Cellular phone plan u.s

U.S West NewVector continu.s to spearhead the assimilation of code division multiple access (CDMA) digital technology into the cellular marketplace. Last week, the company signed a letter of intent and commenced negotiations with San Diego-based Qualcomm for a multi-year, strategic relationship in which Qualcomm will provide U.S West with CDMA digital cellular phones.

The agreement's terms require Qualcomm to deliver a minimum of 36,000 dual-mode analog/CDMA handsets to U.S West, with pre-production units available in mid-1993. CDMA, a spread-spectrum technique, is estimated to provides between 10-20 times more capacity than current analog technology.

In a recent interview, Qualcomm President Harvey White and U.S West's President and CEO John DeFeo told MOBILE PHONE NEWS Senior Editor Andrea Knotts Bona that Qualcomm can manufacture between 10,000 to 15,000 handsets per month.

White had a CDMA pre-production unit, the CD-7000, with him. The unit was comparable to top-of-the-line analog portable in features, size and weight.

...U.S West Committed to CDMA Last September

U.S West's commitment to CDMA, instead of the industry's time division multiple access (TDMA) digital standard, was illustrated with its purchase of CDMA digital switching equipment from Motorola Nortel Communications last September.

Pre-commercial system installation will begin in Seattle in 1993. with a commercial-ready system expected to be in place by late 1994. U.S West systematically will install CDMA in its cellular metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). The carrier is starting with Seattle and will follow with Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix and San Diego. The MSAs will create volume use for CDMA/analog handsets, which will bring equipment production prices down, White said. Currently, the CD-7000, handsets price is compatible with top-of-the-line analog portable phones, White said.

Although many consider CDMA applicable only to MSAs, White said the CDMA superiority will show up in the rural service areas (RSAs). "It will be pervasive in the RSAs," he added.

Rural market CDMA equipment installation currently is not part of U.S West's deployment plans, DeFeo said. "It will only be installed in select RSAs that are adjacent to our MSAs." For instance, the carrier will deploy CDMA equipment in the RSA between its Tu.son and Phoenix, Ariz., cellular markets, to provide contiguous digital coverage for the considerable roaming traffic between the cities.

...TDMA Deployment Continu.s

Although carriers including U.S West, PacTel and Ameritech advocate CDMA, many carriers such as McCaw and Southwestern Bell have committed to TDMA equipment deployment.

McCaw deployed Ericsson's TDMA equipment in its Florida cellular network and in New York City to increase system capacity.

TDMA can solve our immediate capacity problems in major markets such as New York City, said Bob Ratliffe, McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. vice president. McCaw plans to have the TDMA equipment paid for in two and a half years and then plan for the next generation cellular technology.

"We can have the TDMA equipment paid for before CDMA is rolled out," said Ratliffe. Although McCaw is deploying TDMA, the company is not turning a blind eye to CDMA's benefits. McCaw's network development will not stop with TDMA; the company plans to improve its future cellular network with the next generation of CDMA, said Ratliffe.