21-06-2011, 04:35 PM
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3G Technology
1. Introduction
What is 3G?
3G is a wireless data standard that has been developed and agreed upon by wireless infrastructure and equipment manufacturers. Developing a standard like 3G is no easy task. There are many wireless data technologies out there and there are big dollars chasing these technologies around not making the task any easier. The 3G specs have also been modified over the years and currently we are looking at 3G release 6.
3G encompasses a group of technologies that are all aimed at bringing high speed data transfers to mobile electronic devices. Many of the original 3G technologies have been built on W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) and TD-CDMA (Time Division Code Division Multiple Access) radio technologies. But, there has been great success using the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standardized, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication). GSM is used by companies like Cingular and AT&T Wireless. Today, HSDPA is promising to bring broadband speeds to GSM wireless networks with downstream speeds of up to 3.6Mbps and upstream of 384Kbps.
2. Generations and history
3G refers to the third generation of developments in wireless technology, especially mobile communications. The third generation, as its name suggests, follows the first generation (1G) and second generation (2G) in wireless communications.
2.1 1G
The 1G period began in the late 1970s and lasted through the 1980s. These systems featured the first true mobile phone systems, known at first as "cellular mobile radio telephone." These networks used analog voice signaling, and were little more sophisticated than the repeater networks used by amateur radio operators.
2.2 2G
The 2G phase began in the 1990s and much of this technology is still in use. The 2G cell phone features digital voice encoding. Examples include CDMA and GSM. Since its inception, 2G technology has steadily improved, with increased bandwidth, packet routing, and the introduction of multimedia.
3. 3G includes capabilities and features such as:
• Enhanced multimedia (voice, data, video, and remote control).
• Usability on all popular modes (cellular telephone, e-mail, paging, fax, videoconferencing, and Web browsing).
• Broad bandwidth and high speed (upwards of 2 Mbps).
• Roaming capability throughout Europe, Japan, and North America.
While 3G is generally considered applicable mainly to mobile wireless, it is also relevant to fixed wireless and portable wireless. A 3G system should be operational from any location on, or over, the earth's surface, including use in homes, businesses, government offices, medical establishments, the military, personal and commercial land vehicles, private and commercial watercraft and marine craft, private and commercial aircraft (except where passenger use restrictions apply), portable (pedestrians, hikers, cyclists, campers), and space stations and spacecraft.
3G offers the potential to keep people connected at all times and in all places. Researchers, engineers, and marketers are faced with the challenge of accurately predicting how much technology consumers will actually be willing to pay for. Another challenge faced by 3G services is competition from other high-speed wireless technologies, especially mobile WiMAX, and ability to roam between different kinds of wireless networks.
The current status of mobile wireless communications, as of July 2007, is a mix of 2nd and 3rd generation technologies.
4. 4G
Although the new, third generation (3G) wireless technology has not yet been implemented, leading companies in the industry are already laying the groundwork for what some are calling fourth generation (4G) technology. For the purposes of this article, 4G will be considered those technologies that are still in the planning stages and will not be deployed within the next five years.
Researchers are continuing their ideas in the development of an undefined wireless world, which could become operational by 2010.
The first generation (1G) and second generation (2G) of mobile telephony were intended primarily for voice transmission.
The third generation of mobile telephony (3G) will serve both voice and data applications.
There really is no clear definition of what 4G will be. It is generally accepted that 4G will be a super-enhanced version of 3G – i.e., an entirely packet switched network with all digital network elements and extremely high available bandwidth.
For the most part, it is believed that 4G will bring true multimedia capabilities such as high-speed data access and video conferencing to the handset. It is also envisioned that 4G systems will be deployed with software defined radios, allowing the equipment to be upgraded to new protocols and services via software upgrades.
4G also holds the promise of worldwide roaming using a single handheld device.
3G Technology
1. Introduction
What is 3G?
3G is a wireless data standard that has been developed and agreed upon by wireless infrastructure and equipment manufacturers. Developing a standard like 3G is no easy task. There are many wireless data technologies out there and there are big dollars chasing these technologies around not making the task any easier. The 3G specs have also been modified over the years and currently we are looking at 3G release 6.
3G encompasses a group of technologies that are all aimed at bringing high speed data transfers to mobile electronic devices. Many of the original 3G technologies have been built on W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) and TD-CDMA (Time Division Code Division Multiple Access) radio technologies. But, there has been great success using the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standardized, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication). GSM is used by companies like Cingular and AT&T Wireless. Today, HSDPA is promising to bring broadband speeds to GSM wireless networks with downstream speeds of up to 3.6Mbps and upstream of 384Kbps.
2. Generations and history
3G refers to the third generation of developments in wireless technology, especially mobile communications. The third generation, as its name suggests, follows the first generation (1G) and second generation (2G) in wireless communications.
2.1 1G
The 1G period began in the late 1970s and lasted through the 1980s. These systems featured the first true mobile phone systems, known at first as "cellular mobile radio telephone." These networks used analog voice signaling, and were little more sophisticated than the repeater networks used by amateur radio operators.
2.2 2G
The 2G phase began in the 1990s and much of this technology is still in use. The 2G cell phone features digital voice encoding. Examples include CDMA and GSM. Since its inception, 2G technology has steadily improved, with increased bandwidth, packet routing, and the introduction of multimedia.
3. 3G includes capabilities and features such as:
• Enhanced multimedia (voice, data, video, and remote control).
• Usability on all popular modes (cellular telephone, e-mail, paging, fax, videoconferencing, and Web browsing).
• Broad bandwidth and high speed (upwards of 2 Mbps).
• Roaming capability throughout Europe, Japan, and North America.
While 3G is generally considered applicable mainly to mobile wireless, it is also relevant to fixed wireless and portable wireless. A 3G system should be operational from any location on, or over, the earth's surface, including use in homes, businesses, government offices, medical establishments, the military, personal and commercial land vehicles, private and commercial watercraft and marine craft, private and commercial aircraft (except where passenger use restrictions apply), portable (pedestrians, hikers, cyclists, campers), and space stations and spacecraft.
3G offers the potential to keep people connected at all times and in all places. Researchers, engineers, and marketers are faced with the challenge of accurately predicting how much technology consumers will actually be willing to pay for. Another challenge faced by 3G services is competition from other high-speed wireless technologies, especially mobile WiMAX, and ability to roam between different kinds of wireless networks.
The current status of mobile wireless communications, as of July 2007, is a mix of 2nd and 3rd generation technologies.
4. 4G
Although the new, third generation (3G) wireless technology has not yet been implemented, leading companies in the industry are already laying the groundwork for what some are calling fourth generation (4G) technology. For the purposes of this article, 4G will be considered those technologies that are still in the planning stages and will not be deployed within the next five years.
Researchers are continuing their ideas in the development of an undefined wireless world, which could become operational by 2010.
The first generation (1G) and second generation (2G) of mobile telephony were intended primarily for voice transmission.
The third generation of mobile telephony (3G) will serve both voice and data applications.
There really is no clear definition of what 4G will be. It is generally accepted that 4G will be a super-enhanced version of 3G – i.e., an entirely packet switched network with all digital network elements and extremely high available bandwidth.
For the most part, it is believed that 4G will bring true multimedia capabilities such as high-speed data access and video conferencing to the handset. It is also envisioned that 4G systems will be deployed with software defined radios, allowing the equipment to be upgraded to new protocols and services via software upgrades.
4G also holds the promise of worldwide roaming using a single handheld device.
