First network operator to launch 3G service proves viability of CDMA

South Korea's SK Telecom, the world's first network operator to launch a third-generation (3G) wireless service, led a short list of industry innovators honoured last night by organisers of the 3G World Congress.

The 3G Industry Achievement Awards were presented by officials of the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) Development Group (CDG), a non-profit trade association that fosters worldwide deployment of the United States-developed CDMA cellular communications platform.

'The CDG congratulates the winners of this year's Industry Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to the wireless industry, as well as all of our member companies for their support and continued dedication to the development of CDMA throughout the world,' said Perry LaForge, CDG executive director.

SK Telecom, which launched its CDMA-based 3G network in October last year, received the International Leadership award for its 'significant contribution in expanding CDMA system deployments and implementation of international roaming', Mr LaForge said.

With 12 million subscribers, SK Telecom is credited by the CDG as the world's largest operator of cdmaOne - the second-generation version of the CDMA wireless platform that supports data speeds of up to 14.4 kilobits per second.

The Korean operator's existing 3G service is based on the higher speed CDMA2000 standard, which enables subscribers to enjoy wireless data transmissions from 144 kbps to 2 megabits per second. That enables its subscribers to download films, video clips and MP3 files on their 3G handsets.