Sprint PCS rolled out their 2.5 G system today promoting messaging, e-mail, enhanced web browsing, color games and pictures. PCS Vision works with vision-enabled PCS devices to take and receive pictures at speeds comparable to a home dial-up.
For wireless photography, Sprint provides a variety of handsets like the Samsung A500 ($299) as well laptops with wireless cards like Novatel’s Merlin C201 ($250) or Sierra Wireless’ AirCard 550 ($350). It can also send and receive voice calls while using an earbud. Sprint will work with ActivePhoto to provide imaging solutions tailored for enterprise customers using a Ricoh RDC-i700 camera configured with a wireless PC Card.
Web-enabled phones, like the Handspring Treo 300 ($499), can browse special XML websites from Google, CNN, The Weather Channel, ESPN.com, E! Online, Fidelity Anywhere, Bloomberg.com, Sabre and Amazon.com. Sprint appears to be targeting the older business users (like Verizon) not younger 18-24 year olds like Virgin and AT&T mMode.
Rates for PCS Free & Clear with Vision will range from $44.99 to $119.99. For example, an introductory plan includes the $89.99 per month plan that features 2,000 Anytime Minutes that can be used by an individual or shared between two people.
Business customers can buy by the megabyte; $39.99 per month for 20 megabytes; $59.99 per month for 40 megabytes; $79.99 per month for 70 megabytes and $119.99 per month for 120 megabytes, all with a one-year PCS Advantage Agreement. An introductory offer of unlimited data usage for $49.99 per month for the first three months and $99.99 thereafter with a one-year PCS Advantage Agreement is also available. Curiously absent in the rollout was a Microsoft Pocket PC Phone like the Audiovox Thera. Perhaps they were snubbed because they leaked the launch date.
Sprint’s 2.5G service is based on standard CDMA 1XRTT that delivers “up to 144 Kbps”, although 40-60 Kbps is typical. Sprint and Verizon use similar CDMA technology. AT&T Wireless, Cingular and Voicestream use an incompatible, GSM-based GPRS data service that typically delivers 20-40 Kbps.
The upgrade path for “true” CDMA 3G service (above 144 Kbps) would include the data-only 1XEV(DO) and the integrated voice/data 1XEV(DV). The 1XEV(DV) service will eventually allow CDMA carriers to put more voice calls on their 1.25 MHz current channels. GSM providers will upgrade to 3G via EDGE (for enhanced data speed) and eventually W-CDMA (which will require new 5 MHz channels). Because W-CDMA will require a new band, it could be as much as 5 years away. A 3G system based on 1XEV(DV) may prove to be advantageous.
The BBC’s interactive map shows European carriers spent $100 billion on 3G spectrum last year. Vodafone, Europe’s largest wireless network operator, planned to introduce 3G this year. Europe’s first live 3G trial, on the Isle of Man, isn’t cheap. The company’s standard 3G business package gives 100 megabits for 80 ($110) a month while the consumer package costs 25 ($35) for 20 megabits. In Japan, DoCoMo launched its W-CDMA “FOMA” service last October. Their slick personal videophone is sweet.
Low-cost, Wi-Fi “hot spots”, have thrown a monkey wrench into the system. Some observers now question the need and financial viability of true 3G services. Cellular operators must service a crushing debt and high operating costs along with consumer apathy and an economic recession.
In the US, “4G” technologies are being tested that may provide similar (3G) services at lower costs. Those carriers include Verizon Wireless (Beam Reach), Nextel (Flarion) and Sprint (Navini).
For mobile professionals and media organizations, the development of nationwide 2.5G service with dial-up speed will likely be a welcome relieve from CDPD and first genereration circuit-switched data-enabled services which typically delivered only 9.6kbps.
