The press release is pretty stingy with the information. That shortened link is just their facebook page which doesn't have any more info yet. Cox Communications Info | Facebook They don't provide any way to sign-up. These are 700MHz band licenses and they are not nationwide. The technology is CDMA EV-DO then to LTE in the future. Here they are in the WA database: Omaha, NE http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/zipcode-search/9O3P4t0b4a Hampton Roads area of VA http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/zipcode-search/da1c7O5b0n Orange County, CA (could they be more vague?)
According to this article, Cox is building a CDMA network on the 700mhz band, but little else is mentioned. Cox Communications May Build Out Wireless Network | mocoNews According to another article from the same source, their eventual plan is to upgrade to LTE: Cox Says It Will Apply Learnings From Previous Failures In New Wireless Venture | mocoNews Some other articles I found on the subject have stated no specific phones mentioned, nor rates or much of anything else, other than the fact they're launching it in the three markets mentioned. Hopefully more descriptive details will follow soon...
More articles: RCR News Cox launches wireless service - Carriers - RCR Wireless News FierceWireless Cox rolls out initial wireless test markets - FierceWireless
Wow, they are building a CDMA network inthe year 2009, after the 2G technology has pretty much been declared dead? That's like announcing you're opening a video-cassette rental shop. And CDMA on 700Mhz...that's a first. of course it'll make the swap to 700Mhz LTE easier, but why not just go streight to LTE? I don't get COX's strategy (...and of course I won't comment on Huawei as an equipment vendor :badidea
Currently there are no LTE phones available. They'd have no roaming partners, since no one has deployed LTE. In other words, they'd be dooming the business before it even started. Presumably, by CDMA, they're actually referring to EV-DO rev A.
They are using Sprint's network to start out with while they build their own. I don't believe they actually have any cell sites of their own right now.
I've been told that modern CDMA equipment is easy and relatively cheap to upgrade to LTE. I've also been told that COX has experience with CDMA from previous ventures. If true, it would make sense that they'd take a CDMA path to LTE.
From what I read their cell sites in the markets mentioned are already running on a test basis with Sprint roaming outside of those areas. The service is already under testing/commissioning. From what I gather from the media and reading about Huawei's technology Cox is taking a CDMA 1X Voice and EV-DO REV. A data path with eventual migration to LTE on the wireless interface. Supposedly their also testing LTE. See this Huawei press release: Huawei-Huawei to Provide CDMA Technology For Cox Communications' Wireless Network So 3900 Base Stations and their 4th Generation BTS. BTW, from what I gather Huawei's technology is also used in Cricket's deployment (now live) in the Midwest and West coast and is pretty amazing. (Not an expert on this, just a geek so this is what I read). They're the first technology vendor to do ALL-IP end to end and soft-switching from the base station back to the IP-RAN (Internet Protocol Radio Access Network) and MSC and eventually using media gateways to the TDM/PSTN if required and can interconnect directly with other carriers using VoIP or their own subscribers dramatically saving cost and energy resources. Essentially it's an IP-NGN Virtualized (think virtualization of compute servers but this time it's switching resources) Wireless Network. With this they can decrease cost while increasing capacity dramatically (remember IP transmission of voice compressed with same voice quality requires only 20% of the resources of TDM). This way with one traditional T1 line (though Cox supposedly is doing fiber to the cell sites since it's in their Cable footprint) they can have 5x the # of circuits theoretically versus traditional TDM. All this with no quality loss and extensive internal QoS implementation. See: Huawei-Radio Access Network Huawei-Convergence & Transformation Their SingleRAN solution + IP convergence technology is pretty amazing I must say.
Are you saying they have their own cell sites deployed already? Here in Orange County, CA that is not the case as I haven't seen a single cell site from them yet.
I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait until Q1 of '10 for the launch. Their launch is pretty innovative, the first cable company launching a wireless service. Hmm... With LTE they can easily expand their footprint and offer ultra-fast wireless broadband services in '10 and '11. We'll eventually see how their quad-play bundle will play out possibly (only other vendor with this is AT&T and Verizon if you count Verizon Wireless and Verizon Communications together).
