Nokia Siemens has made the world’s first Downlink Dual Carrier EDGE end-to-end call over a mobile device – bringing EDGE to a level that will support video, blogs and streaming mobile TV on handsets.
Downlink Dual Carrier is a software-based solution that can double data speeds to 592Kbps on existing EDGE-capable GSM networks, providing a user experience that is akin to 3G.
Nokia Siemens Networks’ Dual Carrier EDGE solution, which will be available as a software upgrade, is the first step in evolving EDGE.
Dual Carrier is based on the 3GPP release 7 standard. As a strong innovator of EDGE Evolution, Nokia Siemens Networks already has additional plans to introduce in its networks the next substantial step, the so-called EGPRS 2B, to further double the end-user experience in uplink and downlink performance.
This will result in downlink speeds of up to 1.2Mbps, and will double uplink speed to up to 473Kbps, thus quadrupling the capabilities of EDGE today.
GSM/EDGE operators can serve their customers more effectively using the Dual Carrier solution as the demand for data services and connectivity booms, as evidenced by the steep increase in mobile broadband traffic on 3G/HSPA networks today. With the Dual Carrier solution, 3G/HSPA operators can also offer better service continuity for their data services.
Nokia Siemens Networks GSM/EDGE BSS is operational in more than 280 operator networks in 127 countries, offering services to over 1.5 billion subscribers.
By John Kennedy
