IPWireless announced two deals that will see TD-CDMA technology deployed in the 700 MHz band.
The company announced a deal with Southern Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority (SGRITA), which is building a wireless broadband network for rural residents and businesses in Georgia, and Pennsylvania-based ISP USA Choice Internet Services, which is deploying a multi-service communications network with plans to offer fixed and mobile applications for public safety, mobile data and voice capabilities along with video surveillance services in Crawford, Forest, Venango and Warren counties in Pennsylvania. Both companies won spectrum in the 700 MHz auction.
NextWave sold off its majority stake in IPWireless last year for $1 million to IPW Holdings, which is made up of the senior management team of IPWireless. The company's largest deployment of TD-CDMA mobile broadband technology is in New York City in the 2.5 GHz band, where the city's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications deployed it using Northrop Grumman equipment for city and public-safety users.
IPWireless has been working hard to push the technology as a precursor to LTE in the 700 MHz band. John Hambidge, chief marketing officer with IPWireless, said the system can be upgraded to LTE via a software upgrade. He added that the link budget for LTE will be same as TD-CDMA equipment. He added that TD-CDMA will most likely never support mobile phones, but indicated end user devices that include USB modem and PCI Express Mini Cards (PEMs) are already on the market. They are already being integrated into a range of devices including, residential home gateway, outdoor CPEs and ultra-mobile PCs. IPWireless is making that argument that operators can deploy TD-CDMA now and then upgrade to LTE when LTE-enabled mobile phones are available and equipment pricing falls.
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