimedia capabilities, further extending their leadership in the market."
1xEV-DO was introduced in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2003, and today there are 12 operators in 9 countries, including Alegro PCS (Ecuador); Bermuda Digital Communications; Centennial Wireless (Puerto Rico); Iusacell (Mexico); Movistar and Movilnet (Venezuela); Movistar Guatemala; Smartcom PCS (Chile); Verizon Wireless (Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), VIVO and Vesper (Brazil). Eleven more 1xEV-DO networks in the Caribbean and Peru are scheduled to be commercial this year.
With average speeds of 400-800 Mbps up to 2.4 Mbps, 1xEV-DO has enabled operators to expand their service portfolio, which now includes MMS, mobile TV, movie video and music downloads, multimedia entertainment, WAP and e-mail access. In many markets, operators have deployed 1xEV-DO to provide broadband services for corporate, residential and public markets, and offer services such as Internet access, VPN, e-mail, video monitoring and vertical applications for the insurance, security, transportation and health industries. Alegro PCS, for example, has become the second largest ISP provider in Ecuador and anticipates that it will capture the leading share in coming months.
1xEV-DO devices currently available in the market reflect the diverse applications and uses in the region and they include multimedia handsets, PDAs, modems and PC cards, as well as fixed terminals, in different price ranges.
"The success of 1xEV-DO worldwide demonstrates that there is a huge market for advanced wireless broadband technologies. The CDMA2000 industry is on a solid path to capitalize on these opportunities," continued LaForge.
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO was commercially introduced in 2002 in South Korea. It was the first wide-area network, wireless broadband technology to be deployed worldwide. Today, there are 36 live networks across 6 continents, making 1xEV-DO the most widely deployed high-speed data technology. There were 30 million 1xEV-DO subscribers at the end of 1Q 2006, and 6 million new users sign-up every quarter. By the end of 2006, there will be at least 73 live networks and close to 60 million 1xEV-DO customers.
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev A, an enhanced version of the currently deployed Rel 0, introduces techniques that support latency-sensitive and bandwidth-intensive applications such as Voice over IP (VoIP). Operators in the North America and Asia Pacific will launch Rev A this year. Rev B which will be available in 2007, further increases throughput via a multiple carrier scheme. Rev C, an advanced interface, will deliver ultra broadband data rates and higher spectral efficiency along with lower latency, making it ideal for enriched multimedia services. Commercial Rev C products are scheduled for 2008.
Leading 1xEV-DO operators from the Americas and Asia, and infrastructure vendors met last week at the 3G CDMA Latin America Regional Conference in Sao Paulo to share their experiences and discuss the CDMA2000 evolution path to next generation ultra broadband technologies, convergence of fixed and mobile, and utilizing wireless for the universal services. This is the 5th annual CDMA gathering in the region, and this year 300 operators, equipment and application vendors, analysts and media attended.
About CDMA2000
CDMA2000 is the most widely deployed 3G technology, with 152 CDMA2000 operators in 68 countries, and 36 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO systems. With 250 million subscribers CDMA2000 controls 82% of the 3G market. CDMA2000 has become the technology of choice for cdmaOne(tm), TDMA, analog and Greenfield operators, and is deployed in the 450, 800, 1700, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands. Nearly 1,200 CDMA2000 devices are available on the market, including 244 1xEV-DO devices. More information on CDMA2000 is available on the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
About the CDG
The CDMA Development Group is a trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of CDMA technologies. The more than 110 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of the CDG include development of CDMA features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently, there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittees on CDMA-related matters.
For more information about the CDG, contact the CDG News Bureau at 714-540-1030 or visit the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
Note to editors: cdmaOne is a trademark of the CDG. CDMA2000 is a registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA-USA).