Check out the following link from Sprint/Nextel http://airave.sprint.com/
Just a brief description of what the Sprint Airave is and a comparison (technology only no pricing comparison) with UMAN technology such as T-Mobile @Home ....
The Sprint Airave can be viewed as a mini BTS (base trasceiver station) that resides in the customers premises (sounds like an oxymoron to have a Basestation CPE but yup!) and provides up to 5000 sq Ft of NLOS cellular voice and data coverage. The hardware that sprint is currently trialing in Indianapolis and Denver (as of August 2007 with full launch slated for 1Q, 2008) is a Samsung Ubicell femtocell. The samsung Ubicell is available in CDMA 850 and 1900MHz (which is what Sprint uses) as well as WCDMA (for traditional GSM carriers -- no offering in the U.S yet).
This device/service is very similar to T-Mobiles @Home UMAN (Unlicensed Mobile Access Network). Most notable difference in my opinion is really the authentication & multiuser access provisions, air interface and handset support. T-Mobile @Home allows any number of concurrent users (limited mainly by WiFi limitations) and each user may be allowed/denied access using regular WiFi security features WEP, WPA etc. On the other hand Sprint Airave is limited to 3 concurrent users and user access is based on the Sprint phone number. T-Mobile at Home UMAN uses a WiFi air interface to connect the handset to the CPE wheras Airave uses Cellular frequency band. This leads to one major positive thing about Sprint Airave in that it allows any CDMA handset to be used since the phone does not need any special chipset as does the T-Mobile @Home that requires a phone with UMAN/WiFi RF & baseband chipsets (such as the Nokia 6086, Samsung T409, Blackberry Curve).
Both the T-Mobile @Home UMA and the Sprint Airave Femtocell allow seamless handoff between the CPE and the Cellular Basestation. Currently there's no handoff between Samsung Ubicell devices in the Airave service but for T-Mobile @Home handoff can happen from CPE to BTS and viceversa and between CPE's. The Ubicell can also support CDMA200 1xRTT, EVDO although the Airave just has support for 1xRTT.
The Samsung Ubicell also has integrated GPS. This is most likely for E911 service as well as to probably allow for Sprint to control where device is used due to market licensing agreements with affiliates.
Basically the Airave just like the T-Mobile @Home and other such RAN (Radio Access Network) technologies are a win-win for the Carrier and the Subscriber. For the carrier they offer increased cellular voice and data capacity and coverage at a reduced capex & opex and offer scalable & rapid deployment possibility whereas for the user the move to an IP based backhual of cellular traffic means lower cost per minute of use (typically unlimited minutes for low cost). This is how carriers will overcome the capacity limitation often sited by 4G oponents. Will be interesting to see how Sprint integrates this with its WiMax offering (branded Xohm).
Just a brief description of what the Sprint Airave is and a comparison (technology only no pricing comparison) with UMAN technology such as T-Mobile @Home ....
The Sprint Airave can be viewed as a mini BTS (base trasceiver station) that resides in the customers premises (sounds like an oxymoron to have a Basestation CPE but yup!) and provides up to 5000 sq Ft of NLOS cellular voice and data coverage. The hardware that sprint is currently trialing in Indianapolis and Denver (as of August 2007 with full launch slated for 1Q, 2008) is a Samsung Ubicell femtocell. The samsung Ubicell is available in CDMA 850 and 1900MHz (which is what Sprint uses) as well as WCDMA (for traditional GSM carriers -- no offering in the U.S yet).
This device/service is very similar to T-Mobiles @Home UMAN (Unlicensed Mobile Access Network). Most notable difference in my opinion is really the authentication & multiuser access provisions, air interface and handset support. T-Mobile @Home allows any number of concurrent users (limited mainly by WiFi limitations) and each user may be allowed/denied access using regular WiFi security features WEP, WPA etc. On the other hand Sprint Airave is limited to 3 concurrent users and user access is based on the Sprint phone number. T-Mobile at Home UMAN uses a WiFi air interface to connect the handset to the CPE wheras Airave uses Cellular frequency band. This leads to one major positive thing about Sprint Airave in that it allows any CDMA handset to be used since the phone does not need any special chipset as does the T-Mobile @Home that requires a phone with UMAN/WiFi RF & baseband chipsets (such as the Nokia 6086, Samsung T409, Blackberry Curve).
Both the T-Mobile @Home UMA and the Sprint Airave Femtocell allow seamless handoff between the CPE and the Cellular Basestation. Currently there's no handoff between Samsung Ubicell devices in the Airave service but for T-Mobile @Home handoff can happen from CPE to BTS and viceversa and between CPE's. The Ubicell can also support CDMA200 1xRTT, EVDO although the Airave just has support for 1xRTT.
The Samsung Ubicell also has integrated GPS. This is most likely for E911 service as well as to probably allow for Sprint to control where device is used due to market licensing agreements with affiliates.
Basically the Airave just like the T-Mobile @Home and other such RAN (Radio Access Network) technologies are a win-win for the Carrier and the Subscriber. For the carrier they offer increased cellular voice and data capacity and coverage at a reduced capex & opex and offer scalable & rapid deployment possibility whereas for the user the move to an IP based backhual of cellular traffic means lower cost per minute of use (typically unlimited minutes for low cost). This is how carriers will overcome the capacity limitation often sited by 4G oponents. Will be interesting to see how Sprint integrates this with its WiMax offering (branded Xohm).
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