-- Launch of the world's fastest UMTS network - UMTS TDD
-- Complementary data services - high speed data anytime, anywhere
-- Substitution of fixed DSL brings real freedom to users
PRAGUE, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- T-Mobile Czech Republic today announced a
new data access strategy tailored to address the needs of the Czech market.
The company will launch a wireless broadband network based on UMTS TDD
technology from IPWireless in Prague by year-end, nationwide coverage to be
built during consequent months. The new technology will bring businesses and
individuals faster, more economical data access services which can fully
substitute fixed ADSL.
The Czech market has one of the lowest broadband penetration rates in
Central Europe but increasing computer penetration has only whetted the
appetite for true broadband services - a hunger that T-Mobile plans to satiate
with its world-class wireless broadband offering at very attractive prices.
Broadband currently reaches only 2 per cent of the Czech population while EU
average is around 10 per cent.
"Today we announce a major step in our strategy based on customers' wishes
- we commit ourselves to broadband data as the second business focus area,"
says Roland Mahler, Managing Director of T-Mobile CZ, adding: "We firmly
believe the wireless broadband technology will provide all fixed network
services and the strategy will clearly give T-Mobile further boost on its way
to being the number one operator in the Czech Republic."
T-Mobile aims to maximize the value of its acquired UMTS license by using
UMTS TDD technology operating in its "unpaired" 1.9 GHz UMTS spectrum. It will
be the world's fastest commercial UMTS network, capable of delivering peak
sector speeds of up to 4.5 Mbps (average user experience runs to 512 Kbps).
T-Mobile also plans to extend its wireless broadband footprint in first
phase till summer 2006 to cover nearly half of the Czech population by
leveraging the same UMTS TDD technology in the 872 MHz spectrum that it
recently acquired. In this manner, T-Mobile will be able to offer its superior
performance in more than 85 cities. By introducing this "portable DSL"
product, T-Mobile will be able to build on the success of its fixed-mobile
substitution effort. For the first time, Czech customers will be able to
completely give up their fixed lines provided by the incumbent operator and
become completely unwired both for voice and data access while increasing the
comfort, speed, flexibility and reliability of their communication experience.
To further fortify its mobile data leadership on the Czech market, T-
Mobile Czech Republic also continues to upgrade its existing 2.5G GPRS network
to the significantly faster EDGE technology. EDGE can deliver the most
relevant 3G UMTS services, but with much broader coverage and lower rollout
costs. The build-out of the nationwide EDGE network will provide a solid base
from which to deliver a high performance, "3G-like" user experience anytime,
anywhere. By combining UMTS TDD wireless broadband and EDGE in easy-to-use,
plug-and-play devices, T-Mobile Czech Republic will provide the best "seamless
access" and an "always best connected" user experience.
T-Mobile Czech Republic will also enhance its 3G offering by introducing
the next generation of UMTS FDD technology (HSDPA/HSUPA) as soon as it has
proven to be a stable and viable commercial offering.
This focus on bringing to market only the most advanced technologies also
ensures alignment between technology performance, economics and the Czech
customers' demand for value added data services.
UMTS TDD
UMTS TDD, a 3GPP-based technology, is the mobile broadband solution
designed for GSM operators. Its high average sector capacity, strong cell
edge performance, and low cost per megabit make it an ideal technology for
mass market mobile broadband networks. UMTS TDD has emerged as a leading
global standard for mobile broadband with commercial deployments in numerous
countries around the world including Australia, Germany, Lithuania, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and
the United States.
About IPWireless
IPWireless offers advanced standards-based mobile broadband technology
that drastically improves the way people connect and communicate at home, at
the office, or on the road. With a full range of commercially available
network solutions and devices based on the UMTS standard, IPWireless allows
operators to offer Complete 3G, a spectrum of completely mobile, portable, or
stationary packet-based services with unmatched economics and true broadband
performance. The IPWireless Partner Program and chipsets allow device
manufacturers and infrastructure vendors to very quickly bring innovative new
TD-CDMA solutions to market. IPWireless is a founding member of the Global
UMTS TDD Alliance. For more information, visit the company's Web site at
http://www.ipwireless.com .
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s. has been operating in the Czech market since
1996 and provides its services to individuals and corporations, as well as
public authorities. Besides tariff programmes, it also offers services for
users of prepaid Twist cards and services tailored to the needs of the
business segment. As of the end of 1Q 2005, almost 4.4 million customers were
using its services.
T-Mobile is a member of the international telecommunications group
T-Mobile International, which is one of the world's leading companies in
mobile communications. By Q1 2005, nearly 80 million customers were served in
nine T-Mobile markets.
For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.cz or
http://www.t-mobile.net .
SOURCE T-Mobile Czech Republic
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.t-mobile.cz
http://www.t-mobile.net http://www.ipwireless.com
CONTACT:
Jiri Hajek, Vice President Corporate
Communication, +420 603 601 030, or ji.hajek@t-mobile.cz ,
Martina Kemrova, Head of External Communication, +420 603 601
150, martina.kemrova@t-mobile.cz , both of T-Mobile Czech
Republic a.s.; or Madelyn Smith, Director, Communications of
IPWireless, +1-703-548-3738, msmith@ipwireless.com
|
