Europe : As far as technology is concerned, T-Mobile Austria is focusing on UMTS and the next-generation technology of HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access).

Next year, thanks to HSDPA, T-Mobile will be able to offer a turbocharger that will make UMTS download times ten times faster – and it is by no means slow at present. Siemens will provide the necessary network infrastructure and an HSDPA data card for laptops. The two companies will be holding a demonstration event to showcase the practical applications which HSDPA makes possible.

“HSDPA is the next step for UMTS, the third generation in mobile communications,” says Dr. Georg Pölzl, CEO of T-Mobile Austria. “Using HSDPA-based applications, activities such as surfing the web on your mobile or downloading high data volumes such as music all become faster and easier.“ As of 2006, it will be possible to download data at a speed of around 1.8 Mbps. This is five times faster than current download speeds. And in 2007, this speed is to be doubled to 3.6 Mbps.

Together with Siemens, T-Mobile Austria will be presenting real-life applications for this new technology including downloading music videos and video streams. The partners will be demonstrating fast web browsing and real-time images on a live cam. With HSDPA, these applications can function at speeds that are even faster than ADSL.

“HSDPA is the next stage in the evolution of mobile communications and by introducing this new technology, Austria is again playing the role of pioneer in the European mobile communications arena. We are proud to be on board as system suppliers to T-Mobile Austria with an integrated end-to-end solution. In addition to the network infrastructure and the other applications which have already been implemented, we will be launching an HSDPA data card for mobile Internet access on to the Austrian market at the end of 2005,” explains Franz Geiger, a member of the Board at Siemens AG Österreich.

“The fact that we belong to the T-Mobile Group means that we are always among the front-runners in technology,” says Georg Pölzl. “In Austria, we benefit both from the joint purchasing of technology and, more importantly, from joint testing opportunities. This allows us to make the best possible use of synergies.”

“We are currently expanding our UMTS network in line with our schedule for roll-out,” says Günther Ottendorfer, IT and technology director at T-Mobile Austria. “At the current time we have provided more than 50% of the Austrian population with UMTS, which means we have already fulfilled the regulatory requirements for 2005. In the medium term, we will be providing UMTS to the whole of Austria. As for our long-term objectives, we are already investing in HSDPA technology, the offspring of UMTS." The network set up by Siemens will be easy to migrate to the new technology. In the medium term, T-Mobile and Siemens will be equipping all UMTS base stations with special software components.