3G to-Be? Wireless providers look to 2.5G as the next best thing. But is it enough?
By Mike Hogan
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
With their bid for 3G (or third generation) bandwidthforestalled, American wireless companies are aggressively upgradingtheir second generation networks so you can get some"3G-like" benefits without the wide wireless bands thatJapan and Europe enjoy.
Known as 2.5G, upgrades include faster Internet access, GPSlocation services, more reliable connections, greater callcapacity, advanced text messaging and always-on e-mail.
Cingular Wireless, America's second-largest network, willextend GSM to those still using TDMA transmissions and will addGPRS for packet data transmissions. All of Cingular's 22million customers will have optional GSM/GPRS by the end of 2004.AT&T Wireless, the third-largest U.S. carrier, expects to makeGSM/GPRS available to its 17.1 million subscribers by the end of2002.
Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS, the nation'sfirst and fourth largest carriers, respectively, say they'llget there by incrementally upgrading networks to the 3Gstandard.
Mike Hogan is Entrepreneur's technology editor. Write himat mhogan@entrepreneur.com.
