High Speed OFDM Packet Access (HSOPA) also called as super 3G can be said as the successor of HSDPA and HSUPA technologies specified in 3GPP releases 5 and 6. This expected fraction of 3GPP s Long Term Evolution (LTE) upgrade path for UMTS systems has given a totally different air interface system with that of the W-CDMA.
The characteristics of HSOPA includes -:
· Utilizes 1.25 MHz to 20 MHz bandwidth compared with the 5MHz usage of W-CDMA.
· The upload and downlink transfer rates is 50 Mbps and 100Mbps and has a spectral efficiency of 2-4 times compared to 3GPP release 6.
· When compared with W-CDMA. Has a better latency time of around 20ms for round trip time from user terminal to RAN which is same as of a combined HSDPA/HSUPA system
The 3GPP LTE project by incorporating the HSOPA achieves the quadruple play services - voice, high-speed interactive applications including large data transfer and feature-rich IPTV with full mobility. Even though UMTS along with HSDPA and HSUPA gives high data transfer rates, wireless data usage, the competition from state-of-the-art technologies like the WiMAX has forced the UTMS to strengthen their network with the HSOPA that provides with increased data speeds, and spectral efficiency thus giving way for more functionality. Another advantage is with respect to the cost of upgradation to HSOPA. The cost will be very less for up gradation compared to setting up a new network.
