New generation of telecom services showcased at SEAG

The recent 23rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Manila became the venue for a live demonstration of a new generation of telecommunication services enabled by Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (3G-WCDMA) and High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology.

Made possible by Globe Telecom in partnership with Ericsson Philippines, among the services featured in the event were mobile broadband using laptops with data cards, 3G voice and data services such as video telephony, and audio and video streaming.

The demonstration was the first live WCDMA and HSDPA demonstration ever showcased in the Philippines.

Mobile broadband enabled by HSDPA provides broadband speed similar to ADSL, coupled with the convenience and advantage of full mobility for Internet browsing, download, streaming and file transfer with the peak downlink speed of up to 14 megabits per second (Mbps) and uplink speed of up to more than 1 Mbps.

What takes minutes to download today, takes seconds with HSDPA. For example, at 2Mbps, a one-minute audio file takes four seconds to download while for uplink, a 1MB audio file takes eight seconds to send.

In addition to mobile broadband service, another attraction at the demonstration also included live 3G (WCDMA) video calls from the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) grounds to Globe and Gift Gate’s 3G Express "Shop and Rock Onboard" at the Glorietta Center in Makati.

As the official wireless service sponsor of the 23rd SEAG, Globe Telecom took pride in supporting the participants in their communication needs during the duration of the competition.

The demonstration is also part of Globe and Ericsson Philippines’ ongoing 3G (WCDMA) trial to test the diverse applications of WCDMA/HSDPA technology.

"Globe Telecom is proud to have been afforded the opportunity to showcase live WCDMA and HSDPA services during this momentous occasion. This important milestone has been achieved through the hard work of both Globe and Ericsson," said Gerry Ablaza, president of Globe Telecom.

"This demonstration delivers first-hand experience of next-generation telecommunications services that will transform the way we work and live in the future. The convenience of mobility, speed and high-quality telecommunications services will help to improve productivity and quality of life of Filipinos," he said. The success of the SEAG trial, according to Ablaza, "proves that 3G (WCDMA) and HSDPA are already happening and the technology is here today for us to leverage on."

"We see this trial as a critical step in raising awareness about the opportunities presented by 3G through WCDMA/HSDPA technology for Globe Telecom and its customers. This includes the ability to deliver exciting and enriched media services that will help Globe to create new revenue stream, differentiate their services to increase brand loyalty, capture new market segments and maximize growth potential," said Rajendra Pangrekar, president and country manager of Ericsson Telecommunications Inc. (Philippines).

WCDMA is the leading 3G technology selected by eight of the world’s 10 largest operators. It is also the preferred platform for Southeast Asian operators, which have launched 3G services in the region.

Ericsson expects that by 2007, as many as 80 percent of all mobile subscribers will be served by the GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA family, in which Ericsson holds the leading position with 35 percent market share.

Ericsson is a supplier to 44 out of 80 operators which have launched commercial WCDMA services.

HSDPA is the next step in the evolution of WCDMA, enabling download data peak speed of up to 14.4 Mbps, offering operators more than double the system capacity and making the response time for interactive services faster.

Ericsson’s HSDPA solution is now in operation in 15 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.