3GSM Diary: Broad(band) expectation

As the biggest mobile show on earth nears its kick-off on Monday morning, much of the talk surrounds where we go from here. Third-generation networks, based on various technologies, are up and running but must plainly get better. So cue some new acronyms.

A busy day ahead. I expect to hear a lot about HSDPA, which in theory allows 100Mbps downlinks and 50Mbps uplinks. I can hear someone from a Scandinavian vendor calling it a "broadband replacement". Didn't we hear the same thing about W-CDMA, the standard that underpins all the UK's 3G networks?

Anyway, HSDPA will be the next stage for many operators, just the sort of people much of this year's show is trying to reach. It may seem a long way from your current enterprise IT needs but witness an operator such as O2 in the UK saying it will go to W-CDMA late but HSDPA early. Such a course could well affect your business life.

Sure, there will be other themes this year, as just under 30,000 people converge on part of the French coast better known for the Golden Palm film award than gold level corporate sponsors. But I can't see beyond the familiar 'doing more, faster, more efficiently'. At least I might find out what 'Super 3G' really means.

But the overall buzz was apparent on the way out. Not a spare seat on the plane and attendees getting here by air, land and sea - at least I think that's what that ferry in the bay with Siemens on its side is for.

I'll be bringing you more updates and news from the event this week. Stay tuned - the next 24 hours promise to be eventful with announcements from the likes of Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Symbian and many others.

Let's hope they won't just be talking speed.