1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Overlook on Predecessor

GPRS?
Difference between 3G and GPRS
EDGE & 3G networks – Are they same or related?

4. 3G & Mobiles
5. 3G, precisely

Various services that 3G (W-CDMA) could provide

6. Effects of 3G on society
7. Benefits of 3G
8. 3G license
9. Countries where 3G currently exist?
10. Pricing Concerns
11. Disadvantages
12. The future of 3G
13. Conclusion
14. References

Abstract:
From the time of telegraphs the telecom sector has witnessed an immense growth and has diversified into various segments like, fixed line telephony, mobile telephony, GSM, CDMA etc. This industry is growing at a faster pace than any other sector for the recent years by introducing modern technologies which traveled far and wide and genuinely nurtured by the public. This growth extends up to the network operators and handset providers introducing newer value added services and latest technology cell phones with advanced multimedia applications.

It’s high time to induct, acknowledge and learn about the much-awaited 3G Technology.

When ever you go to buy a mobile phone the sales person says, ”this is latest 3G mobile”, have we ever wondered what 3G stands for?

3G is the third-generation technology also known as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System in the context of mobile phone standards. The third generation, as its name suggests, follows the first generation (1G) and second generation (2G) in wireless communications. The services associated with 3G provide the ability to transfer simultaneously both voice data (a telephone call) and non-voice data (such as downloading information, exchanging email, and instant messaging). The first country that introduced 3G on a large commercial scale was Japan. 3G networks are wide area cellular telephone networks which evolved to incorporate high-speed internet access and video telephony. Handsets could vary from wrist-watch style 'simple' telephones to palm-pilot type for multi-media web-browsing usage.

Introduction:
Third generation (3G) services combine high speed mobile access with Internet Protocol (IP)-based services
The most vital thing to be noted is that when two devices connect or "talk" to each other without any physical device or cable between them, they use radio frequencies to transmit information. This is important because different vendors use different frequencies, cover different areas and have a wide range of signal strengths.
During the first generation (1G) microprocessor and digitization of control links were invented, digitization of control signals and voice signal were developed during the second generation which is 2G. This system provided better quality and higher capacity with lower cost.
The Third generation (3G) systems promise faster communications services which include voice, fax and Internet with seamless global roaming. This technology enables cell phones to offer high-speed Internet access, data, video and CD-quality music.

Overlook on Predecessor:
Looking down towards its predecessors, 1G provided only analog voice services (with the technology named as AMPS - Advanced Mobile Phone Service), 2G with digital voice service and data service with data rate of 9.6K to 14.4K bit/sec (with technologies such as CDMA-code division multiple access, TDMA-time division multiple access, GSM-Global System for Mobile Communications, PDC-Personal digital cellular) and enhanced calling features like caller ID but suffered serious drawbacks like no always-on data connection which brought in the need for the next generation of mobile phones called 3G with Superior voice quality and up to 2M bit/second always-on data(involving W-CDMA-Wide-band Code Division Multiple Access,CDMA-2000,TD-SCDMA-Time-division synchronous code-division multiple-access technologies).

Table 1: Difference between 2G,2.5G and 3G in terms of Speed and Features

GPRS?
GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. 2G + GPRS = 2.5G
This technology is used for the transfer of information (data) over wireless (cellular) networks. It also enables cellular phones, PDA’s (Personal Digital Assistants) and mini computers to access web sites, e-mail and other data related information sources.

The class of a GPRS phone determines the speed at which data can be transferred.

Class A - > Operates in GSM and GPRS modes at the same time, and hold simultaneous voice and data sessions
Class B - > Operates in GSM and GPRS modes at the same time, and but cannot hold simultaneous calls. In other words devices support one type at a time, and switch automatically between data and voice
Class C – > Can be active in either GSM or GPRS mode, but not at the same time. In other words devices support one type at a time, and require user intervention to switch between data and voice.
Technically the classes available are related to timeslots of the phone. The timeslots in turn are used for data upload and download and this is apart from the reserved slots available in the phone. Greater the number of slots faster is the transmission.

Difference between 3G and GPRS
The main difference between these two technologies is that 3G enables much faster data transfer rates and this helps to work faster.
3G offers speed of up to 384 kilobits per second – which is up to 7 times faster than a standard dial-up connection

EDGE & 3G networks – Are they same or related?
EDGE provides data transfer rates significantly faster than GPRS. EDGE can use upto 8 timeslots and each of 48Kbps and so the maximum data transfer rate is 48*8 = 384 kbps
The 2.75G network refers to EDGE and Wherever this network is not available GPRS will be used automatically instead.
It is a further step towards the capacities and capabilities of 3G
It offers data speeds that are required for music and videos; however EDGE does not offer Video telephony.
EDGE acts as an compliment to the 3G networks. But EDGE enabled handsets are sparse whereas some latest models like Nokia 6230, 6630, 9500 supports the same

3G & Mobiles:
Mobile phones allowed us to communicate on the move. Internet gave us the raw data available all over the world into useful information. When these technologies converge there is the birth of the third generation mobile phones popularly called as the 3G mobiles. Third generation (3G) services combine high speed mobile access with Internet Protocol (IP)-based services.

But this doesn’t just mean fast mobile connection to the World Wide Web. Rather, whole new ways to communicate, access information, conduct business, learn and be entertained - liberated from slow, cumbersome equipment and immovable points of access.3G is not just about applications that require high speed data rates. It’s about convenience and speed of access.
By implementing 3G, we can be on-line constantly: e-mail messages with file attachments will download to hand-held terminals instantaneously; at the push of a button we’ll be connected to our company network.
While 3G is generally considered applicable mainly to mobile wireless, it is also relevant to fixed wireless and portable wireless which means that 3G is not a technology that is affirmed to a fixed domain(like cellular communication, as we would think of).A 3G system should be operational from any location on, or over, the earth's surface. 3G promises increased bandwidth, up to 384 Kbps when a device is stationary or moving at pedestrian speed, 128 Kbps in a car, and 2 Mbps in fixed applications.

3G, precisely:
Japan was the first country to implement 3G on a commercial scale.3G services will add an invaluable mobile dimension to services that are already becoming an integral part of modern business life: Internet and Intranet access, video-conferencing, and interactive application sharing. Does this provide a picture as if 3G is only for the "road warriors" who are on the move always? The answer is no, 3G is the solution for all Employees who spend some of their working at home. On-site maintenance engineers who need access to detailed instruction manuals, mobile emergency services that a video need link with a hospital or doctor for specialized advice.3G provides the capability to determine geographic position of mobiles and report it to both the network and the mobile terminal. Packet-based data provides several advantages over the existing circuit-switched techniques used for carrying mobile voice. It allows higher call volumes and support for multimedia data applications, such as video and photography.

Successful 3G implementation requires:

1. Standards for services
2. Service provider infrastructure
3. 3G- Compatible handsets
4. 3G services from service provider

The standard which allows these components to glue together is known as WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access). In Local area connections WCDMA allows data transfer rate range from 2Mbps to 384 Kbps. This increase in bandwidth enables users to have streaming video over 3G networks allowing the operator to offer video-on-demand services. Live conference can also be seen with the help of video calls. Shop online music store and download the favorites.

Various services that 3G (W-CDMA) could provide:

It is effortless to access to the Internet having a mobile palmtop with Internet browser while on the fly. Location-independent mobile access to a personalized set of services that matches the way today’s world runs. 3G eases the machine to machine communication in the near future. We can imagine of refrigerator with in-built sensors, sensing the emptied shelves and sending messages automatically to the PDA of the user or the local store to refill it.

Effects of 3G on society

• Mobile Internet connectivity
• Mobile email
• Mobile Interview
• E-learning & m-learning
• Multimedia services, such as digital photos taken by and shared via wireless handsets
• Wireless application downloading
• Video-on-demand and short-format Clipcast™ content
• Real-time multiplayer gaming
• Enhanced emergency and location-based services
• Low-latency push-to-talk and push-to-video message services

Benefits of 3G:
The data are Packet-based which provides several advantages over the existing circuit-switched techniques. These techniques are used for carrying mobile voice. It allows higher call volumes and support for multimedia data applications, such as video and photography.

The charges are based on amount of data transmitted and not on time taken to connect to the network. (Pay for the information you receive)

issue in 3G with regard to providers and users
But several issues continue to hamper its growth.

• High spectrum licensing fees for the 3G services
• Huge capital required to build infrastructure for 3G services.
• Health impact because of electromagnetic waves.
• Prices are very high for 3G mobile services.
• Will 2G users switch to 3G services?
• Takes time to catch up as the service is new.

3G license
Mobile operators with empty pockets and a head full of hype
Many GSM players such as like BSNL, MTNL, Bharti, are ahead of the start of 3G mobile services. The spectrum has been provided to carry out interface check on a non-commercial basis.
The Trial spectrum is for a month which will be only 1/1000th of the actual 3G spectrum capability. The spectrum for trial is allotted by National Frequency Allocation Plan and it was given to all those who applied for it on the 2.1 GHz band. GSM players operate on 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz, while CDMA players operate on 800 MHz.

Countries where 3G currently exist?
There are about 60 3G networks across 25 countries. In Asia, Europe and the USA, telecom firms use WCDMA technology. The WCDMA standard provides seamless global evolution from today's GSM with support of the worlds' largest mobile operators.
WCDMA technology is built on open standards, wide ranging mobile multimedia possibility, and vast potential economies of scale with the support of around 100 terminal designs to operate 3G mobile networks.
3G services were introduced in Europe in 2003.

Pricing Concerns
With respect to India the base price for spectrum is fixed based on the cities category for cities like Mumbai and Delhi and Category A telecom circles it is Rs 80 crore (Rs 800 million); in cities like Chennai and Kolkata and Category B circles Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million); and in all other cities Rs 15 crore (Rs 150 million).
Tatas have welcomed Trai's Rs 1,400-crore (Rs 14 billion) base price the rest of the service providers find the price excessively inflated.
Bharti has appealed to lower the prices especially for rural penetration and expect it to be around Rs 300-400 crore (Rs 3-4 billion). The reserve price is a deterrent for telecom companies in India.
Trai chairman Nripendra Misra has quoted that there is no reason to worry as players will not bid exorbitantly and derail the auction. Misra added that telecom operators had matured from their experiences and global developments, and would bid sincerely.

Disadvantages:
3Gis the ultimate need for our future. But technology can exist without drawbacks and 3G is not any different to this rule. Even this cutting edge technology is not able to provide any solution for the harmful effects created on using electromagnetic waves for communication. Moreover 3G phones that are available in the market now are pretty costly and not everyone can afford to buy them. People are not made much aware of the advantages of 3G, (except the elite crowd who are always in touch with the latest gadgets and technologies) it hasn’t reached the world over population. Thinking on a wider sense, other high-speed wireless technologies like Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), Wi-Max (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) made 3G sounds a complicated one for wireless internet access.

The current status of mobile wireless communications, as of June 2006, is a mix of 2nd and 3rd generation technologies (called 2.5G, the best technology now widely available providing speed of 64-144kb/sec). The new EDGE air interface has been developed specifically to meet the bandwidth needs of 3G.

The fast growing technology which is getting updated day to day has made 3G sound a little inferior technology when compared to its successor called as 4G(4G is short for fourth-generation cellular communication system).4G is expected to be capable of providing 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s, respectively, in outdoor and indoor environments with high security, offering any kind of services anytime, anywhere, at affordable cost and one billing.

Hence 3G is considered as outdated by few people and unborn by few others. However it is, 3G provided the first step and boom to the wireless world of communication.
Note: Get a handset that will meet the needs both at present and in the near future. Those way, have a great tool that will grow with, as service offerings increase.

The future of 3G
3G technology glues the two fastest growing market sectors - Mobile and Internet. 3G packet based networks will allow users to be on line all the time. The capabilities of wireless networks in terms of bandwidth ought to be enhanced.
The TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has recommended auctioning radio frequencies for 3G telecom services at a reserve price of Rs 1,050 crore (Rs 10.50 billion) to companies seeking to offer nationwide high-speed Internet and streaming video.
The base price for spectrum is fixed based on the cities category for cities like Mumbai and Delhi. For Category A telecom circles it is Rs 80 crore (Rs 800 million); for cities like Chennai and Kolkata and Category B circles it is Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million); and in every other cities Rs 15 crore (Rs 150 million).

Conclusion:
3G services will add invaluable dimension for the integral part of the modern world. Flexible working practices can be incorporated in organizations where employees need access to a wide range of information and services via their corporate intranets, whether they are at their own desk or anywhere else.

In the near future, mobility will not be considered as an add-on: it will become a fundamental aspect. As the penetration for using Mobile phones continues to rise the handset manufacturers divert their attention towards manufacturing new and wide variety of styles and sizes of handsets to meet the individual needs of users.
Development of 3G networks will continue and pick up pace in the near future, the 2nd generation networks will keep evolving in terms of continuous enhancements and towards convergence of existing 2G standards. People will be getting same quality of service from a next-generation phone as they would get from their PCs today.
Let us “Embark upon modern Era” and be in awe the hype will turn to reality.

References:
3gnewsroom.com/html/about_3g/index.shtml
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G
mobilein.com/3G.htm
searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com
webopedia.com/TERM/3/3G.html
3gnewsroom.com/html/about_3g/what_is_3g.shtml
3g.co.uk

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