CDMA 2000 and Wideband Code-Division Multiple-Access (W-CDMA) are the two main technologies used to implement 3G cellular systems. In 2005, cellular operators continued to steadily roll out new 3G systems, although the rate of new deployments has slowed, according to the market research and consulting firm In-Stat; 35 new W-CDMA systems were deployed last year as well as seven new CDMA2000 1X EV-DO systems. In-Stat further predicts that the worldwide 3G subscriber base will grow from 29.1 million in 2004 to 540 million in 2010.

Mobile phone operators using the GSM system are following an upgrade path to 3G from their 2G networks via W-CDMA (also sometimes referred to as UMTS). ABI Research, a provider of technology research reports, puts the number of W-CDMA subscriptions at the end of 2005 at 42 million, representing a year-on-year growth rate of 142 percent compared to 2004. The research firm calls 2006 "The Year of the 3G Phone" and predicts that by the end of 2010 there will be one billion 3G subscribers worldwide, which will equate to 30 percent of the global subscriber market.

The newest high-speed W-CDMA upgrade is known as HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access). A high-capacity 3G technology that allows users to enjoy broadband speeds on the move, HSDPA operates over a 5-MHz bandwidth and brings an important capability enhancement to W-CDMA: higher speed to meet the demands of video streaming. HSDPA handsets will enable mobile phone users to rapidly download video clips and music tracks, make video calls, play fast online games and enjoy other rich multimedia services.

HSDPA appears to have strong traction among W-CDMA carriers, and many are planning to, or are in the process of, upgrading to it. Cingular, for example, announced availability of HSDPA at speeds of 400-700 kbps for laptops using a PC modem card in 16 cities in December 2005 under the brand name "BroadbandConnect". HP is expected to expand its range of broadband wireless notebooks to integrate Cingular's HSDPA-based technology later this year. 

Samsung Telecommunications America’s zx20 is expected to be the first HSDPA phone in the U.S. First unveiled at the 2006 International CES, the phone offers download speeds in excess of 500 kbps for faster data connections, meaning quicker access to the Web, faster games and smooth feeds of streaming video content.

For additional productivity – using the zx20's speakerphone or Bluetooth headset – downloading content, surfing the Web, sending instant messages and e-mailing are all accessible while on a live call.  The phone's silver and black-lined clamshell design features a 1.3 megapixel camera, has a 262K-color TFT display and its external microSD memory card slot can be used to save and transfer images, videos or music tracks to and from the phone. The integrated media player can launch downloaded files in a variety of formats, providing users with even more selections.

Another 3G handset unveiled at the 2006 International CES was LG’s model CU320. Being prepared for Cingular's W-CDMA network, the CU320 gives users the power to download streaming clips of favorite songs, music videos or TV shows at the touch of a button. This slider phone also comes with a 1.3-megapixel swivel camera with flash, Bluetooth, a microSD memory card slot and a digital music player supporting MP3, AAC and AAC+ files.

The upgrade path for CDMA operators who were using cdmaOne from Qualcomm is CDMA2000, which actually represents a family of 3G mobile telecommunications standards including CDMA2000 1X and CDMA2000 1X  Evolution-Data Optimized, abbreviated as EV-DO.

EV-DO can be viewed as extending CDMA2000 the same way that HSDPA extends W-CDMA. It provides broadband-like speeds, which enables fast access to Internet content as well as e-mail access and fast downloads. EV-DO delivers as much as 1-Mbps peak data speed; in a typical application, it runs at an average of 300-600 kbps. The network also supports advanced data applications, such as MP3 transfers and video conferencing, TV broadcasts and video and audio downloads.

These attributes make EV-DO attractive to mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), who do not own cellular towers or the network itself. In the case of ESPN Mobile, for instance, the sports MVNO buys air time over Sprint’s EV-DO network for wireless voice and data service. The first national wireless phone service provider targeted to sports fans, Mobile ESPN offers customizable ESPN content—including real-time scores, breaking news, commentary and analysis, fantasy sports information and team management, audio and video programming and MP3 audio playback capability.

With peak data download rates as high as 3.1 Mbps and peak upload speeds as high as 1.8 Mbps, CDMA 1xEV-DO Revision A is a further enhancement to EV-DO that combines voice and data on a single carrier. It also incorporates quality of service (QoS) controls to manage latency on the network. Expected to launch later this year, the increased uplink speeds of Rev. A will enable faster file transfers. Average download speeds improve to 450-800 kbps and average uplink speeds become 300 - 400 kpbs (versus 70 - 144 kpbs). What is more, with Rev A in place, all-IP networks will enable new applications for mobile users, including video and Voice over IP, high performance push-to-talk and sending or receiving large multimedia files over a wireless connection.

Motorola's CDMA 1xEV-DO Rev. A infrastructure solution is planned for commercial availability in the fourth quarter of 2006. Sprint will implement EV-DO Revision A technology upgrades later this year to bring additional mobility benefits to its subscribers beginning in 2007.

While HSDPA and EV-DO boost average per-user data rates, both may not match broadcasting technologies such as DVB-H or broadband wireless access (such as WiMAX, which promises speeds as fast as 70 Mbps) for delivering mobile TV, increasingly seen by mobile operators as an essential service to drive future subscription sales.