3G Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

3G Network - Essay Example The world had come a long way from personal letters sealed by wax in an envelope. People now live where a conversation with a love one from continents away is done with just a touch of a button. We are in a time where messages can be sent across seas in a matter of seconds, not months. This is a world where information and news can be received by anyone in the convenience of their own homes. This is the privilege of living in this decade.But what's next The communication technologies at work today may be at its finest but there always are innovations up ahead. A few years ago, the GPRS services seemed like the future, but it is now perceived as slow, expensive and is too much of a hassle. That is why a new generation of mobile telephone communication system was developed, the 3G.3G technology is short for third generation mobile telephone communication system technology. This technology promises better, faster and more efficient data transfer through cellular phones. It boasts 2Megab ites per second data transfers which allow video calls, conferencing, mobile banking, map positioning services and internet access among others. With this transfer rate it is the task of the service providers to utilize it to the fullest by giving a variety of services for the subscribers. Along with the above mentioned 3G capable cell phones will still have conventional voice and messaging services.The institution responsible for standardizing 3G is the International Telecommunication Union or ITU. The standards for 3G are specifically known as the IMT-2000. This stands for International Mobile Telecommunications system finalized in the year 2000. After this establishment, the development of physical equipments may then proceed. In May of 2001, the first pre-commercial 3G network was launched in Japan branded FOMA. The company responsible for this is NTT DoCoMo. This same company then launched the first commercial 3G in Japan on October of the same year. Korea and Europe then followed. (Wikipedia) Mobile phones were originally just for voice data transmissions, much like its land line forefathers. This was considered the second generation or 2G. But with the increase in demand for better audio qualities and later on the demand for faster data transmissions, a better system is require, this lead to the development or 3G. The first step to this change was the switch from 2G to GPRS or General Packet Radio Service. With this change came the increase in data rates from 56kbps to 114kbps. This now will allow not just voice data but also short message service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and wireless application protocol (WAP). Another change made was the per-megabite charging as oppose to the per-minute charging of 2G. Continuing, the GPRS service, otherwise known as 2.5G, was upgraded to 2.75G or Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution. By definition, EDGE falls under IMT-2000 and should be called 3G but it is more frequently referred to as 2.75G, but it is more like an improved GPRS than 3G. (Wikipedia) According to the ITU, the key characteristics of IMT-2000 are flexibility, affordability, compatibility with existing systems and modular design. It is said to be flexible because it can accommodate five possible radio interfaces based on three different technologies which are FDMA, TDMA and CDMA. This avoids the problem of supporting a wide range of different interfaces and technologies. It is also agreed to make it more affordable so as to encourage the adoption by consumers and operators. The existence of the present technologies will also not cease because 3G is also compatible with these. And finally, the 3G system should be easily expandable in order to allow growth. Specifications 3G may have all the bells and whistles to brag about but it is, for a fact, a cellular telephone system, and all cellular telephone systems function the same way. The basic concept of two-way mobile telephone is quite simple; however, mobile telephone systems involve intricate and rather complex