Telus Mobility became the latest telecommunications carrier in Canada to offer the 1X wireless network solution that looks to increase connection time to the Internet and corporate networks while spreading out the reach of mobile accessibility.
The solution, called Velocity wireless is a packet data network that promises speeds equal to or better than wireline dial-up technology. It operates on the Code Division multiple Access 1X 2000 Radio Transmission Technology (CDMA2000 1XRTT) or the abbreviated 1X system.
Telus claims that the 1X is capable of Internet access speeds as high as 144 kilobits per second (Kbps) but with a more typical throughout of closer to 60Kbps.
Last March, Bell Mobility also launched its 1X network and both carriers are now operating under 2.5G standards. But with all the hype and expectations still around the arrival of 3G, Ilona Torok said that realistically, it would take at least another three years to have 3G in place. The Vancouver-based product marketing manager for Telus Mobility also said that customers shouldn’t expect connection speeds of 144Kbps.
“40 (to) 60Kbps is what we’re giving clients as a reliable experience. These speeds are what we’re confirming as reliable (and that’s) about the same speed as wireline dial up access,” she said.
With the promise of more speed also comes enhanced application possibilities. She noted that in western Canada, clients were able to perform such tasks as corporate e-mail, inventory systems and virtual private network access (VPN) with 19.2Kbps. Under 1X, services such as interactive games, mobile business applications and possibly in the future-streaming videos along with similar multimedia applications could be realized.
And with a voice service agreement already in place between Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility, she speculated that a similar deal could be struck under 1X for roaming ingress by the third quarter.
The 1X network is now available in major cities across Canada including Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Toronto and Southern Ontario, Victoria and Winnipeg. Services will also be expanded into the U.S. through a partnership roaming agreement with Telus partner Verizon in 2002.
Telus can be contacted at http://www.telusmobility.com