Experiences of Ericsson's WCDMA evaluation system in the UK

Ericsson has developed the WCDMA based evaluation system to demonstrate the potential of the 3/sup rd/ generation (3G) mobile communications. It has been intended for field deployments on a limited scale in different parts of the world. In the UK, Ericsson has deployed a test network in Guildford, Surrey. The Guildford Test Network has been operational since February 1999, and in the process been utilised for the demonstration as well as quantitative analysis of the WCDMA technology. Field experiences from the test network in the UK as well as elsewhere in the world have been instrumental in Ericsson's contribution to the global standardisation activities such as 3GPP.