UMTS900 offers cost benefits for 3G

The Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) today announced the availability of a new UMTS900 operator case study on Optus in Australia.

The study shows significant cost and coverage benefits of deploying 3G mobile broadband services with UMTS900 and examines the business drivers and practical experiences of Optus, who launched UMTS900 in May 2008.

According to Andrew Smith, Director, Mobile Core Engineering for Optus, “UMTS900 is ideally suited for Australia.

The extended reach of this frequency means we can deliver better quality and wider coverage across sparsely populated areas, as well as enhanced depth of coverage.”

While the majority of today’s 3G/HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) mobile broadband networks worldwide operate in the 2100 MHz band, the use of lower frequencies, such as 900 MHz, provides a much larger geographical coverage area when compared to what is possible when using 2100 MHz.

Widely used by GSM systems throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, HSPA deployments in the 900 MHz band significantly reduces the number of cell sites needed to cover rural and suburban areas.

Optus saw the rollout of UMTS900 in suburban and rural areas as an extension of its initial 3G deployment in the more heavily populated areas where 2100 MHz was used.

According to GSA’s latest research, ten UMTS900-HSPA systems are now in commercial service in Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region.

The availability and choice of UMTS900 user devices is rapidly increasing, with 130 HSPA/mobile broadband devices capable of operating at 900 MHz (as well as 2100 MHz) announced by 23 manufacturers, with more products being released every month.