What is HSDPA?

Stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access. Is an enhanced 3G mobile telephony communication protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, also dubbed 3.5G, 3G+ or turbo 3G, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity. Its counterpart can be taken as EVDO.
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

The initial HSDPA peak downlink data rate available in the terminals was 1.8 Mbps and had increased to 3.6 Mbps during 2006. This rate increased to 7.2 Mbps during 2007. Further proliferation in data rate was made upto 14 Mbps. In todays world, further speed increases are available with HSPA+, which provide speeds of up to 42 Mbps downlink. The latest version Release 9 of the 3GPP standards supports upto 84 Mbps downlink but it will take some time to be implemented commercially.
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

Chronology of data rate in HSDPA

Downlink peak data rate

1.8 Mbps

3.6

7.2

10.1

14.0

2005

2006

2007

2008
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

HSPA standardization and deployment timeline

3GPP 1ST specification version R5 HSDPA 2002 Commercial Network 2003 2004 R6 HSUPA 2005 2006 HSDPA 2007 HSUPA 2008

Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

Typical end user bit rates in macro cells [kbps]

2500

2000
1500

1000
500 0 GPRS EDGE 3G HSDPA Network

Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

HSDPA achieves its performance gain from the following radio features: High speed channels shared both in code and time domains. Adaptive modulation and coding schemes: Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) and 16QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation). Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) retransmission protocol. Short transmission time interval. Fast packet scheduling controlled by the Medium Access Control - high speed (MAC-hs) protocol in Node B.
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

Technology involved in HSDPA

A new transport layer channel, High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH), has been added to UMTS release 5 and further specifications. It is implemented by introducing three new physical layer channels: High Speed-Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH), High SpeedDedicated Physical Control Channel (HS-DPCCH) and High SpeedPhysical Downlink Shared Channel (HS-PDSCH).

Node B

Terminal
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

Channels needed for HSDPA operation in Release 5 and further specifications.

How has HSDPA helped? HSDPA has made life easy for the customers providing vastly better service for both corporate users and individuals with data delivered at speeds comparable to or better than fixed-line broadband access systems. Corporate users now have easy and secure mobile access to corporate networks, with rapid retrieval and downloading of confidential corporate information. Other customers now can enjoy superior quality for video services, including video streaming and gaming and also can enjoy fast Web browsing, with rapid access to graphics-heavy Internet sites.
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)

HSDPA implementation in Nepal

Nepal Telecom (NT): At present context, NT uses HSDPA for its 3G users. The maximum end-user data rate offered by this network at best condition is 3.6 Mbps. This service provided by NT can be used in the handset for video calling, live video streaming and high speed internet for graphics-heavy sites. Moreover, serial communication of the handset with the computer enables the user to surf the internet on the computer. Ncell: Ncell has used this technology for its data users only. It has not implemented 3G technology for its mobile users. Ncells data users can surf the internet on their PC through HSDPA implemented technology with speed of up to 3.6 Mbps.
Santosh Chapagain (065BEX434)