CSL’s strategy of refarming its 900-MHz spectrum for 3G has paid off in terms of coverage and data performance, according to a study commissioned by the Hong Kong operator.
CSL says that in tests by Portugal-based wireless consultancy Celfinet it outperformed the competition in most data test configurations, particularly in terms of downlink and uplink data throughput.
CSL’s weakest link was latency performance in driving and stationary data tests, where it failed to achieve a #1 ranking.
CSL’s best benchmark rating by far was indoor coverage, thanks to its refarming of 900-MHz spectrum for 3G, said Celfinet sales and marketing director Pedro Lopes.
“For good indoor coverage, you need a minimum signal strength of -60dBm for good in-building communications,” said Lopes at a CSL press conference announcing the results. “We measured CSL’s 900-MHz signal at -52.4dBm.”
By comparison, 3G networks in the 2.1-GHz band were measured at higher than -65dBm, giving UMTS900 a 10dB+ gain for indoor coverage.
Telstra International group MD and former CSL chief Tarek Robbiati said UMTS900 gave CSL an edge in Hong Kong’s mobile broadband wars, with better indoor coverage and better performance at the cell edge.