UWCC Unveils High-Speed Data Packet System, Releases TDMA Subscriber Numbers

The Universal Wireless Communications Consortium (UWCC; Redmond, WA) is forging an agreement to use an enhanced high-speed packet data system called Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution Compact (EDGE Compact) that will interoperate on both TDMA and GSM networks. The announcement was made at the UWCC annual Global Summit in Bal Harbour, FL.

EDGE Compact will support data rates up to 384 Kb/s with minimum spectral clearing (nominally 600 kHz plus guard band). This represents a 3 x 200 kHz carrier solution based on the EDGE technical proposal agreed to by the UWCC and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). EDGE is a high-speed data component of the UWCC's third generation (3G) technology proposal known as UWC-136.

UWCC also announced year-end 1998 and first quarter 1999 numbers for subscribers using the TDMA air interface. New consortium research shows the wireless standard continued its strong growth with first quarter 1999 worldwide subscribers amounting to 21.77 million and 18.61 million worldwide TDMA subscribers at the end of 1998.

The growth of worldwide subscribers from year-end 1997 of 9.2 million to year-end 1998 of 18.61 million represents an increase of more than 100%. In addition, as of first quarter 1999, UWCC subscribers using TDMA in North America was 11.1 million, and 7.5 million in South America.

The UWCC is a Bellevue, Washington-based international consortium of more than 100 wireless carriers and vendors supporting the TDMA and WIN technology standards. For more information on the consortium, visit http://www.uwcc.org.