“The European mobile industry stands to benefit significantly from the potential redeployment of the 900 MHz band for UMTS/HSDPA. Qualcomm is working with its European partners to drive the development of products and services in this band at a nascent stage through the leadership of our dedicated European Engineering Services Group,” explained Andrew Gilbert, executive vice president and president of Qualcomm Internet Services, MediaFLO Technologies and Qualcomm Europe.

“The financial and network advantages are numerous for operators redeploying in the 900 Mhz band currently used for 2G services. However, consumers will also find that their experience of 3G is richer and more rewarding, which will drive the development of new revenue streams for all members of the value chain in Europe,” Gilbert concluded.

“UMTS 900 is an excellent frequency for both urban and rural areas, as base stations will provide broader and stronger coverage, both external and in-building, than the 2100 MHz frequency spectrum currently being used by European operators,” said Mario Perez, Network Access Development Director of Mobile Business Unit in Telefónica Espa?a. “Working with Huawei and Qualcomm on this trial has confirmed that we may use UMTS 900 to extend our 3G service offerings more rapidly.”

With offices in Europe, Qualcomm’s Engineering Services Group (ESG) partners with operators and vendors to assist in the successful deployment, optimization and evolution of 3G HSPA and UMTS networks. ESG offers expertise in 3GPP standards, including developments in UMTS/HSPA and OFDM-based technologies. ESG’s hands-on engineering approach provides operators with tailored solutions in areas such as RF design, coverage and capacity planning, network optimization, and new technology trials.