Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)

[IronAir]

Q "pulls a NOK" on 802.20
so says Navini Networks Paul Prudhomme (manager, product management) in the following article --> http://www.itworldcanada.com/index.cfm/ci_id/43210.htm
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Politics may kill new spec - Network World Canada
May 13, 2003

A new wireless specification, 802.20, could combine the speed of Wi-Fi access and the range of cellular networks for a rich end-user experience — if the spec survives the standards-making process.

There are no guarantees that it will. It seems 802.20 is at the centre of a political tug-of-war that could hinder its development, according to industry insiders.

(excerpts)

Prudhomme said firms like Qualcomm Inc. came to the meeting. Qualcomm works with 3G technology — the next-generation of cellular networks. 3G is supposed to make wide-area infrastructure support data rates north of 1Mbps, just as 802.20 proposes to do.

Prudhomme, whose company floats a version of 802.20 that employs multicaster synchronous CDMA technology, said 3G interests might be jeopardized if the fledgling spec got off the ground. “Qualcomm, they have their 3G evolution business,” he said. “It's at risk.”

Prudhomme wondered if the 3G reps would leverage their powerful positions on the 802.20 WG to impede the new specification's development. “I think the strategy would be to slow down [802.20] activity. If it slows down, that gives Qualcomm an advantage. If it accelerated very quickly, that puts Qualcomm at a disadvantage.”

more --> http://www.itworldcanada.com/index.cfm/ci_id/43210.htm

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Also, here is some anti-Q argument from a FF-board post found at --> http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=m&board=4686818&tid=qcom&sid=468...
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All three technologies — 802.16, 802.20 and 3G — have enormous market potential, with each segment representing an estimated 200 million devices in the United States alone. While there is some market overlap among these segments, each has its distinct applications and device segments that these standards are optimized to address. Whether looking at the user application, service or device, each is optimal for the segment it was originally intended to serve.

To date, the 802.20 group has received numerous contributions from companies representing nearly every corner of the industry, including telecom, wireless, computing, networking and public safety/homeland security. Technical contributions range from an analysis of requirements (channel models, traffic/data message models, etc.) to potential air interfaces for both FDD and TDD applications, spanning a wide array of technologies, including OFDM spread-spectrum techniques and smart antennas. The initial technical progress and broad industry support put the 802.20 group well on the path of delivering a compelling new standard in the late 2004-early 2005 time frame and, with it, addressing the enormous market potential for IP-based mobile broadband access in a way that is complementary to both 802.16 and 3G.

from '802.20 unlocks the potential for IP-based mobile broadband access'
By Peter Carson,Vice President of Marketing, Flarion Technologies, Bedminster, N.J.
EE Times
May 16, 2003 (11:50 a.m. ET)
http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030516S0031

4G Wi-Fi Plans Sabotaged: The 802.20 proposal promises multi-megabit mobility using the OFDM protocol, as opposed to the CDMA and TDMA protocols of 3G that have seen massive ongoing investment.
http://www.telecomtv.com/newComms.php?cd_id=2412