All You Ever Wanted To Know About 3g But Were Afraid To Ask

[KumaarShah 143]

What is 3G technology all about?

[ MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2006 12:32:19 AM]What is 3G technology all about?

Third Generation (3G) is a name for a set of mobile technologies to be available in India by early ’07. These use a host of high-tech infrastructure networks, handsets, base stations, switches and other equipment to allow cell phones to offer broadband wireless internet access, data, video, live TV & CD-quality music services.

The 3G wireless networks will be capable of transferring data at the speed of 384 kbps going up to 2 mbps. Average speed for 3G networks will range between 128 kbps-384 kbps. It is a huge leap when compared to the available wireless data speeds of under 100 kbps on EDGE that is the 2.75G on the GSM network.

On the CDMA platform the equivalent 3G networks are called CDMA-2000. 3G is turning phones and other devices into true multimedia players, making it possible to download media rich content and do full-scale banking on the move. Japan was the first country to introduce 3G with the service there being called the Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access (FOMA).

That uses wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) technology to transfer data over its networks. W-CDMA is not the only 3G technology. Others include CDMAOne, which differs technically, but provides similar services. The 3G services & phones are expensive and uptake of this market is expected to be slow.

Today there are over 70 commercial 3G operators around the world with the service being popular in Japan, Sweden, the UK, Denmark and Australia.

What has been the roadmap to evolution of 3G?

There are multiple stepping-stones on way to 3G networks. The earlier generation networks like GSM 2G, GPRS 2.5G and EDGE 2.75G have at best been intermittent technologies. They have provided improvements over the previous ones but always had a limitation in terms of data transfer, and hence the user experience was limited.

With 2.5G or GPRS (general packet radio service) the data transfer speeds were around 48 kbps and on 2.75G that is EDGE (enhanced data GSM environment) theoretical data transfer was up to 384 kbps (actual was under 100 kbps).

These have at best been temporary solutions on road to the high-speed broadband wireless experience that will be available on 3G.

How will 3G change our life?

Wireless videophones, high-speed internet access and TV will become a reality with 3G. Users may not watch a whole feature film on a mobile phone, but can view small clips.

A football match, cricket action or news will engage users. CD-quality music will ensure that the iPod will disappear behind a mobile phone.

People could end up reading most of their e-mails on mobiles and not on PCs. The big thing will be the ‘banking of the unbanked’ on the mobile phones. Micro payments will be possible via cell phones. The device will engulf the calendar, radio, MMS, video, TV, banking, camera, music & so on.

Some of these are already there in existing networks but slow transfer speeds limit the experience. Users will also be able to locate, navigate, and enhance security with GPS-assisted position services. That depends on digital maps available in public domain. A live video-conference will ensure that 3G users don’t need to be in office.

Is there anything beyond 3G?

While it will take some time for 3G to be available and the services to become commonplace (to begin with high costs and the need to buy a new 3G handset could restrict the number of users), the progress of technology does not stop at 3G.

Software developers are already working on what they call Deep 3G, that is the future standard higher than 3G also called as 3.9G or 4G. The data transfer speeds here will be four times that of 3G making IPTV and interactive gaming a reality on mobile phones.

All this will make the cell phone much like a digital Swiss Knife: a wireless device for all your needs.

Link Courtesy:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1678989

Mods, pl move this topic to the appropriate post

Edited June 26, 2006 by khs123

[@ksh@T 20]

i wanted to ask that when will INDIA (both GSM AND CDMA ) will see the 3G face?

[Honest 836]

Nice information.

[ashoksoft 83]

Guess a test run in 2007...

at least western suburbs in Mumbai (Malad - Goregaon) can witness a hush - hush test now if anyone wants more info a PM might help ..

hehe

I like the secret part

cheers

ashok

[vahuja 0]

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