A survey by the GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, confirms that 50 HSDPA-enabled devices have been launched by 16 suppliers. It means that the number of HSDPA products launched has doubled in 5 months. A recent related survey by GSA stated that the number of HSDPA networks planned, in deployment or launched has reached 108 in 51 countries, of which 45 are providing commercial services today. GSA forecasts that the number of commercial HSDPA networks by end 2006 will reach 80. The range of HSDPA-capable devices covered in this survey embraces all form factors: 25 PC datacards (PCMCIA and ExpressCard), 3 USB modems, 3 broadband wireless routers, and 19 mobile phones. Forty of the HSDPA devices (80%) included in this survey also support GSM/EDGE, thus ensuring service continuity and the best user experience of mobile broadband services. Sixteen of the HSDPA devices included in this survey are capable of operation at 850MHz, in support of major 850MHz HSDPA network deployments in Australia and North America, and potentially in many more markets throughout the Americas, Asia and elsewhere. The survey total of 50 devices excludes the many models of notebooks/laptops with embedded HSDPA modules and PC datacards enabling wireless wide area networking (WWAN) access, which have been launched by several PC manufacturers, mostly in partnership with mobile network operators.
www.gsacom.com