Almost all new wireless CDMA operators in the world, especially which deployed in GSM technology market environment, face a bad situation in terminal issues. The existing market has been developed by GSM technology, where the subscriber can do provisioning GSM service easily.
Applicant subscriber can buy handset anywhere and can choose a starter pack card of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) as they like, set it into their handset and a few moments later can enjoy the service. It can be done because all the required parameters to acquire GSM system network have been moved into SIM card.
Picture 1. Videophone terminal
Unlike the GSM system, the service provisioning procedure of users in the CDMA system shall be registered together with Electronic Sequence Number (ESN) by customer service operator person. So, the applicant subscriber has to do parameter setting in order to the used terminal can acquire CDMA network. It isn’t practical and complicated for applicant subscriber to apply as a customer. And surely the parameter setting is not easy even though for an engineer. Each terminal has different method how to access service programming code (SPC) that is a code to get access in changing parameter.
Two Different Worlds
The GSM and the CDMA system are coming from different world, which is one is coming from Europe Continent and another one is born in North America. In the beginning of GSM is started in 1982 when European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT) in France, agreed the technology as selected mobile telecommunication technology that capable to accommodate state interest of member states. Several requirements that become main focus the telecommunication system requirement they wanted to develop are: the first can be used for mobility even though cross a country and come into the other country, change from one operator to another operator or have a roaming capability. Meanwhile, the other requirement is the system has simplicity when provisioning or how an applicant subscriber can be a user services. Most of the countries condition in Europe has relative small area, so when a subscriber is traveling from one country to another country it should be in the same network system, the subscriber must be able for roaming to the new operator in pertinent state. For that moment, the technology has to be agreed as joint adoption system by neighborhoods countries.
The second requirement is to answer that previously the mobile telecommunication handset is very big and the weight is more than 1 kilograms not like now that the average weight between 85 to 115 grams. It would be complicated to bring the big terminal and its charger when traveling. In order to possible subscribers from France when traveling to England just bring an ID card that represented with SIM Card and when arrived at the destination country they can rent the handset from terminal rental. Then GSM system can be roaming between operators only by SIM Card.
The CDMA system is born in the country that has wide area and doesn’t need roaming inter operator as frequent as in Europe states. The main objectives of the network operator is the capability of the system how to cover the wider service area, higher capacity, and more secure system than the older system. The operator also support in handset subsidize to customer so it isn’t too difficult for an applicant customer who want enjoying mobile telecommunication service because when the applicant customer buy handset, automatically had been done provisioning service. Thereby, CDMA technology not too apprehensive with the problem of applicant customer for provisioning and unthinkable that customers have to change operator because it does not happen in there. Finally, the CDMA operator usually buy all at once a package of handset and automatically subscribtion the service.
Certification Regime
All GSM operators in the world automatically will be a member of GSM Association (GSMA). Beside controlling inter roaming GSM issue in the world, GSMA also has authority to do certification of GSM handset that produced by the manufacture to be sold onto GSMA members. That is the reason why GSM handset has capability relative similar and high quality even different manufacture. Even in the other country such as England and Singapore, GSM operators also buy handset for their customers but GSM operators in Indonesia it wouldn’t be a problem when applying liberal market. All GSM handset can be used to be subscriber in whoever operators.
In CDMA technology environment, almost all operators buy terminal for their customers. Thus, the operator can control terminal quality which will be used by applicant subscriber with determining specification previously and then delivered to the manufacture to be produced. As an example operator such as Sprint PCS in Amerika and South Korean Telecom (SK Tel) in South Korea corporating with Samsung for supplying handset that would be used by applicant subscriber. When CDMA operator in Indonesia applying policy as GSM operators, that enable to buy handset by theirselves, they’re facing big problem from parameter setting up to get the low terminal quality. It is due to there is no regime that capable to force vendors of CDMA handset to do certification before launching to the market.
IS-95 and CDMA 2000 Terminals
The CDMA terminal evolution from IS-95 stage to CDMA 2000 stage is very significant. Start from changing of signalling channel, channel number used, modulation, up to data speed that finnaly the service capability could be deliberately supported. In channel utilization there are differences between CDMA IS-95A/B and CDMA 2000 1X system as declared in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison of IS-95AB and IS-2000 system
The CDMA 2000 infrastructure is able to support services for customer whether they are using IS-95 or using IS-2000 terminal which is moving in its service area (backward compatible). However the CDMA2000 infrastructure will have optimum capabilities if all terminals in its service area use Revision 6 Protocol signaling. The IS-95A/B terminal is not supporting Quick Paging Channel (QPCH) that will be waste in battery consumption and slower response when paged by system. Sometimes, because it doesn’t support good power control, IS 95A/B terminal will give serious interference to base station as well, and it is disturbing system.
Wireless telecommunication industry on CDMA-based technology is intensively affected by chipset technology, the function is processing from base band signal to Radio Frequency (RF) signal and conversely, intellectual property rights is held by Qualcomm, Inc only. The processor chipset is performed in terminal side that we call Mobile Station Modem (MSM) and in the base station side that we call Cell Station Modem (CSM). Basicaly, the main differentiation between DMA IS-95A/B terminal and CDMA2000 terminal can be seen from used chipset. So, it possible for CDMA IS95A/B terminal to be up-graded to CDMA2000 terminal.
Picture 2. IS-95A/B Terminal can be upgraded into IS-2000
The IS-95A/B terminal system that has been upgraded into IS-2000 terminal may acquire the CDMA2000 network system well. But, from supporting component side such as keypad, speaker, display and another input -output interface probably will not be well supported anymore. If those kinds of terminal remain in the market, the service wouldn’t be satisfying customers.
CCF and CDG GHRC
Actually since March 2004, in Bali, Indonesia, it had been found a CDMA community forum that is CDMA Certification Forum (CCF). The forum is corporation among vendors,network provider operators and independent party to build and develop certification process in order to be able to guarantee the quality of reliable terminal globally. While the CCF handle about how is the certification process, the Global Handset Requirement for CDMA (GHRC) that existed under CDG develops the necessity document and terminal (handset) specification in order to be compatible with the market and provider network operator. GHRC members are representing delegation from vendors and operators also another institution.
In the event of both institution work effectively, it is expecting the certification process and good quality terminal that come into market will be more compatible to CDMA network provided by operator. The terminal problem sold in the market such as unsensitive antena reception, unstandardized keypad, weak speaker, and unexecutable aplication will be solved. At the latest meeting in Sao Paolo, Brazil (July 14-15, 2005), CCF declared that the terminal certification will begin to be done to any CDMA terminal vendor in early of 2006.
Probably most of us still want to raise question what test items are covered in CCF document. The document basically contents test plan for testing the handset before release to the market that consists of C.P0058 and CDG 64-based. The documents include to test the terminal in term of interoperability and stability & performance. The test list are handoff, power control, features, packet and circuit data comunication, 1XEV-DO capability and other function like signaling.
The Future of GSM and CDMA Market Prediction
During less than 3 years on commercial the performance of TELKOMFlexi as operator CDMA2000 have taken more than million customer. Beside that, another CDMA2000 operator such as Mobile8, Esia, and also Starone start intensively fight to get the market in Indonesia which is still opened and far from saturation, because density of the phone is still 19% (fixed and cellular) from total population. The market which is being fought is the rest market of GSM operator. That system has been existing previously, more wider in national coverage, and has full mobility. It is undeniable that the market is lower-middle class and price sensitive. With cheaper cost structure, the CDMA operators have strong competitivenes to grab the market, while service quality aspect and offered application is not too bad even more higher in some services such as data packet service, if compared to service offered by today’s GSM operators.
Beside that, unlike CDMA terminal in the other CDMA country, except China, customer of CDMA wireless phone in Indonesia can change their terminal as they will like what they doin using the GSM terminal, because implementation of Removable User Identity Module (RUIM) similar with SIM in GSM system. It is estimated in the future, the market of CDMA terminal will be more interesting and enthusiastic with those conditions and surely big vendors of the terminal such as Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung seriously play in the market. According to the customers growth and the number of terminal vendor get increased in Indonesia market will cause decreasing price and the terminal is more ubiquitous.
How Operators do Handle The Problem
To guarantee terminal which fulfill requirements and to avoid bad quality terminal available in the market it is necesarry to attempt a certification process for terminal strategy before it launched in term of market applies liberalization like in Indonesia. This strategy is to guarantee the electrical requirements, signalling requirements, system capability requirements, system stability requirements and functional requirements of terminal could be fulfilled sothe better service would be reached. There are 2 methods can be taken by wireless operator in Indonesia:
First, buy terminal from vendor
With buying terminal from vendor, the operator can control the needed requirement so the given terminal to the customer is quality guaranteed.
Secondly, being a member and also following certification that will be done by CDMA Certification Forum (CCF).
Conclusion
Terminal is very important thing for wireless network operators to give realiable service for their customer. However it wouldn’t mean how excelent the infrastructures and services are offered to customer by operator if the realible terminal is scarce and its price is not affordable for customer. Wireless network operators should allocate cost in order to the terminal well managed and establishing a special structural unit in their company organization to handle the terminal problem if they want to get success in their services.
Hazim Ahmadi, The author is an engineer of wireless access laboratory in TELKOM Research and Development Center. He is a member of CDMA Development Group (www.cdg.org) as Global Handset Requirements for Handset (GHRC) team member which is responsible in developing specification requirements and standardization CDMA terminal globally. He is also a member of Steering Committee of CDMA Certification Forum (www.globalccf.org) who is responsible in certification process for CDMA handset globally.
Reference:
3G Wireless Networks, Clint Smith and Daniel Collins, McGraw Hill, New York, 2002
CDMA Certification Froum (CCF), www.globalccf.org
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