SK Telecom(www.sktelecom.com) has launched world's first cell phone based HSDPA commercial service. But actual download speed was clocked in just 2 times faster than EV-DO(2.5 Gen).

SK Telecom has begun commercial cell phone services called '3G+' using the 3.5 generation mobile phone technology HSDPA(High Speed Downlink Packet Access) as world's first in cell phone industry from 16th April.

Prep for EV-DO, In theory 6 times faster but just 2 times faster
More than anything consumers were interested in speed of data transfer rate of HSDPA over existing CDMA 1x EV-DO(1x Evolution Data & Voice) to see how much faster it was.

The HSDPA technology was developed by improving existing 3rd generation mobile communication WCDMA with maximum download rate of 14.4Mbs which in theory is known to be 6 to 7 times faster than EV-DO.

SK Telecom demonstrated side by side comparison of download speed between the EV-DO and HSDPA using two cell phones in MIC's(Ministry of Information and Communication) briefing room. Downloading 3.4Meg music file took 2 min. 3 sec using the EV-DO phone and HSDPA phone took 57 seconds for the same download. In actuality reduced time was less than anticipated, only 2 times faster.

Managing director of SKT Seung-Yun Ahn said "Samsung's W200 HSDPA phone which just came out supports up to 1.8Mbps download speed and in early 2007 it should increase up to 3.6Mps, by end of 2007, up to 7.2Mbps and in 2008, up to 14.4Mbps will be possible."

Dropouts in playback blamed on Cell phone's performance
On this day's demonstration event included performance of multi tasking capability with video telephone call. Like while downloading files, search the news headlines and also combining that with video phone call. But even with the fully downloaded file, playback was breaking or pausing slightly which can only be expected with real time streaming.

In response to that an affiliate from SKT said "Problems with playback interruptions are not due to the wireless data network but rather due to the sub performance of the processor chip within the cell phone and it should get solved when the internal chip and its configurations are optimized."

In addition to the demonstrated Samsung's W200, within this June, LG Electronics have plans to come out with their HSDPA 'SH-100' with 4 to 5 more other models.

The Samsung's W200 includes satellite DMB feature with dual support to both CDMA and WCDMA and it also supports EV-DO for those areas that are not within a HSDPA mobile communication network.

'W200' will initially sell in mid $70 range but WCDMA phones get rebates up to $30, so the actual cost should be about $40.

PCMCIA Card coming out in July
SK Telecom's HSDPA service networks currently covers Seoul, Inchon, Taegu, Daejun, Jeju with up to 25 cities and with in this year it will expand its service coverage to 84 cities.

MIC's communication use policy team director Sang-Jin Lee said "We forecast that SKT will expand its HSDPA services to nationwide within this year but we expect to see that happen sooner than that. It will be same for KTF(www.ktf.co.kr) too."

HSDPA service is available in 12 countries world wide already but all of them require Notebook PC using its PCMCIA method. On that note, an affiliate from SKT said "coming this July we will supply the PCMCIA Card for wireless internet access for the notebook PCs."