Dallas this week was one of 15 cities nationwide to get a new broadband wireless service from Cingular Wireless that supposedly will give on-the-go laptop users download speeds of 400 to 700 kilobits per second, with "bursts" of more than 1 megabit per second.
Dubbed Cingular BroadbandConnect, the service uses a technology called High-Speed Downlink Packet Access -- or HSDPA for short -- that supposedly could eventually allow wireless download speeds of up to 10 megs per second. Though speeds vary, DSL and cable modem connections typically deliver 1 meg to 2 megs.
HSDPA is the fourth upgrade to networks like Cingular's that use a technical platform dubbed Global System for Mobile Communications, or GSM. Though GSM is the most popular technology for wireless phone networks, it can send data at only about 9.6 kilobits per second, a fraction of dial-up connections.
But Cingular, like most big wireless carriers, has upgraded its network to so-called third generation technology, which combines mobile-phone service with data rates to moving devices of at least 144 kilobits per second. Before adopting HSDPA, Cingular's 3G network was using another upgrade technology that offered up to 236 kilobits per second.
Aside from Dallas, other Texas cities included in the initial rollout are Austin and Houston. Cingular says it plans to extend its HSDPA network "rapidly" next year.
Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless is a joint ventuer owned by AT&T Inc. Cingular has more than 50 million customers.
Web site: www.cingular.com
Published December 9, 2005 by the Dallas Business Journal
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/051209/1201598.html?.v=1
Dubbed Cingular BroadbandConnect, the service uses a technology called High-Speed Downlink Packet Access -- or HSDPA for short -- that supposedly could eventually allow wireless download speeds of up to 10 megs per second. Though speeds vary, DSL and cable modem connections typically deliver 1 meg to 2 megs.
HSDPA is the fourth upgrade to networks like Cingular's that use a technical platform dubbed Global System for Mobile Communications, or GSM. Though GSM is the most popular technology for wireless phone networks, it can send data at only about 9.6 kilobits per second, a fraction of dial-up connections.
But Cingular, like most big wireless carriers, has upgraded its network to so-called third generation technology, which combines mobile-phone service with data rates to moving devices of at least 144 kilobits per second. Before adopting HSDPA, Cingular's 3G network was using another upgrade technology that offered up to 236 kilobits per second.
Aside from Dallas, other Texas cities included in the initial rollout are Austin and Houston. Cingular says it plans to extend its HSDPA network "rapidly" next year.
Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless is a joint ventuer owned by AT&T Inc. Cingular has more than 50 million customers.
Web site: www.cingular.com
Published December 9, 2005 by the Dallas Business Journal
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/051209/1201598.html?.v=1
