Cdma2000 is becoming one of the most successful wireless technology platforms in the world, with almost 200 global operators now utilizing the standard, a report from the CDMA Development Group (CDG) said.
The report, which can be viewed at www.cdg.org, also said the number of operators shifting to cdma200o continues to grow as more and more carriers and service providers roll out their respective 3G services.
'Cdma2000 is one of the most successful wireless technologies in the world," said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. 'From the performance and economics of its evolutionary roadmap to the worldwide proliferation of its extensive portfolio of affordable handsets and next generation advanced services, CDMA2000 has become an even more compelling mobile communications solution than the day it was first introduced to the industry six years ago."
The CDG report also said within the past 3 years, close to 126 operators, who had a choice of several 2G and 3G technologies, selected cdma2000 and that close to 25 GSM operators have deployed cdma2000 to deliver 3G value-added services.
Cdma2000 services are currently available in nearly 75 countries in every major market of the world, across all six continents, the report said, adding that with close to 275 million subscribers, cdma2000 offers next generation services with economies of scope and scale that are comparable to GSM.
The report further said up to 80% of the 3G subscriber base worldwide use cdma2000 devices and services and that close to 8.5 million new subscribers are availing of cdma2000 services every month.
The CDG report also predicted that by the end of 2006, cdma2000 will reach 350 million users and that the number will approach 500 million by 2010.
With the introduction of 1,250 devices from more than 80 suppliers, cdma2000 offers the largest selection of devices as compared to any other technology, the report said.
In terms of handsets, the CDG report said entry-level cmda2000 units that cost less than $50 have approached price parity with GSM and are more affordable than GSM handsets across the entire product portfolio in competitive markets, such as India.
Due to its maturity and enormous economies of scale, the average price for entry-level cdma2000 1xEV-DO devices is expected to approach $33 by 2008, the CDG predicted.
Further, the CGD predicted that the migration from 2G systems, such as GSM, to 3G is inevitable since 3G enables operators to lower the cost of delivery of voice and data, and supplement their voice and SMS revenue with revenue-generating value-added services.