3G Technology
By Mike Ber
A ‘third generation’ wireless communications technology having evolved from first generation analog, and second generation digital, communication technologies.
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Whenever someone asks me to explain what 3G
systems are, I tend to think of huge departmental
stores. All your basic needs – plus a
few extra items thrown in to spice things up
– under a single roof. A plea to modern
man’s psychological need for convenience.
And that’s how it is with the current
crop of 3G packages. A simple, all-in-one access
to everything users could ever want from a mobile
phone (and then some).
But seriously now, what is 3G (or 2.5G for that
matter)? Basically 3G systems are meant to be
the ultimate upgrade to the current 2G systems
that are operating under the Global System of
Mobile Communications (GSM). GSM is referred
to as the Second Generation (2G) of mobile phone
technology, with the old analog mobile phone
system being the first. Since current 2G phones
send and receive data at only 9.6 Kilobits per
second (kbps), the advent of text and multimedia
messaging (MMS) has meant that the demand for
drastically improved data transfer rates has
been very strong.
3G systems are designed to offer increased voice
capacity and higher-speed data rates by providing
a more robust wireless pipeline. The International
Telecommunications Union (ITU), a regulatory
and standards-setting body, states that any
system claiming to be 3G must be capable of
a minimum speed of 144K bits/second, and theoretically
going up to 2 Mbps. Very good, you might say.
But why is there such a need for speed?
Well, 3G systems aim to provide faster access
to all kinds of data, thus turning your wireless
phone (or appliance) into a handier, cooler,
tool. This speed is matched with the promise
that it will "keep people connected at
all times and in all places." What results
is the capability to access the Internet as
you would at home,
mobile instant messaging,
enhanced multimedia options, usability as a
fax/pager/e-mail tool, as well as the obvious
premise of crisper and more stable voice communications.
Very impressive, but not without a lion’s
share of problems.
For starters, 3G services are bound to be ‘expensive’,
especially due to the very high prices paid
for 3G spectrum licenses. Secondly, the services
offered by 3G are nice, but are beyond the current
demands of the average user. So now we have
a situation where the consumer is not satisfied
with the current level of service, yet is also
balking at paying so much for something that
resembles overkill.
To fill the void, 2.5G has evolved. 2.5G radio
transmission technology is radically different
from 2G technology because it uses packet switching.
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is the European
2.5G standard, the upgrade from GSM. GPRS overlays
a packet-switched architecture onto the GSM
circuit-switched architecture. It is a useful
evolutionary step on the road to 3G because
it gives telecommunications operators experience
of operating packet networks, and charging for
packet data. Data transfer rates in 2.5G services
can theoretically reach 64Kbps.
It is important to note the resulting irony.
Because 3G services were too expensive and because
the market was not ‘ready’ for them,
2.5G evolved. Now, as it is said later, the
evolution of 2.5G has become an obstacle for
3G services to penetrate the cell phone market.
However, 3G cannot be judged merely on the basis
of costs and services alone. The value of any
consumer technology can only be truly measured
in terms of its worth to the average user. And
when it comes to mobile communications, the
needs of the ‘average’ customer
are already being fulfilled through 2G and 2.5G.
Most people do not need to use video conferencing
or browse complete websites through their cell
phones. Most of us are satisfied with constant
coverage, the provision to check our email and
maybe send a voice message or so. With all of
this available in quite affordable packages,
experts are beginning to wonder whether there
actually is the massive demand to match the
hype that was created when 3G first came into
the picture.
Market analysts are faced with the challenge
of accurately predicting how much technology
consumers will actually be willing to pay for
3G services. With 3G providing features that
are ‘cool’ but expensive, and with
cheaper and adequate alternatives available
in the form of 2.5G, the pure cell-phone features
no longer hold any ‘pulling’ power.
In fact, some critics argue that 2.5G speeds
are just fine, thank you, and provide enough
flexibility for most applications.
The rapid development of wireless LANs based
on the 802.11 standard and the future 802.11g
standard means that 3G systems now have serious
competition. Although Wi-Fi support is still
patchy (and suffers from the same security issues),
and some users prefer 2.5G and 3G systems instead
of Wi-Fi due to the widespread coverage, wireless
LANs have completely taken over the office environment.
Not only that but wireless LAN systems are getting
faster and becoming more robust. There are plans
to develop 802.11 systems that approach 1.5
Mbps in theoretical speeds. Intel and others
are also looking into developing metropolitan
area networks (MANs) that expand that 300 feet
Wi-Fi bubble to about 30 miles, or across an
entire city.
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In the U.S, 3G services have been slow to start.
Only in late 2003 and early this year did commercial
3G packages evolve to the extent that the general
public became interested in them. Compare this
with the presence of 3G services in Japan since
2001 and the popularity of 3G networks in Europe
since 2000 (Finland launched it’s first
network in late 2000). Compared to the rest
of the developed world, the U.S is lagging behind.
And here is why:
A much more developed lower-tier communications
infrastructure (2G and 2.5G) has meant that
there are more alternatives have been available
to consumers.
‘Wi-Fi’ has become the latest rage
with tech-savvy consumers, and because it became
available before 3G systems were fully operational,
it has captured a sizeable share of the wireless
business market.
U.S companies have several technical and legal
issues in acquiring the appropriate spectrum
for 3G use from the FCC.
As technology becomes more sophisticated and
bandwidth increases, systems become increasingly
vulnerable to attack by malicious hackers (known
as crackers) unless countermeasures are implemented
to protect against such activity. Ensuring secure
wireless connections in a pre-requisite to any
wireless service provider.
Despite the obstacles, 3G is here to stay. The
main issue is to work it into the market in
such a way that it becomes useful for the majority
of people, and not just a select few. Ideally,
we are looking at multi-tiered services that
offer a combination of 2.5G, 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities
to one, national network. Eventually we would
be using multiple networks to check our email,
leave a message for a friend and download that
bonus music video onto our PDA. Being part of
a culture that revels on paying a flat rate
for unlimited access, I would expect such a
network to offer different levels of service,
with customers being charged according to their
service package, and not having to pay multiple
fees for Wi-Fi and 3G access.
Just as PC users are starting to wonder whether
there really is a need for faster computers,
the whole communications industry might also
be entering a period of transition (not just
a few years but perhaps a decade or two) where
new technologies would not mean that older technologies
become obsolete; rather, two separate consumer
groups would emerge who would use the old and
new technologies side by side.
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Mike Ber is the owner of the Canadian Domain
Name Portal called http://www.Every.ca He is
also a contributing author to Canadian Computer
Magazine and http://www.Developer.ca website.
