An Overview of the QUALCOMM CDMA Digital Cellular Proposal

This paper describes a proposed Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital cellular network by QUALCOMM. The main characteristics of the access method are described shortly and the simple capacity estimate is given. The power control mechanisms, the handoff algorithm and the privacy measures are described. The description also contains the layered description of communication services with the emphasis on the network control functions. 1.0 Introduction The Code Division Multiple Access communication scheme [4], [2] poses a challenging alternative to existing digital mobile communication standard proposals. QUALCOMM Inc. from San Diego has designed one such system and implemented it in 1989, in a breadboard version. In February 1990, a total of three cell-site and few mobile prototype unites was used in an field trial in Manhattan. In June 1990, QUALCOMM released the draft of the standard describing the CDMA digital cellular system and distributed it to the major subscriber equipment..