In between EDGE and 3G there is a standard called Evolved EDGE that never really took off. It promises to half latency, increase download speed by close to 500%, and all you need to do to get E-EDGE is to upgrade the software on the network equipment you already have, so why are operators not picking up the technology then?
“Handset vendors don’t want to make E-EDGE phones unless there’s a market guaranteed by E-EDGE networks. And operators won’t upgrade their EDGE networks unless they are confident handsets will be available.” — Xavier Ortiz, ABI Research Analyst
The only vendor looking at E-EDGE right now is RIM. For urban areas which are not cost effective to cover via HSPA E-EDGE makes a lot of sense. Technologically speaking E-EDGE makes a lot of sense, but the technology world never runs on technology, that’s an assumption everyone makes. It operates on P&L sheets. Adopting E-EDGE may improve things in the short term, but in the long term HSPA equipment will fall in price and it’ll be conceivable that at some point you actually shut down your 2G and 2.5G network. If Japan can do it then so can everyone else.