Nokia Siemens Networks today launched their downlink Dual Carrier EDGE software solution, ushering the first steps of EDGE Evolution into Nokia Siemens Networks’ GSM/EDGE radio portfolio. This solution offers double data speeds of up to 592 kbps to existing EDGE-capable GSM networks, thus enabling a mobile broadband experience, such as maintaining relationships in virtual societies, posting video clips to blogs in real time or streaming the latest news in mobile TV.
Nokia Siemens Networks’ Dual Carrier EDGE solution, which will be available as a software upgrade from Q3 2008 onwards is the first step in evolving EDGE. Nokia Siemens Networks already has additional plans to introduce in its networks the next substantial step, the so called EGPRS 2, to further boost end user experience in up- and downlink performance. This will result in downlink speeds of up to 1.2 Mbps and will double uplink speed to up to 473 kbps, thus quadrupling the capabilities of EDGE today. EDGE Evolution is based on the 3GPP release 7 standard.
“By 2015, we expect to live in a broadband-IP world with five billion people ‘always on’ and therefore Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to protecting customer investments and continue to implement leading EDGE technology. Dual Carrier software upgrade is an easy and extremely cost efficient step to bring broadband user experience to GSM/EDGE networks”, says Ari Lehtoranta, Head of Radio Access Business Unit, Nokia Siemens Networks, in the press release.
Operators can serve their customers even better using the Dual Carrier solution as the demand for data services and connectivity is immense, proven by the steep increase on data services consumption in 3G/HSPA networks today. With this solution, 3G/HSPA operators can offer service continuity for their 3G services.
Nokia Siemens Networks GSM/EDGE BSS is operational in 260 operator networks in 117 countries offering services to more than 1.5B subscribers.
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. Nokia Siemens Networks is one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies with operations in 150 countries. The company is headquartered in Espoo, Finland.
Source: Nokia Siemens Networks
[Attribution: Electronista. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Joe Architect” for the heads up.]
So perhaps our iPhone will be able to use this in 2008?
So does this mean that if AT&T;upgrades their EDGE software, we will have a faster experience with internet/data on our iPhones?
I believe your phone would need a new baseband chip in order to take advantage of this upgrade. So newer EDGE phones would be faster, but not our current iPhones.
So when and where would this have an effect on us EDGE iPhone users?
I believe ATT is committed to expanding their 3G network here in the US.
One thought I had was that perhaps Apple will offer 2 versions of the iPhone.
3G/GSM/HSDPA (mainly for US and Europe)
3G/CDMA/W-CDMA (mainly for Japan)
We all know Broadcom is working on/or has finished a chip that does both 3G and GSM – which is what we are all hoping to find in the new iPhone.
Anyhow… EDGE is nice, but 592 kbps is 1/6 the speed of most 3G networks… I get along fine with Edge for email and the iPhone (no real complains), but it is a bit slow for Maps and Safari (not terrible tho, but not WiFi LOL).
At this point in time in world history, we really need to standardize the telephone/cell/wi-fi protocols globally. I know it’s asking too much, but I’m just saying….
Hmm maybe Apple should spend some of that 18 billion on inventing and giving us all global satellite transmitted WiFi?
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Uhm, the 592kps is for existing EDGE networks. With upgrades, unspecified, the downlink will be up to 1.2mbps, and up will 473kbps. Not too shabby, as that will be like 1st gen 3G, or like slow DSL.
I just realized I’m on slow DSL here, 1.5mbps down, and I can get my Slingbox to send me shows from my other home, just great. So, upgraded EDGE will be good enough for most people.
@Spark
You’re absolutely right.
This reminds me when I argued with my Nokia Networks friend many years ago about 3G. He was wondering why I need 3G and said: “By the time u need faster speeds the EDGE will offer them for a lot cheaper, it is also evolving standard built upon the existing GSM network. I don’t know how well 3G will work and compete, will it even last”.
So I guess now that time has come, people need live TV on their mobile devices. A month a go my friend’s cell phone was all I was using to watch TV in Finland.