FRAMES multiple access, a harmonized radio interface

Currently world-wide activities are going on to define third generation mobile radio systems (FPLMTS/IMT-2000 in the ITU and UMTS in the ETSI in Europe). These systems aim to support a wide range of services including voice, low rate up to high rate data services (multimedia services). Circuit and packet oriented services will be supported. Third generation systems will be operated in all radio environments to provide a service to anyone, anytime and anywhere. In Europe the European Commission is partly funding research activities in the ACTS framework related to the third generation systems. A spectrum efficient multiple access scheme proposal is developed by the ACTS FRAMES project to fulfil the requirements on terrestrial third generation mobile radio systems. The results and proposals of FRAMES are used as input mainly to the ETSI standardization process in Europe. This radio access scheme addresses the different world-wide standardization activities where wideband TDMA-based and wideband CDMA-based solutions are currently to be expected.