UMTS 900 – successfully delivering 3G in low-frequency bands

UMTS 900 – successfully delivering 3G in low-frequency bands

UMTS is now a firmly established technology. It is gaining mass market adoption, with DoCoMo admitting to having over 40 million 3G subs, and other markets also gaining a higher 3G penetration. As GSM is phased out UMTS will become the dominant standard. Europe's CEPT has given a EC-wide clearance for the roll-out of UMTS900 in its 47 member states.

UMTS 900 will offer two major advantages:

1) Indoor coverage is improved in urban areas

2) Cheaper deployment in rural areas - UMTS900 will give the mobile network operators the opportunity to use larger cells (typical cell radius 2.5 km). This larger cell is especially usefull in rural areas where there is less demand for services.

The report aims to provide an insight on the business aspects of emerging UMTS900. It details all the aspects related to the emergence, development and subsequent adoption of this new technology around the world. Specifically, the report discusses technical issues, regulatory aspects in addition to the multiple but inter-connected strategies being employed by the infrastructure vendors, operators and the handset manufacturers.

- What is the market potential for this technology?

- What are the drivers and restraints?

- Why UMTS900 in the 900 MHz band?

- What challenges the network operators face for its adoption?

- Which of the infrastructure providers is leading the way?

- What are the Strategies of the top infrastructure provider?

- What are the Strategies of the top handset manufacturers?



The report also provides analysis of:

The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of this technology, factors determining the adoption of UMTS900 by the network operators or investigates the context if there any role for any specific vendor such as Qualcomm. It provides subscriber forecasts of this technology in different regions for the period of till 2012 as well as Worldwide CAPEX.

By ordering this report, you will guarantee your profit from UMTS900 evolvement as it becomes the dominant cellular technology offering data calls in addition to voice calls where GSM900 currently exists.

Why you should buy this report:

Infrastructure vendors: As an infrastructure vendor, you have chalked out your individual strategy to enter this market, but it is essential you know why the network operators are taking a ‘wait and watch’ approach before adopting this technology.

Mobile operators - You can find what are the factors that determine the adoption of the UMTS900 standard by the network operators, for example interoperability issues or spectrum availability, infrastructure cost or handset availability.

Handset manufacturers - You'll find that the availability of UMTS900 handsets in the markets is not an independent issue. Why?

Unique benefits to you when you order this report:

- Primary research throughout. You will not find this information anywhere else

- Report stored in your reading room for ever

- Full searchable report when you buy the company or corporate editions

- Copies can be printed off for offline reading

- Packed with charts, analysis, figures, graphs and tables

CHAPTER 1: Overview of UMTS900 – Challenges and Market Potential

1.1 UMTS900 – An Introduction

Table 1. Advantages and Challenges of UMTS900

1.2 The Market potential

Table 2: Potential uses of key spectrum and likely technologies

1.3 Benefits

Graph 1: Coverage area increase by using lower frequencies for mobile communication (UMTS900 instead of UMTS2100) owing to better propagation parameters

Graph 2. Coverage area for UMTS2100 (in km2) in different environments

Graph 3. Coverage area for UMTS900 (in km2) in different environments

Graph 4. Cell radius for UMTS2100 (in km) in different environments

Graph 5. Cell radius for UMTS900 (in km) in different environments

1.4 Challenges

1.5 Objectives of the Report

1.6 Methodology

1.7 Brief technical overview of how UMTS operates on lower bands

1.8 Infrastructure changes required for the adoption of UMTS900

1.9 Interoperability potential of UMTS900

1.10 Additional frequency bands required for UMTS coverage



CHAPTER 2: Why UMTS is in 900MHz Band?

2.1 Migration: Can GSM 900 and UMTS 900 still operate together?

Figure 1. UMTS900, GSM900 & UMTS2100 Deployments

2.2 Can GSM900 and UMTS900 operate together?

Figure 2: Isolation distance between UMTS900 and GSM900

Figure 3. Sandwich type deployment of UMTS900 along with GSM900



CHAPTER 3: Implications of Frequency Spectrum

3.1 Current status of UMTS900 around the world - frequencies in the 900MHz

3.2 Future prospects (which countries?)

Graph 6. Future projections of UMTS connections across Asia Pacific

3.3 Licence fees for UMTS900

3.4 Reallocation of the frequency spectrum – how regulators address this?



CHAPTER 4: Business Challenges for UMTS900

4.1 Drivers and restraints to offering UMTS900

4.1.1 Drivers

4.1.1.1 Internal drivers

4.1.1.2 External drivers

Table 3: SWOT analysis of UMTS900

4.1.2 Restraints

4.1.2.1 Internal restraints

4.1.2.2 External restraints

4.2 Strategies for offering UMTS900, what extra revenues can be created and how?

4.3 Which operators are looking to deploy?

4.4 Subscriber advantages



CHAPTER 5: Assessing the Market Potential

5.1 Overview of the market potential for UMTS900

5.1.1 Handsets

5.1.2 Benefit of growing market

5.1.3 Addition of new subscribers to a new standard

5.2 Market players interested in the 450-650 MHz UMTS band

5.3 Strategies of the top infrastructure suppliers

Table 4: Effect of UMTS900 on 3G penetrations

5.4 Strategies of the top handset manufacturers

5.5 Financial implications of additional network equipment installation

Table 5: Cell site requirements for UMTS deployment at 900 MHz and 2 GHz

Table 6: UMTS900 deployment leading to reduced capital expenditure in different regions



CHAPTER 6: Perspectives of the Infrastructure Providers

6.1 Infrastructure providers leading the way

6.1.1 Alcatel-Lucent

6.1.2 Huawei

6.1.3 Other selected infrastructure vendors



CHAPTER 7: Adoption Issues/forecasts

7.1 Impact of UMTS900 on the current (existing) bandwidth users

7.2 Factors determining the adoption of UMTS900 by the network operators

7.3 Major network operators in favor of/against UTMS900 adoption

7.4 UMTS adoption – Financial implications

7.5 Is there any role for Qualcomm?

7.6 Timeframe for UMTS900 handset availability in the market

7.6.1 Nokia

7.6.2 Alcatel

7.6.3 LG

7.6.4 Motorola

7.6.5 Panasonic

7.6.6 Samsung

7.6.7 Sony Ericsson

7.7 Global adoption of the UMTS900 standards - subscriber forecasts

Graph 7. Subscriber Forecasts of UMTS900 in key regions 2008-2013

7.8 Worldwide CAPEX for UMTS900

Graph 8. Worldwide CAPEX for UMTS900 2008 & 2012



CHAPTER 8: Conclusion

8.1 Conclusion





Companies mentioned in this report

Alcatel-Lucent

America Movil

AT&T Mobility

Ericsson

Huawei Telecom

LG

Manx Telecom

Motorola

Motorola

MTS

Nokia

O2

Orange

Panasonic

Qualcomm

Samsung

SFR

SingTel

Sony Ericsson

Telecom Italia

Telefonica

Telenor

TeliaSonera

Vivendi Universal

Vodafone