SK Telecom has launched the world’s first handset-based next-generation HSDPA network in cities across southern Korea using wireless broadband technology from LG-Nortel, a joint venture of LG Electronics and Nortel.

SK Telecom’s network is the first to provide HSDPA performance on handsets as well as data cards - ensuring high-speed, broadband wireless services are available to subscribers using either a handset or laptop computer. The services include high definition video-on-demand, MP3 streaming, multi-user mobile gaming, video calling, multimedia messaging and a host of other high bandwidth services. SK Telecom’s service is branded “3G+” and will initially cover 25 cities across the country, with roll out to an additional 59 cities planned by the end of the year.

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Tags: HSDPA, SK Telecom

Samsung this week launched the SCH-W200 phone in Korea . This is the first HSDPA phone commercially available for consumers in the Korea market.

Samsung’s new slide-up SCH-W200 employs the next-generation technology to transmit audio and video data at speeds of 1.8Mbps. The SCH-W200 allows users to enjoy a wide range of high quality multimedia, including video phone calls, music and movies.

The SCH-W200 is also the first phone equipped with a unique ‘Dual Band Dual Mode (DBDM)’ chip that supports 2G, 3G and 3.5G mobile communication services. It also supports multitasking functions allowing users to receive and send messages during video telephony and while listening to MP3 files.

Users can also enjoy watching mobile TV via Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (S-DMB) and take pictures with a high resolution 2 megapixel camera with auto focus function. It also offers other sophisticated multimedia features such as MP3 player function, text-to-speech (TTS) conversion, file viewer and supports an external memory (microSD) slot.

HSDPA, a new form of mobile broadband, is capable of transmitting data at speeds about seven to ten times faster than that of WCDMA. Users can enjoy large-scale multimedia downloads, such as DVD-quality movies and interactive multimedia games, with high-speed wireless Internet access comparable to speeds of fixed-line ADSL services.

The launch of the Samsung’s SCH-W200 marks the world’s first commercial HSDPA services in cooperation with SK Telecom, Korea ’s largest mobile service operator. Samsung will also be providing HSDPA handsets for KTF, Korea ’s second largest mobile service operator, in June.

SCH-W200 Specification:

• Standard CDMA 2000 1X EVDO / HSDPA
• Camera 2 Megapixel Camera
• Display 2.12” 240×320 262K Color TFT LCD
• Features Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (S-DMB)
• Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263 / H.264 )
• Video Telephony & Streaming
• MP3/ AAC / AAC+
• Dual Speaker / Digital Power Amp
• USB
• Document Viewer / TV-output
• External Memory (microSD)
• Size 99 x 48 x 22.8 mm
• Weight 115 g

Via SlashPhone

Tags: Samsung, HSDPA, DBDM

LG Electronics announced the launch of the LG-U900, the world’s first commercially available UMTS (WCDMA) DVB-H phone. The LG-U900 will be available early May through Hutchison, a leading global telecommunications services provider, in time for the 2006 World Cup.

Hutchison Italy, the country’s largest 3G telecommunications provider, has exclusive DVB-H broadcasting rights for the 2006 World Cup. The company will provide video footage of all World Cup matches beginning June 6, through the Hutchison’s service channels, ‘La3′. Hutchison plans to offer the LG UMTS (WCDMA) DVB-H phone to customers world-wide, after initially establishing a base in Italy.

Tags: DVB-H, World Cup, Hutchinson