3GSM: SAMSUNG Showcases Mobile WiMAX with Sprint-Nextel 4G Partners

[Nikos Kartalis]

Samsung demonstrates its Mobile WiMAX technology and services for the first time in Europe at 3GSM World Congress 2007 in Barcelona, Spain.

Following Samsung and Sprint-Nextel's partnership in August of 2006 to collaborate on the US carrier's major 4G wireless initiative, which will adopt the Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e TDD OFDMA) technology standard, Samsung will showcase the latest in mobile convergence devices ready for Mobile WIMAX.

Sprint's partners in the 4G wireless broadband initiative, Samsung, Intel, Motorola, and Nokia, will share a booth under the theme of “WiMAX is here!”. In this booth, the partners will together conduct live demonstrations of Mobile WiMAX (network equipment and devices provided by Samsung), while showing multimedia services such as Mobile TV/Personal Contents (provided by Sprint) and multimedia conference or MMC (provided by Samsung).

Samsung's new Mobile WiMAX devices include the SPH-P9000 and SPH-M8100. The P9000 is a true Mobile WiMAX convergence device, which enables wireless broadband access and voice communications, while the M8100 is the first commercially available Mobile WiMAX PDA device. The connectivity capabilities of the new Mobile WiMAX technology will be exclusively showcased through the use of a USB dongle during the demonstrations, meaning users can access Mobile WiMAX and HSDPA services by connecting the USB dongle to a lap top.

As a pioneer in Mobile WiMAX technology, Samsung has conducted numerous trials with various partners across the world. Currently, seven trials are underway, with more planned for 2007. At the annual Samsung 4G Forum in August 2006, a successful demonstration illustrated the performance capabilities of Mobile WiMAX and proved that it can be migrated to 4G with data transmission speeds of 100Mbps achieved on a moving bus and access speeds of 3.5Gbps achieved under stationary conditions.

This technology was commercialized in South Korea in May 2006 and Samsung now provides Mobile WiMAX network solutions to various service providers in North and South America and Asia . The SPH-P9000 and M8100 will be launched in South Korea in the first half of 2007. No plans have been made yet for their introduction overseas.

SPH-P9000
The P9000 is an UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC)-like convergence device, capable of providing voice and multimedia data communications through Mobile WiMAX technology. Hailed by early reviewers as the “ultimate convergence machine”, it combines Windows XP, a large 30GB hard disk, 256MB RAM, a 1GHz CPU, WiMAX, CDMA EV-DO, and a 1.3 megapixel camera into a compact 143 x 94 x 29.7 mm size with a 5” display while weighing only 583g. The P9000 comes with a full QWERTY keyboard for quick and painless typing and surfing, while the MP3 player, VOD, and camera functions provide easy access to a myriad of multimedia entertainment. In all, the P9000 will offer users a perfect device that marries work and play.

SPH-M8100
The M8100 is the world's first Mobile WiMAX PDA phone. It allows users to conduct video conferences and stream television content via Terrestrial-Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB), in addition to other high-speed data services. The slider phone possesses a 2.8”, 65k color touch screen display, a TV-out, an MMC card slot, and 2 cameras: a 2 megapixel camera, and a VGA camera for video calls. The M8100 also features Bluetooth with A2DP, a 128ROM/64MB RAM memory, and the Microsoft view and edit function.


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