EV-DO: Evolution-Data Optimized,

or Evolution-Data Only
EV-DO: Evolution-Data Optimized, or Evolution- EV-DO Information
Data Only Q&A: EV-DO

3G - CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Technologies

Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), consisting CDG
principally of 1xRTT and One Carrier-Evolved, Data-Optimized 3GPP Mobile Broadband Innovation Path to 4G:
(1xEV-DO) versions, is the second most widely deployed cellular Release 9, Release 10 and Beyond:
technology in the world with a global market share of 9.8 percent HSPA+, SAE/LTE and LTE-Advanced
and 409 million mobile connections as of 1Q 2009. 1xRTT is the 3G Americas, Feb 2010
most widely deployed of the CDMA2000 family of technologies, HSPA to LTE-Advanced: 3GPP
Broadband Evolution to IMT-Advanced (4G)
commercial on 272 networks, and is a CDMA operator’s first step Rysavy Research for 3G Americas, Sept 2009
HSPA to LTE-Advanced: 3GPP
towards wireless data services. Often compared to GPRS or EDGE Broadband Evolution to IMT-Advanced (4G)
Presentation, Sept 2009
in the GSM family of technologies, 1xRTT has a further evolution to
Defining 4G: Understanding the ITU Process
EV-DO.
for the Next Generation of Wireless Technology

3G Americas, Updated Aug 2008

CDMA2000 represents a family of standards and includes:

· CDMA2000 1X
· CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Technologies
o CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Release 0 (Rel 0)
o CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A (Rev A)
o CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision B (Rev B)

A number of operators have deployed or are deploying 1xEV-DO, where a radio carrier is dedicated to high-
speed data functions. In May 2009, there were 106 EV-DO Rel 0 networks and 62 EV-DO Rev A networks
deployed worldwide, according to the CDMA Development Group.

EV-DO uses many of the same techniques for optimizing spectral efficiency as HSPA, including higher order
modulation, efficient scheduling, turbo-coding, adaptive modulation and coding, though the technology
standards are not interoperable. For these reasons, it achieves spectral efficiency that is virtually the same as
UMTS-HSPA. The 1x technologies operate in the 1.25 MHz radio channels, compared to the 5 MHz channels
used by UMTS, resulting in lower theoretical peak rates, but similar average throughputs for high level of
network loading. Under low- to medium-load conditions, because of the lower peak achievable data rates, EV-
DO or EV-DO Rev A achieves a lower typical performance level than HSPA. CDMA operators have quoted 400
to 700 kbps typical throughput on the downlink for EV-DO Rel 0 and between 600 kbps and 1.4 Mbps for EV-
DO Rev A.
Deployed network versions currently are based on either Rel 0 or Rev A radio-interface specifications. EV-DO
Rev A incorporates a more efficient uplink, which has spectral efficiency similar to that of HSUPA. Operators
started to make EV-DO Rev A commercially available in 2007. One challenge for EV-DO operators is that they
cannot dynamically allocate their entire spectral resources between voice and high-speed data functions. The
EV-DO channel is not available for circuit-switched voice, and the 1xRTT channels offer only medium-speed
data. This will become an increasing problem for CDMA operators as data usage expands, and this limitation
could cause suboptimal use of radio resources.

Another limitation of using a separate channel for EV-DO data services is that it currently prevents users from
engaging in simultaneous voice and high-speed data services, whereas this is possible with UMTS- HSPA.
Many users enjoy having a tethered data connection from their laptops – by using Bluetooth, for example – and
having the ability to initiate and receive phone calls while maintaining their data sessions.

EV-DO will eventually provide service using Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP) through EV-DO Rev A, which
includes a higher speed uplink, Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms in the network, protocol optimizations to
reduce packet overhead, and will address problems such as jitter. Nonetheless, operators will face difficult
choices: How many radio channels at each base station should be made available for 1xRTT to support legacy
terminals versus how many radio channels should be allocated to EV-DO? In contrast, UMTS allows both
circuit-switched and packet-switched traffic to occupy the same radio channel, where the amount of power
each uses can be dynamically adjusted. This makes it simple for users to migrate over time from circuit-
switched voice to packet-switched voice.

Beyond Rev A, Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) has defined EV-DO Rev B as allowing the
combination of up to 15 1.25 MHz radio channels in 20 MHz – significantly boosting peak theoretical rates to
73.5 Mbps. An operator would more likely combine three radio channels in 5 MHz. Such an approach by itself
does not necessarily increase overall capacity, but it does offer users higher peak data rates. As of May 2009,
no operators have yet publicly committed to EV-DO Rev B.

Beyond Rev B, 3GPP2 developed Revision C standards, also known as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). UMB
was standardized based on an OFDMA approach like LTE and mobile WiMAX (802.16m). However, as of May
2009, no operators have committed to UMB and there are legitimate questions about the commercial viability of
the technology. In fact, many mobile operators with the current EV-DO technology will likely deploy LTE
because of the benefits offered by the GSM family of technologies. Leading CDMA operators worldwide
including Verizon, KDDI, KTF and SKT are among those confirming that they will converge with the 3GPP
world, selecting LTE over other radio access methods as they are nearing the end of their existing technology
roadmap.

Though the migration from CDMA2000 to LTE is feasible, it will be more complex than migrating from UMTS-
HSPA to LTE, especially in achieving interworking between LTE and legacy networks.
The CDMA2000 family of standards will continue to serve operators well into the next decade. Many
CDMA2000 operators are supplementing or evolving existing networks with OFDMA technologies such as LTE
to deliver advanced mobile applications that require greater network capacity and data speeds. It will be
necessary to develop solutions to ensure that CDMA2000 devices, networks and roaming provide a seamless
user experience across CDMA2000 to LTE wireless technology platforms.

CDMA2000 clearly is a viable and effective wireless technology and, to its credit, many of its innovations have
been brought to market ahead of competing technologies. Today, however, the GSM family has in excess of
3.8 billion subscribers – more than nine times the total number of subscribers in the CDMA2000 family of
technologies.