DWT sites: DWT | Gadget Shop! | WeTokyo Friendfinder | Jobs | Eigo Factory | Make your iPhone App Big in Japan


NTT DoCoMo shopping for Super 3G gear
July 7th, 2006

060707_DoCoMo.jpg

NTT DoCoMo has started shopping for equipment for a future Super 3G network that will carry data many times faster than current third-generation technology, allowing 100Mbps downloads to cellphones.

The carrier, which is Japan’s largest cellular network operator, issued requests on Friday for bids to supply Super 3G base station and mobile station equipment. Companies interested in supplying the equipment have until August 23 to respond.

Super 3G is an adaptation of today’s WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) technology. Also known by the official name “Long Term Evolution,” the technology will support downloads at up to 100Mbps and uploads at up to 50Mbps.

Basic standardization of the technology has been completed, enabling DoCoMo to start early tests. The final specification isn’t expected until at least 2007, according to the carrier.

Downloads on DoCoMo’s current 3G network run as fast as 384kbps and this is about to be improved to around 3.6Mbps with the introduction of an HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) upgrade. Several more upgrades are possible with the HSDPA technology prior to the introduction of Super 3G.

The upgrade to Super 3G is likely to happen around the end of the decade and be the final update to WCDMA before NTT DoCoMo adopts an even more advanced 4G network technology.

Martyn Williams

04:54 PM Mark Hiratsuka • Permalink
Add a comment | More DWT | Get a cool job in Japan! | Follow us on Twitter

Date much?


Japanese gadgets from Tokyo Zakka!Perfect gifts for your nerdiest friends back home!

C'mon - let's hear it...

Spammers beware: Any links in comments to commercial websites will be treated as paid advertising and will be charged at rate of $10 per link per day. Invoices will be sent to the idiots who hire you for so-called SEO jobs. All you good people will always keep it real, of course - thanks!

Support Our Sponsors: