When 3G Becomes 4G
HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) is an enhancement to W-CDMA, a technology that is also referred to as UMTS, the 3G path chosen by most GSM operators around the world. Today, there are already some 75 UMTS networks in operation around the world. Globally, many UMTS operators are planning on the HSDPA upgrade, and operators that have not deployed UMTS yet are likely to go directly to HSDPA. (Ed’s Note: We’ve been following the evolution to next-gen high-speed mobile for at least 18 months now. Google WWJ for more on this topic.)

Digging deep into Japan’s blog space over ice coffee this morning turned up interesting rumors (and some detailed specs) concerning DoCoMo’s next generation of 3G FOMA handsets. The dog days of summer is about the right time for an announcement from Big D’s Sanno Park Tower HQ on models slated for release sometime in Q3 and we’re willing to bet that these rumors may just have some substance behind them. While WWJ subscribers can log in for the full juice, we will say up front that more than one blog has mentioned 10 new models coming from all the usual suspects (NEC, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Sharp, etc.) plus a couple foreign-made entries for what should be called the 902i-series.
Digital terrestrial broadcasting for mobile phones is scheduled to begin in Japan by spring 2006 and both Vodafone and KDDI had demonstration models up and running on the first day of the NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories