No Strings: An Overview of Recently Announced CDPD Products

As wireless data communication enters the mainstream, it’s hard to overlook the massive cellular infrastructure already in place to service the fast growing wireless voice market. One of the most promising data standards will certainly be the Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) standard that was introduced late last year.

Last month, we exposed the underlying architecture of the CDPD network and discussed the key components that make up the system. Indeed, the ability of CDPD to leverage the existing cellular network, along with its well established service structure is one of its big attractions.

However, at the end of the day, any service will have to be measured by the range of products, services, and access that it enables. In this article, we’ll examine some of the services and products introduced last fall at the CDPD roll-out at COMDEX in Las Vegas.

CDPD Reviewed

As you’ll recall, CDPD relies on the principle that at any given time, a certain percentage of the voice channels are idle. By using this otherwise “wasted” bandwidth, CDPD is able to get data comfortably through the existing channels of the network.

The CDPD standard is open, enabling third-party developers and service providers to create products that can work at all stages of the network. The backers of CDPD hope that this will lead to a wide range of off-the-shelf products and services, similar to the ones we’ll examine here.

“The CDPD standard is open, enabling third-party developers and service providers to create products that can work at all stages of the network.”

The Treasure of Sierra Wireless

With the notable exception of the IBM/BellSouth Simon, which is essentially a small pen computer in a handheld cellular phone, most mobile computing users will require an external modem and transceiver in order to connect to the wireless cloud (network).

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Sierra Wireless is previewing its PocketPlus multi-mode modem—a CDPD modem capable of executing data communications at the full 19.2 Kbps supported by CDPD. The modem features multiple data communications options, enabling you to select the best data path depending on the situation.

For example, from a single device you can select to send data using a landline connection with the 14.4 Kbps fax modem; send data or fax over the regular circuit-switched cellular network; or transmit and receive packet data using the CDPD network.

The device is equipped with its own power saving battery module that Sierra claims can operate in excess of 12 hours. In addition, the unit has a space saving fold-down antenna making it easier to pack.

The device measures 6.1″ x 2.2″ x 0.8″ (155 mm x 55 mm x 20 mm) and weighs 8.8 oz. (250 g). For more information, please contact Sierra at (604) 665-9200.

Untangling Remote Messaging

Without a doubt, one of the first services to benefit from the wireless revolution is electronic messaging. Already, many business people are as dependent on email as they came to be dependent on voice mail a few years back.

The most troubling challenge has been getting easy and timely access to these electronic messages while away from the desktop. Lotus Development has stepped up to the challenge and made a bold commitment to wireless messaging that spans several technologies and service providers.

In conjunction with the CDPD roll-out at COMDEX, Lotus announced that it would work together with McCaw Cellular to develop wireless solutions using CDPD. Lotus’ involvement in wireless, along with it’s traditional position as a leading business solution provider adds a certain mainstream appeal to these emerging technologies.

The CDPD announcement follows Lotus’ earlier June, 1993 announcement of providing wireless capabilities for both cc:Mail Remote for MS-DOS and cc:Mail Mobile for the HP 100LX. Both of these solutions enable users to send and receive messages over RAM Mobile Data’s wireless networks using an AT-compatible Intel Wireless Modem.

Wireless in Cincinnati

Building on over 15 years of experience in the radio frequency and wireless communications market, Cincinnati Microwave has brought their expertise to the upstart CDPD field with the MC-DART 100 modem.

MC-DART, which stands for the Mobile Cellular Data Access Radio Transceiver, operates at the CDPD standard 19.2 Kbps and connects to the mobile computer through the standard RS-232 serial port.

The modem supports the standard AT command set which makes it suitable for use with a wide range of existing applications. In addition, the MC-DART features built-in support for TCP/IP, the standard protocol used on the worldwide Internet network.

Weighing in at a modest 12 ounces, and measuring 6.3″ x 3.4″ x 1.0″, the unit is suitable for use in just about any mobile scenario.

Cincinnati Microwave expects to have the modem available in quantity in the first quarter of 1994, and will price the unit at $495. For more information, please contact Greg Blair of Cincinnati Microwave at (513) 489-5400.

Wireless Chipsets

Traditionally, every technology faces an initial high point on the price curve until standardized designs and chipsets appear.

Rockwell International, leaders in the manufacture of fax and data modem components hopes to make an early dent in this curve with the announcement of their intention to develop wireless packet data chipsets for CDPD subscriber equipment.

Rockwell plans to incorporate CDPD technology into its modem chipsets which should make the task of building complete devices that use the CDPD network easier and less costly for hardware OEMs.

Indeed, Rockwell expects the chipsets to appear in devices ranging from notebook personal computers, to PDA and PCMCIA cards. For more information, please contact Rockwell International at (714) 833-6849.