Hong Kong mobile operator SmarTone-Vodafone has launched Hong Kong's first commercial mobile broadband service with full HSDPA coverage in Hong Kong, pioneering the technology in the Greater China region.

This launch follows the successful upgrade by Ericsson of SmarTone-Vodafone's 3G/WCDMA network with HSDPA. The upgrade to HSDPA enables SmarTone-Vodafone to deliver true broadband speed of up to 1.8Mbps to laptops, and introduce its customers to a new generation of mobile broadband services with true mobility and real freedom to move.

At this stage, users will be able to download five times faster than the current 3G connection using existing PC-cards, and 20 times faster than with a GSM/GPRS connection. Under the agreement, Ericsson has delivered HSDPA hardware, software and implementation services.

Douglas Li, CEO of SmarTone-Vodafone, says, "We are pleased to be the first operator in Hong Kong as well as the Greater China region to offer mobile broadband with full HSDPA coverage throughout the territory. The launch represents what real 3G can achieve and demonstrates how 3G with HSDPA can bring substantially better benefits to both business users and consumers through our Mobile Broadband service."

Ericsson's HSDPA solution will enable peak download speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps. The advanced technology offers operators more than double the system capacity and makes response times for interactive services faster. SmarTone-Vodafone is planning to upgrade to a maximum speed of 14.4 Mbps by 2008.