The latest HSPA Devices Survey conducted by GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, is said to confirm that 1,095 HSPA devices have been launched in the market. This is broadly equivalent to one new device announcement every day since the first HSPA mobile broadband system was launched on October 18, 2005.
692 new HSPA devices have been announced since October 07, representing growth of over 171% in a little over a year. The number of suppliers increased from 80 to 148 in that time, i.e. 85% growth. The number of mobile phones supporting HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) has increased 126% since October 2007, and the number of HSPA/mobile broadband embedded notebooks increased by 257% in the same period. Excluding notebooks, 671 HSDPA devices (over 76%) support 3.6 Mbps or higher peak download data speeds, including 337 devices which support 7.2 Mbps peak or higher.
The GSA survey shows how HSPA devices address all market segments:
– 451 mobile phones
– 16 Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC)
– 218 notebooks
– 154 USB modems
– 143 PC data cards (PCMCIA cards, ExpressCards, chipsets, embedded modules)
– 101 Wireless routers/gateways
– 8 Personal Media Players (PMP)
– 4 cameras
The number of HSUPA-capable (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) devices has more than quadrupled in just over a year. 153 devices support HSUPA operation (compared to 33 in October 2007), with most delivering up to 2.1 Mbps (peak) on the uplink. However, 51 HSUPA products support, or are upgradeable for, 5.76 Mbps (peak) or higher speed.
Alan Hadden, President, GSA said: "The market adoption of HSPA has been much faster than any other mobile technology, and is driving mobile broadband and the best user experience globally. Network efficiencies and performance, including data throughput capabilities, are increasing. Customers benefit from a vast choice of HSPA-equipped notebooks, USB modems, phones, etc. which continue to expand in number and reach into new market segments."
GSA recently confirmed that 221 networks had commercially launched HSPA mobile broadband service in almost 100 countries.
While the majority of today's WCDMA-HSPA mobile broadband networks operate in the 2100 MHz band, the use of lower frequencies provides a much larger coverage area, which translates to a significant reduction in the number of cell sites required. A growing number of operators are today deploying HSPA at 900 MHz (UMTS900), typically as a complement to 2100 MHz systems, to extend voice, data and mobile broadband services coverage e.g. into rural areas. Another benefit is improved voice quality. UMTS900 is becoming a standard requirement for devices destined for Europe, MEA, and Asia Pacific markets, especially for data modems, and the 900/2100MHz combination for HSPA is becoming much more commonplace. Similar benefits and efficiencies are obtained using HSPA in the 850 MHz band, as commercially available today in the Americas and Australia, and in parts of Asia.
HSPA devices by frequency (excluding notebooks):
– 816 devices (over 93%) operate in 2100 MHz band
– 393 devices (over 44%) operate in 850 MHz band
– 281 tri-band 850/1900/2100 MHz for global roaming
– 74 devices operate in 900 MHz band (compared to 9 six months previously)
The majority of HSPA operators have deployed GSM/EDGE for service continuity and the best user experience. Manufacturers support this requirement, with the survey confirming that, excluding notebooks, over 82% of HSPA devices also support GSM/EDGE.
GSA says that HSPA is driving new business growth opportunities, and many converged products are emerging, including:
– 246 HSPA devices with 802.11/WLAN, i.e. over 28% of HSPA products (excluding notebooks).
– 189 HSPA devices with positioning functionality (GPS, Assisted GPS, etc.). Excluding notebooks, this represents over 21.5%.
– 80 HSPA devices with mobile TV capabilities (comprising various standards).