Cingular Wireless launched its HSDPA network in Seattle and Dallas and plans to have the service running in up to 20 other US markets by the end of the year. The company claims HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) offers download speeds between 400 Kbps and 700 Kbps, with uploads at 100 Kbps. HSDPA will roughly double the speed of another simultaneous voice and data service offered by Cingular called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), which is currently available in some markets. UMTS has clocked download speeds of between 200 Kbps and 320 Kbps.
Cingular plans to roll out its UMTS network in tandem with HSDPA and expects major markets to have both services by year end. The company's current nationwide data service offering, EDGE, operates at between 70 Kbps and 135 Kbps. The legacy network will remain available for future UMTS and HSDPA users who roam outside of the services' reach. Although, Cingular has not yet released handsets that work on an HSDPA network, they have finally released the integration costs for its acquisition of AT&T Wireless. The company said it will spend $620 million during the next 15 months to integrate the cellular network it acquired for $41 billion in cash.
For more on Cingular's launch of HSDPA services:
- scroll through this piece from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer