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Magnolia Broadband Inc. has conducted the final field testing of DiversityPlus, Magnolia's Mobile Transmit Diversity solution, with a major U.S.-based CDMA carrier. This is the final field evaluation before Magnolia's DiversityPlus handset-based chipset solution will be commercialized in phones starting in the fourth quarter of this year.

The testing completed March 27 and 28 demonstrates that Magnolia's diversity technology is able to boost the CDMA wireless network's voice capacity on average 42%. This testing result is consistent with previous pre-commercialization tests conducted in Korea by SK Telecom in July 2005, where data capacity gains of 45% were achieved. Magnolia Broadband simulations show that similar gains can be achieved in wideband CDMA (WCDMA) networks as well. These tests demonstrate that by deploying Magnolia's technology, carriers will realize major savings in capital and operating expenses.

The commercial deployment of Magnolia's DiversityPlus chips in mobile phones will enable wireless carriers to significantly serve more subscribers within the same wireless infrastructure, increasing data throughput and coverage, while eliminating the need for additional cell towers. Additional benefits for carriers and consumers will be improved quality of service, include more reliable connections, fewer “dead zones,” improved quality of service, a substantial lowering in the amount of energy mobile phones emit and improvement in data rate throughput from the handset.

“We are pleased to have conducted the final testing of our DiversityPlus technology with a major U.S. wireless carrier and we look forward to commercial deployment in the U.S. marketplace at the end of the year,” said Osmo Hautanen, CEO of Magnolia Broadband.

DiversityPlus is a family of RF chipset products designed around Magnolia's algorithms for CDMA, UMTS and WiMAX mobile terminals. By combining transmit RF signals from two antennas in a unique way, the wireless operators increase their network capacity and significantly improve coverage and data rates to the individual subscriber.