IPWireless, which is located in San Bruno, California, develops and markets technology based on the UMTS TDD, also known as UMTS TD-CDMA, standard for third-generation mobile communications. Unlike the more widely known W-CDMA and CDMA2000, UMTS TD-CDMA is designed for data rather than voice traffic, and competes with Qualcomm Inc’s CDMA450, and Flash-OFDM, which is developed by Flarion whose acquisition by Qualcomm recently cleared regulatory hurdles.
Sprint Nextel is running a trial of the technology in Washington, DC, offering mobile broadband connectivity for laptops, desktops, and PDAs. It has previously trialed Flash-OFDM, and last September announced an agreement with Samsung to test mobile WiMAX. IPWireless is the only company in the mobile broadband space to have received funding from the carrier, however. The ISV has raised $200m since its foundation in 1999.
