3G Mobile Communication.

3 G COMMUNICATION
ABSTRACT
Mobile communication was initially developed for mobile business

communications, with ever increasing emphasis on social and leisure uses. Mobile
phone access is becoming increasingly popular among users of almost all age
groups. Functionality of the mobile services has developed to the point where the
integration of voice and data now dominates the main usage of the mobile phones.
And in this race for technological advancements in the field of mobile
communications, researchers have developed a revolutionary new technology
called W-CDMA or simply 3G(Third Generation) which promises to move mobile
communication from simple voice transfer to rich media content & much more,
where we will use more of our senses to intensify our experiences.
Although the technology behind 3G may seem complicated, the ways in which
3G will affect all of our lives are easy to imagine. Just imagine having a combined
high resolution camera, video camera, computer, music player, video player, radio
and also ability to play streaming media content included in your mobile phone.
Rich-media information and entertainment will be at our fingertips whenever we
want.
In this paper I intend to discuss the fundamental overview regarding the Third
Generation mobile phone systems.
Firstly I will be discussing the media to which the 3G technology is being

applied. Then what are the reasons or needs for the 3G mobile technology to be
implemented, the groundbreaking technological advancements made till date in
the field of 3G mobile technology, what makes 3G technology so exciting.
Then I will discuss about the restrictions & limitations faced by the developers
in implementing this technology in an extended manner.
Last but not the least I will throw some light on the groundwork of this
technology in our country & also in other countries.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First I would like to thank Ms. Sumitra Ojha, Instructor, Computer Science
Dept., for suggesting the topic and helping throughout the Technical Seminar.
I would like to thank my friends who have offered all sorts of help for the
completion of this paper for Technical Seminar.
Sandeep Kumar Hotta
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.............................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................iii
LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................iv
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1
2. HISTORY..............................................................................................................2
3. NEED FOR 3G......................................................................................................4
4. CELLULAR STANDARDS..................................................................................6
5. STRUCTURE OF 3G..........................................................................................15
6. PREFERENCE FOR 3G......................................................................................19
7. TECHNOLOGIES FOR 3G.................................................................................22
8. FEATURES OF 3G..............................................................................................25
9. APPLICATIONS OF 3G.....................................................................................26
10. 3G EVOLUTION & REVOLUTION................................................................29
11. CONCLUSION..................................................................................................33
REFERENCES.............................................................................................................34
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 5.1 : MSO-PSTN Connection...........................................................................17
µFigure 5.2 : Standardized evolution path for mobile wireless system from 2G to 3G
........................................................................................................................µ18§§
3G MOBILE COMMUNICATION
1. INTRODUCTION
Few years ago mobile telephony allowed us to talk on the move. Then came
the internet which turned raw data into helpful services that people found easy to use.
Now, these two technologies are converging to create third generation mobile
services.
In simple terms, 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.
While there are many interpretations of what 3G represents, the only definition
accepted universally is the one published by the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU). ITU, working with industry bodies from around the world, defines and
approves technical requirements and standards as well as the use of spectrum for 3G
systems under the IMT-2000 (International Telecommunication Union-2000)
program.
Third Generation (3G) mobile devices and services promise to transform

wireless communications into on-line, real-time connectivity. 3G wireless technology
will allow an individual to have immediate access to location-specific services that
offer information on demand.
Also 3G systems will provide access, by means of one or more radio links, to
a wide range of telecommunication services supported by the fixed
telecommunication networks and to other services that are specific to mobile users. A
range of mobile terminal types will be encompassed, linking to terrestrial and/or
satellite-based networks, and the terminals may be designed for mobile or fixed use.
2. HISTORY
At the beginning of 20th century, the police forces in Europe and in the US
were using radio telephony equipment. During the 50’s and 60’s, first radio telephone
networks were introduced for public customers in the USA & other European
countries. As the radio telephony services became more popular, the insufficient
availability of radio frequencies became obvious. In the 60’s and 70’s, new
technologies like dynamic channel allocation and cell-based networks were developed
in order to decrease the congestion in the radio frequencies. The increasing lack of
frequencies in the radio telephone services led to the development of cellular
networks in the 70’s. The Bell Telephone company (USA) introduced the first cellular
public network AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) in 1978. It became a single
standard for North America in 1982. In the 80’s, several analogue cellular radio
networks entered to service around the world. Each country has proceeded in its own
way in adopting standards for these networks. These standards were not mutually
compatible. Later international standards, like GSM, were introduced. Then the
generations of different cellular technologies were introduced after each other. In this
age of miniaturization of technology, there’s always a desired place for advanced
technologies. And when it comes to communication, nothing beats this field where the
most advanced technologies are being used. The field of communication has changed
by leaps & bounds at least in the last ten to fifteen years.
There was a time not so long ago when telephone was considered as a medium
to communicate through voice transfer only. Then came the concept of
miniaturization & cellular phone was invented. The cellular telephone was designed
to give the user maximum freedom of movement while using a telephone. It was the
“mobile” concept that really took the world by storm.
But as time progressed, both cellular operators & users demanded more out of
those tiny devices. This gave rise to many services that cellular operators & handset
makers provided to retain their customer base & to provide users the best possible
mobile experience. These services included messaging, voice dialing, video call,
caller line identification, etc. These services were part of the first(1G) & second
generation(2G) that hit the field of mobile communication.
Then came the age of a revolution called the internet. It changed the way
people accessed information. And as always they wanted their tiny handheld devices
to do all the work they ever wanted. So came the invention of 2.5G standard of mobile
communication. It provided users many services that streamlined the way people use
their mobile phones. These services included WAP (Wireless Application Protocol),
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for Global
Evolution), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), etc. These technologies were
implemented to give the user the best of digital content that the world of
entertainment has to offer. By using these services, users were able to connect to the
internet through their mobile, access the world of information at the touch of a button.
It was truly the best mobile experience till date. But the eagerness to evolve tempted
the developers to think of something more exciting. Thus came the concept of 3G i.e.
third generation mobile communication. The main factor behind the birth of 3G was
the rapid development of consumer’s taste in using their mobile handsets. Users
wanted high speed access to the world of information through the internet, live audio
visual content, location specific services, access to any service from anywhere, at
anytime, etc. This enabled developers to think of 3G as this was the one technology
till date that could really offer limitless possibilities to the users who want the whole
world at their fingertips.
The need for 3G could also be attributed to the fact that as there is constant up-
gradation of technology; implementation of third generation of mobile
communication systems was bound to happen sometime after 2.5G was in place.
As 3G stands for third generation mobile communication systems, it is a

much improved, has better stability, and has better features than its predecessors. So it
makes sense to implement such a system which will help people to seamlessly
connect to the world of information, entertainment & make life easier & simpler.
4. CELLULAR STANDARDS
Each generation of mobile communications has been based on a dominant

technology, which has significantly improved spectrum capacity. Until the advent of
IMT-2000, cellular networks had been developed under a number of proprietary,
regional and national standards, creating a fragmented market.
4.1 First Generation(1G) cellular standard:
1G cellular systems refer to the early analogue cellular phone technologies. The
early 1980s marked the first use of wireless cellular systems. It was typical for this
kind of systems that the systems were quite limited in performance, no fancy features
and mostly country specific standards. 1G systems differed from the earlier radio
networks in a couple of ways. The first generation (1G) cellular systems had increased
capacity and greater mobility support than the early wireless radio networks. The 1G
systems employed the concept of cellular coverage, where the coverage area is
divided into small cells. This greatly increased the overall capacity of the entire
network due to the ability to reuse frequencies.
First generation wide area wireless communication systems were characterized as

analog radio systems and designed for voice transfer. 1G Technology used frequency
division multiple access (FDMA) to communicate, meaning simply that every call in
one are uses their own channels for voice communication. This kind of systems were
designed and used in 1970s and 1980s. Examples of this kind of systems include
AMPS, TACS, and NMT. Here is some more information on those systems.
The first generation of wireless consisted mostly of voice traffic handled with
analog techniques. For example NMT and AMPS cellular technologies belong to this
category.
 NMT stands for Nordic Mobile Telephone. It is an analog cellular phone system
deployed in more than 40 countries in Europe. NMT was the first analog cellular
phone system (launched in the Scandinavian countries 1979). The system used
originally 450 MHz band (NMT 450), but later when more capacity was needed, it
was also adopted for 900 MHz band (NMT 900). NMT was the first widely used
international cellular phone system. It was used widely in Northern Europe. The
project started in late 1970's in a co-operation with Finland, Sweden and Norway.
The first version of the network started at 1982. This operated at 450 MHz
frequency band and was named first NMT, later NMT-450. The use of this system
has then speared to also other countries in Northern Europe and some areas in
Russia. There is also version NMT-900 that operated at 900 MHz frequency band.
The use of NMT has pretty much stopped in the countries that started it originally
(for example ended in Finland).
The Bell Telephone company (US) introduced the first cellular public network AMPS
(Advanced Mobile Phone Service) in 1978. It became a single standard for North
America in 1982. Developed in the 1970s and deployed in the 1980s and still used
today. These phones transmit voice as an analog signal without any encryption of
scrambling. As a result, they can be eavesdropped upon using handheld scanners sold
at places like Radio Shack. Analog systems are widely deployed throughout the US,
especially in rural areas. Although analog cell phones are still sold but not a good
deal, as analog providers generally charge a lot of money, the phones do not have
good battery life, and the sound quality is generally poor. The big advantage of analog
cell phones is that they have the best nation-wide coverage, but that is changing fast.
TACS stands for Total Access Communications System. It is a modified version of
AMPS. TACS is used in UK, Japan and China.
Analogue systems created the critical mass of mobile users. Analogue technology has
small subscriber and traffic capacities, and the use of radio spectrum is profuse. The
limitations of analogue radio network technology became, however, clear as the
number of subscribers increased. The need for more advanced solutions was urgent
especially in Europe, where numerous standards in a relatively small region caused
cumulative problems due to increased mobility of radio telephone users.
Second Generation(2G) cellular standard:

Second generation (2G) cellular phone system use digital communication methods.
They are capable of providing voice, data and other services. Digital technology
combined with harmonized standardization has made it possible to make calls at any
time, anywhere, and both speech and data can be transmitted and received. The
second generation (2G) wireless systems are characterized by the use of digital radio
transmission. The increase in system capacity was due to the use of hierarchical cell
structures and the ability to use a single frequency channel for multiple users (code
and/or time division).Examples of this series of systems include GSM, D-AMPS
(TDMA/IS-136) and CDMA IS-95-A. Here is some more information on those
systems.
GSM :
The Europeans realized rapid growth of cellular communications early on, and in
1982 the Conference of European Posts and Telegraphs (CEPT) formed a study group
called the Groupe Special Mobile (GSM) to study and develop a Pan-European public
land mobile system. In 1989, GSM responsibility was transferred to the European
Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), and phase I of the GSM specifications
were published in 1990. Commercial service was started in mid 1991, and by 1993
there were 36 GSM networks in 22 countries. The most basic teleservice supported by
GSM is telephony. From the beginning, the planners of GSM wanted ISDN
compatibility in services offered and control signalling used. The digital nature of
GSM allows data, both synchronous and asynchronous, to be transported as a bearer
service to or from an ISDN terminal. The data rates supported by GSM are 300 bps,
600 bps, 1200 bps, 2400 bps, and 9600 bps (14400 bps was added later).
GSM features:
Maximum data rate: 9600 bit/s (there are some extension that allow now faster
speeds)
Maximum mobile terminal output power: 8 W
Maximum hand-held mobile terminal output power: 2W
Maximum cell radius: 30 km
Minimum cell radius: 350 m
Access method: TDMA/FDMA
Number of radio channels in each direction: 124
Number of speech channels per radio channel: 8
Modulation: Minimum Shift Keying (GSMK)
GSM system uses a combination of time division multiple access and frequency
division multiple access to use the radio spectrum. TDMA is used to divide one
carrier frequency to up to 8 users. Different frequencies are used to be able to have
many different frequency carriers on the same location to get more capacity than 8
users. Transmitting and receiving uses different frequencies. The common channel
structure is a total of 156.25 bits, transmitted every 0.577 milliseconds, giving a gross
bit rate of 270.833 kbps. This bit rate is then divided with the data from 8 users,
control data, time delay control spare bits and bits used for equalization. A unique
feature of GSM compared to older analog systems is the Short Message Service
(SMS). SMS is a bidirectional service for sending short alphanumeric (up to 160
bytes) messages in a store and forward fashion. For point to point SMS, a message
can be sent to another subscriber to the service, and an acknowledgement of receipt is

provided to the sender. SMS can also be used in a cell broadcast mode, for sending
messages such as traffic updates or news updates.
A brief GSM History:
1978 Frequency allocation by CEPT
1982 Group Special Mobile within CEPT
1987 GSM group described the main technical standards for the mobile telephony
1987 GSM MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)
1990 Phase 1 specifications were frozen
1991 First GSM call took place in Finland
1992 First GSM networks in commercial use
1992 Phase 2 specifications
Network operators in most of the world use the original GSM spectrum allocation at
900 MHz. The frequency range allocated for cellular telephony purposes (used now
by GSM) in the 1978 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) was 890-915
MHz for transmissions from mobile stations and 935-960 MHz for transmissions from
fixed stations. Additional spectrum at 1,800 MHz is used for the GSM derivative
called DCS-1800, and this band is used in many countries. Some countries with
cellular allocations at 450 MHz may begin deploying GSM in that band as well to
replace old analog networks. In many areas of the United States, there are GSM
systems operating in the 1,900- MHz PCS frequency band. There are also plans to
make GSM standards for operation at 400 MHz and 800 MHz bands. The practical
use of different frequencies is nowadays the following: In Europe the GSM networks
generally use 900 MHz frequency band throughout Europe. Quite many countries also
use 1800 MHz frequency on places like large cities where the capacity available at
900 Mhz frequency band is not enough to cover the needs of the users. Many modern
European GSM phones are built as "dual-band" phones, that can use both of those
frequency bands, and automatically transparently to the user switch between those
frequency bands as needed (controlled by the operator).In USA GSM networks use
1900 MHz frequency band. This frequency band was selected to be used there,
because the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands were already used for other
purposes. Considering the many options available, dual-band GSM phones are quite
commonplace now. A few tri-band (900/1,800/1,900 MHz) phones are also available,
allowing a GSM subscriber to use the same phone almost anywhere in the world.
Circuit-switched voice calls are still the most commonly used services in GSM
networks. Users also use data services. Current data communication services over
GSM generally allows transferring files or data and sending faxes at 9.6 kbps. This
current data communication in GSM network is circuit switched.
There are many GSM operators operating at different countries, and even in many
locations there are several different operators that compete against each other on the
same are. In GSM system there is a feature called "roaming" available. It allows you
to use the network of some other operator to make calls instead of your own operator
that might not be reachable (for example when you’re abroad). If you roam into an
area not covered by your home network your handset looks for networks that your
network operator has made a "roaming agreement." If the network(s) that are found
allow you to register you can use them (because your home carrier has made a
roaming agreement with the carrier that you are visiting.) If no roaming agreement is
present you cannot use that network and only can make emergency calls.
D-AMPS :
D-AMPS stands for Digital-Advanced Mobile Phone Service. It is a digital version of
AMPS. D-AMPS is also known as TDMA/IS-136. D-AMPS is mostly used in USA.
D-AMPS cellular phones transmit in the 824-849 MHz range and receive in the 869-
894 MHz range using 30 kHz channels (FDMA). In addition to this TDMA is used to
create time slots within each channel.
CDMA-95-A :
CDMA-95-A is a cellular phone system that uses CDMA radio communication to be
able to send multiple signals in the same channel (a form of multiplexing). This
system used spread spectrum (DS/SS) technology to transmit frequency according the
code pattern. CDMA-95-A supports data speeds up to 14.4 kbps. An updated version
of it, know as CDMA-95-B supports speed up to 64 kbps.
The 2G systems has been increased in the features over years. Enhancements upon
this second generation of wireless systems (termed 2.5G.) has increased system
capacities even further. These enhancements give for example better voice quality,
faster data transfer and packet mode data communications.
PDC :
Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) is the second largest digital mobile standard although
it is exclusively used in Japan where it was introduced in 1994. Like GSM, it is based
on the TDMA access technology. In November 2001, there were some 66.39 million
PDC users in Japan.
PHS :
Personal Handyphone System (PHS) is a digital system used in Japan, first launched
in 1995 as a cheaper alternative to cellular systems. It is somewhere in between a
cellular and a cordless technology. It has inferior coverage area and limited usage in
moving vehicles. In November 2001, Japan had 5.68 million PHS subscribers.
Third Generation(3G) cellular standard:
Essential qualities and characteristics of a 3G wireless system:
Bit rates reaching up to 2 Mbps
Variable bit rate to offer bandwidth on demand
Multiplexing of services with different quality requirements on a single connection,
e.g. speech, video, and packet data
Delay requirements from delay-sensitive real-time traffic to flexible best-effort packet
data
Quality requirements from 10% frame error rate to 10-6 bit error rate
Coexistence of second and third generation systems and inter-system handovers for
coverage enhancements and load balancing
Support of asymmetric uplink and downlink traffic, e.g. web browsing causes more
loading to downlink and uplink
High spectrum efficiency
The ITU's IMT-2000 family :
It is in the mid-1980s that the concept for IMT-2000, “International Mobile
Telecommunications”, was born at the ITU as the third generation system for mobile
communications. After over ten years of hard work under the leadership of the ITU,
a historic decision was taken in the year 2000; unanimous approval of the technical
specifications for third generation systems under the brand IMT-2000. The spectrum
between 400 MHz and 3 GHz is technically suitable for the third generation. The
entire telecommunication industry, including both industry and national and regional
standards-setting bodies gave a concerted effort to avoiding the fragmentation that
had thus far characterized the mobile market. This approval meant that for the first
time, full interoperability and internetworking of mobile systems could be achieved.
IMT-2000 is the result of collaboration of many entities, inside the ITU (ITU-R and
ITU-T), and outside the ITU (3GPP, 3GPP2, UWCC and so on)
IMT-2000 offers the capability of providing value-added services and applications on
the basis of a single standard. The system envisages a platform for distributing
converged fixed, mobile, voice, data, internet and multimedia services. One of its key
visions is to provide seamless global roaming, enabling users to move across borders
while using the same number and handset. IMT-2000 also aims to provide seamless
delivery of services, over a number of media (satellite, fixed, etc…). It is expected
that IMT-2000 will provide higher transmission rates: a minimum speed of 2Mbit/s
for stationary or walking users, and 348 Kbps in a moving vehicle. Second-
generation systems only provide speeds ranging from 9.6 Kbps to 28.8 Kbps.
In addition, IMT-2000 has the following key characteristics:
1. Flexibility :
With the large number of mergers and consolidations occurring in the mobile
industry, and the move into foreign markets, operators wanted to avoid having to
support a wide range of different interfaces and technologies. This would surely have
hindered the growth of 3G worldwide. The IMT-2000 standard addresses this
problem, by providing a highly flexible system, capable of supporting a wide range of
services and applications.
2. Affordability :
There was agreement among industry that 3G systems had to be affordable, in order
to encourage their adoption by consumers and operators.
3. Compatibility with existing systems :
IMT-2000 services have to be compatible with existing systems. 2G systems, such as
the GSM standard (prevalent in Europe and parts of Asia and Africa) will continue to
exist for some time and compatibility with these systems must be assured through
effective and seamless migration paths.
5. STRUCTURE OF 3G
5.1 Basic Principle :

The idea behind cellular networks is the sub-division of a geographical area covered
by a network into a number of smaller areas called cells. The frequencies allocated to
one cell can be reused in other cells that are far enough not to disturb. A fixed radio
station called as a base station within each cell acts as a transmitter/receiver serving
all the mobile stations inside the cell area. A base station controls a group of
transmitting/receiving frequencies allocated by the network to that cell. The base
station has also the control over subscribers that are currently in the cell area. When a
subscriber wants to make a call, the base station allocates a transmitting frequency
which is then used between the subscriber and the base station. When the subscriber
moves into another cell, a handover takes place, and a new base station takes over the
control of the call and assigns a new frequency that is different from the first. The
original frequency used in the first cell is released. The cellular concept enables the
following features:
Reduction of mobile terminal and base station transmitting power compared to many
other radio systems
The dynamic allocation of frequencies during the call
The reuse of frequencies in cells separated far enough apart
Increased number of subscribers
Third generation (3G) networks were conceived from the Universal Mobile
Telecommunications Service (UMTS) concept for high speed networks for enabling a
variety of data intensive applications. 3G systems consist of the two main standards,
CDMA2000 and W-CDMA, as well as other 3G variants such as NTT DoCoMo's
Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access (FOMA) and Time Division Synchronous
Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) used primarily in China.
The data speed of 3G is determined based on a combination of factors including the
chip rate, channel structure, power control, and synchronization.
5.2 The 3G Evolution :
Mobile operators use radio spectrum to provide their services. Spectrum is generally
considered a scarce resource, and has been allocated as such. It has traditionally been
shared by a number of industries, including broadcasting, mobile communications and
the military. At the World Radio Conference (WRC) in 1993, spectrum allocations for
2G mobile were agreed based on expected demand growth at the time. At WRC
2000, the resolutions of the WRC expanded significantly the spectrum capacity to be
used for 3G, by allowing the use of current 2G spectrum blocks for 3G technology
and allocating 3G spectrum to an upper limit of 3GHz.
Before the advent of cellular technology, capacity was enhanced through a division of
frequencies, and the resulting addition of available channels. However, this reduced
the total bandwidth available to each user, affecting the quality of service. Cellular
technology allowed for the division of geographical areas, rather than frequencies,
leading to a more efficient use of the radio spectrum. This geographical re-use of
radio channels is knows as “frequency reuse”.
In a cellular network, cells are generally organized in groups of seven to form a
cluster. There is a “cell site” or “base station” at the centre of each cell, which houses
the transmitter/receiver antennae and switching equipment. The size of a cell depends
on the density of subscribers in an area: for instance, in a densely populated area, the
capacity of the network can be improved by reducing the size of a cell or by adding
more overlapping cells. This increases the number of channels available without
increasing the actual number of frequencies being used. All base stations of each cell
are connected to a central point, called the Mobile Switching Office (MSO), either by
fixed lines or microwave.
The MSO is generally connected to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
as in the figure below :
Figure 5.1 : MSO-PSTN Connection

Cellular technology allows the “hand-off” of subscribers from one cell to another as
they travel around. This is the key feature which allows the mobility of users. A
computer constantly tracks mobile subscribers of units within a cell, and when a user
reaches the border of a call, the computer automatically hands-off the call and the call
is assigned a new channel in a different cell.
Setting a worldwide 3G standard has been a difficult task because of the need to
accommodate legacy customers. The result is a variety of technologies that allow the
integration of 2G standards but grouped under the one 3G umbrella. Although all
retain the initial unified goal of a service-offering that can support 2Mb/s for hand-
held phones, 344Kb/s for a walking mobile and 144Kb/s for a car-borne mobile the
implementation differs significantly with multiple steps each providing significant
improvements in functionality.
A complex group of cell structures enable comprehensive coverage in all
environments and situations (see exhibit below). Local cells with a short range will
deliver high data rates and a broad spectrum of new mobile services inside buildings.
Wide area cells use the same applications but with reduced data rates, thus reducing
or limiting the functionality.
5.3 Cell structures for third Generation mobiles :
Cell type Range Application
Umbrella Cells Up to several hundred kms Satellite mobile
Filling supply gaps
Hyper cells >20 km Rural areas
Macro cells 1km - 20km Highways and suburban
areas
Micro cells 100m - 1km Cities and urban areas
Pico cells < 100m In-building (Office, Home etc.)
TDMA EDGE
GSM
CDPD WCDMA
GPRS
PDC
PDCP
CDMA CDMA200 CDMA200
One 0 1X 0 1XEV
2G <65Kbps 2.5G <144Kbps 3G 2Mbps
Figure 5.2 : Standardized evolution path for mobile wireless system from 2G to 3G
6. PREFERENCE FOR 3G
GSM - Causes For Concern :

First introduced in 1992, and now standard across Europe and Asia, GSM is running
out of bandwidth. Within GSM networks the data traffic is increasing enormously,
and is expected to grow 40-50 per cent this year. This growth in demand for Internet
access and services has paralleled the explosion in demand for mobile data
communications. Users want access to the Internet while they are away from their
offices and homes.
The success of I-mode, NTT DoCoMo’s mobile Internet service, demonstrates there
is a market for wireless Internet access and increased demand for services, and thus
bandwidth, promised by 3G. One million subscribers sign up to I-mode every month,
drawn to services such as email, online banking and Internet browsing capabilities.
The following are the technologies that are driving operators to introduce 3G as soon
as possible.
GPRS ( Part of 2.5G) :

The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new packet-based bearer that is
already being introduced on many GSM and TDMA mobile networks. It is an
exciting new bearer because it is immediate (there is no dial up connection), relatively
fast (up to 115 kbps in the very best theoretical extreme) and supports virtual
connectivity, allowing relevant information to be sent from the network as and when
it is generated.
GPRS technology is part of a first step toward 3G. Primarily a software upgrade to the
GSM wireless networks that provide mobile phone service in much of the world,
GPRS provides mobile users with access to Internet information. It is a natural part of
the migration path to 3G and uses the same base stations as GSM with a modification
of software and the addition of support nodes, plus a link to a packet data network.
Cellular operators will have to add at least two new types of nodes to their existing
cellular networks to provide packet-based services. The nodes are :
1. SGSN – Serving GPRS support node
2. GGSN – Gateway GPRS support node
The cost of these nodes will be significant but operators can roll out these nodes in
phases. The operators will also need to upgrade their existing BSS software to support
GPRS. GPRS will enable the network up-to 21.4KBPS data rate per time slot.
GPRS Limitations :
While GPRS indeed is an evolutionary technology, field trials also have demonstrated
some limitations. There are signals that the early versions will provide mobile users a
nominal 64Kbits/sec wireless link – a speed that in fact may be as low as 14Kbits/ sec
as users compete for bandwidth.
GPRS impacts a network’s existing cell capacity. There are only limited radio
resources that can be deployed for different uses- use for one purpose precludes
simultaneous use for another. For example, voice and GPRS calls both use the same
network resources. The extent of the impact depends upon the number of timeslots,
if any, which are reserved for exclusive use of GPRS. However, GPRS dynamically
manages channel allocation and allows a reduction in peak time signaling channel
loading by sending short messages over GPRS channels instead.
Achieving the theoretical maximum GPRS data transmission speed of 115 kbps
would require a single user taking over all eight timeslots, without error protection.
Clearly, it is unlikely that a network operator will allow all timeslots to be used by a
single GPRS user. Additionally, the initial GPRS terminals are expected be severely
limited supporting only one, two or three timeslots. The bandwidth available to a
GPRS user will therefore be severely limited. The reality is that mobile networks are
always likely to have lower data transmission speeds than fixed networks.
Relatively high mobile data speeds may not be available to individual mobile users
until Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) or Universal Mobile
Telephone System (UMTS) are introduced.
EDGE (Part of 2.5G+) :

EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution), which is currently being standardized
within the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), represents the
final evolution of data communications within the GSM and IS-136 standards. EDGE
uses a new modulation schema to enable theoretical data throughput of up to
384kbit/s using existing GSM infrastructure. Clearly, this surpasses GPRS and could
offer an alternative route for GSM operators who will not have third generation
licenses. To support EDGE the operator has to upgrade its transceivers as the
modulation scheme changes along with software upgrade.
EDGE uses 8PSK modulation at higher data rates and standard GMSK modulation at
lower data rates. Operators can roll out EDGE in networks in phases. Since 8 PSK
will also be used for UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System),
network operators will need to incorporate it at some stage to make the transition to
3G mobile phone systems.
3G – The Holy Grail :

To date, the main driver for mobile communications has been voice telephony.
However, the introduction of new high-speed data capabilities, including GPRS and
EDGE, and the evolution to UMTS, will give new and existing GSM operators the
potential for a whole range of mobile multimedia services. Electronic postcards, web
surfing, access to corporate LANs and Intranets, and e-mail from a mobile terminal, to
name but a few.
UMTS is the standard for delivering 3G services being developed under the auspices
of ETSI. It builds on the world’s most widely deployed mobile technology, GSM, and
offers the prospect of a truly global wireless standard for personal multimedia
communications.
To introduce 3G in existing networks the cost is going to be enormous. Many new
nodes are to be introduced in the existing networks like NODE-B, Radio Network
Controller (RNC) and Core Network (CN) consisting of the SGSN, GGSN and the
MSC/ VLR. The MSC/ VLR would also need to be modified to be able to
communicate with the 3G Radio Network over ATM. These nodes have to inter
operate with existing 2G or “2.5G” nodes. The mobile phones also have to inter
operate with 3G and 2G modes.
7. TECHNOLOGIES FOR 3G
7.1 GPRS :
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is an enhancement to existing GSM and
TDMA networks that introduces packet data transmission, enabling "always on"
mobility. This means that users can choose to be permanently logged on to e-mail,
Internet access and other services, but do not have to pay for these services unless
sending or receiving information. When EDGE is added to GPRS, these data rates
will increase up to 384kbit/s. GPRS will be implemented by adding new packet data
nodes and upgrading existing nodes to provide a routing path for packet data between
the mobile terminal and a gateway node. The gateway node will provide inter-
networking with external packet data networks for access to the internet and intranets.
WAP :
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a global, open standard that gives mobile
users access to Internet services through handheld devices. It enables users to easily
access a whole range of Mobile Internet and other data services from mobile devices
such as smart phones and communicators, and without the need to plug into a separate
laptop or data-enabled device. WAP enables this through a built-in "WAP micro
browser" that lets information be accessed direct from a phone, in the same way that
web browsers provide access to on-line services via an Internet-ready PC. Typically, a
WAP screen will display a number of hyperlinks to various services or information
portals.
EDGE :
A technology that gives GSM the capacity to handle services for the third generation
of mobile telephony. EDGE provides three times the data capacity of GPRS. Using
EDGE, operators can handle three times more subscribers than GPRS; triple
their data rate per subscriber, or add extra capacity to their voice communications.
EDGE uses the same TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frame structure, logic
channel and 200 KHz carrier bandwidth as today's GSM networks, which allows
existing cell plans to remain intact.
FDMA :
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) is the most common analog system. It
is a technique whereby spectrum is divided up into frequencies and then assigned to
users. With FDMA, only one subscriber at any given time is assigned to a channel.
The channel therefore is closed to other conversations until the initial call is finished,
or until it is handed-off to a different channel. A “full-duplex” FDMA transmission
requires two channels, one for transmitting and the other for receiving. FDMA has
been used for first generation analog systems.
TDMA :
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) improves spectrum capacity by splitting
each frequency into time slots. TDMA allows each user to access the entire radio
frequency channel for the short period of a call. Other users share this same
frequency channel at different time slots. The base station continually switches from
user to user on the channel. TDMA is the dominant technology for the second
generation mobile cellular networks.
7.6 CDMA :
Code Division Multiple Access is based on “spread” spectrum technology. Since it is
suitable for encrypted transmissions, it has long been used for military purposes.
CDMA increases spectrum capacity by allowing all users to occupy all channels at the
same time. Transmissions are spread over the whole radio band, and each voice or
data call are assigned a unique code to differentiate from the other calls carried over
the same spectrum. CDMA allows for a “soft hand-off”, which means that terminals
can communicate with several base stations at the same time.
WCDMA :
Wireless Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is a technology for wideband
digital radio communications of Internet, multimedia, video and other capacity-
demanding applications.
WCDMA is the dominating 3G technology, providing higher capacity for voice and
data and higher data rates. WCDMA uses a new spectrum with a 5 MHz carrier,
providing 50 times higher data rate than in present GSM networks (and 10 times
higher data rate than in GPRS networks) WCDMA handles up to 2 Mbps for local
area access or 384 Kbps for wide area access. A coming release will include
enhancements up to more than 10 Mbps.
WCDMA is also known as UMTS and has been adopted as a standard by the ITU
under the name IMT-2000 direct spread.
The gradual evolution from today's systems is driven by demand for capacity, which
is required by new and faster data based mobile services. WCDMA enables better use
of available spectrum and more cost-efficient network solutions. The operator can
gradually evolve from GSM to WCDMA, protecting investments by re-using the
GSM core network and 2G/2.5G services.
cdma2000 :
cdma2000 is a decidedly efficient 3G standard for the delivery of high bandwidth data
and high capacity voice services. The evolution of the cdma2000 standard will enable
mobile systems to offer data throughputs of 2 Mbps and beyond.
The higher bandwidth that cdma2000 provides will deliver the full potential of 3G.
For example, cdma2000 also allows simultaneous access to several voice, video and
data services at once. cdma2000 is fully compliant with IMT-2000 requirements for
3G. cdma2000 will be implemented in the existing frequency bands of CMDA and
TDMA at 800 and 1900 MHz, as well as in new spectrum at 2GHz.
8. FEATURES OF 3G
3G can be thought of as 2.5G services such as GPRS plus entertainment (games,

video, mobile multimedia) plus new terminals. 3G brings with it significantly more
bandwidth. Whereas GPRS terminals will have the same range of form factors as
today's 2G phones do, many 3G terminals will be video centric.
There is a clear business case for investing in 3G for existing network operators that
are facing congested 2G networks. Voice traffic over 3G networks will be the cash
cow that supports and ensures the 3G business case can pay for itself. The main
positive (rather than defensive) reason for mobile network operators to secure 3G
network licenses is to solve capacity issues in terms of enabling far greater call
capacity than today's digital mobile networks allow.
Non-voice (data) traffic will also be huge, with new mobile multimedia applications
such as mobile postcards, movies and music driving new applications and services
along with corporate applications. Applications and services available through the
Internet, intranet and extranet will drive the interest in and traffic on 3G networks.
Providing that network operators adopt an open model to all Internet traffic, the
business case for 3G fuelled by both greater data and voice traffic is clear.
Third Generation technology is essential- think about the huge change that will
happen in the next five years from today's rudimentary and crude text based if elegant
services such as Short Message Service to moving video clips. 3G enables users to
transmit voice, data, and even moving images. In order to realize these services, 3G
improves the data transmission speed up to 144Kbps in a high-speed moving
environment, 384Kbps in a low-speed moving environment, and 2Mbps in a

stationary environment. 3G provides services like Internet connection, transmission of
large-scale data and moving contents photographed by digital cameras and videos,
and software downloading. By around 2006 when 3G will be in general use, a
maximum speed of 2Mbps will be possible.
9. APPLICATIONS OF 3G
9.1 At home :
3G is going to affect our home and social lives in many ways. The services that 3G
enables will help us to manage our personal information, simplify tasks such as
grocery shopping, make better use of our time and offer services that are just fun to
use. Operators will be able to develop myriad new service opportunities to attract and
retain new customers. Here are some examples:
You're sitting on a train and use this "dead" time to log on to your bank account,
check your balance and pay a few bills - all through your 3G device. You save time
and can be smarter about managing your finances.
On a touring vacation, you arrive in a new city. You haven't made any reservations in
advance, because you can do this when you get there, by using your 3G handset to
obtain up-to-date information, including hotel vacancies. Having booked a room, you
can use your mobile to view video clips of local tourist attractions and talk to
someone from the local tourist information bureau at the same time.
9.2 At work :
3G will not just support the needs of businesspeople who travel a lot, but will also
help new, flexible working practices, such as home-working and remote access to
corporate networks outside traditional working hours. Businesspeople are often high-
volume airtime users, so they represent a big opportunity for mobile operators. Here
are some examples:
At work you receive a message from your "smart" refrigerator at home. The message
tells you that certain items need restocking and an order has already been prepared for
the local grocery store, which you can approve, so that your groceries are ready to
collect on the way home.
A maintenance engineer is repairing some equipment on a client's premises and hits a
problem. Using his 3G device, he contacts his department and downloads a
demonstration video that guides him through the repair process.
9.3 Case Scenarios :
Scenario 1:
An executive at a client meeting realizes that he has brought an outdated version of
his presentation. It’s no problem though because one of his colleagues back at the
office emails the updated PowerPoint file directly to his 3G terminal. He transfers it to
the laptop (wirelessly of course) and is in no time ready to start the presentation.
Scenario 2:
This scenario is about three women who are trying to find a gift for their friend. Two
of them are out shopping, but they are out of ideas and use a web site that generates
gift suggestions based on personality profiles. They decide to buy a handbag at a shop
situated somewhere near the city centre (but at an unknown address to the women).
Not knowing exactly where the shop is, they use a map and positioning service to find
it. The map is displayed on their 3G terminal and shows them the shop location and
their current position. At the shop, they want to make sure that the third woman (who
was unable to make it) likes the gift. They take a digital picture of the bag and send it
to her with a hand written note seeking her approval.
Scenario 3:
The grandparents are out traveling in Europe. Here you see them in front of the Eiffel
tower. (The tour guide took the picture of them admiring the magnificent building). In
order to share their experiences with their friends and family, they have created a
virtual photo album on their personal web site. This way, anyone with access to the
Internet can follow them on their trip. But what about those without Internet access?
Well, that's been taken care of by the Walk-Mail network. The pictures are printed,
together with the text, on high quality paper and delivered as regular postcards within
24 hours.
Scenario 4:
A busy executive doing her grocery shopping hasn’t had time to queue at a teller
machine, but cash is not needed. At the check-out, she uses her 3G terminal to pay for
the groceries. It automatically debits her bank account, and gives her an updated
balance on request.
Scenario 5:
In this scenario, we see two men talking on their way from a meeting. They decide to
go out to dinner, but one of the men would like to invite his wife along so he checks
her calendar on his 3G terminal (their calendars are constantly in synch).
Scenario 6:
So far, there has not been an easy way to electronically communicate with character
based languages. But this drawback is over come with the white board application.
The person in this scenario is actually handwriting a message when a friend of his
initiates a video call with him. This way of creating a message makes the
communication more personal than a regular e-mail whether in Chinese, Japanese,
English, French or any language.
Scenario 7:
This guy would like to catch up with his friends for a coffee. He uses the Seek-Your-
Friends service to find out who's on-line, and then sends a message telling his friends
to meet him in a groovy new café that he’s just discovered.
10. 3G EVOLUTION & REVOLUTION
Making the transition to third-generation wireless :

When the full promise of Third Generation (3G) wireless is realized, wireless users
will have global access to a variety of voice, data and video services. Users will be
able to access all their communications services easily from anywhere using any
terminal. The distinctions between wire-line, wireless and data services will blur until
they're irrelevant. Users will simply choose the most convenient means to
communicate, while network operators will choose the most efficient way to transport
communications.
Though 3G wireless will change the way people think about communications, the
path for carriers to reach 3G is more evolutionary than the previous two generations
of wireless have been. First-generation wireless, analog cellular, was an entirely new
form of communications that required a system-wide deployment of infrastructure for
a market that didn't yet exist. Second-generation wireless, digital cellular or PCS, was
in some ways a more gradual transition. Established companies had the luxury of
deploying digital service as an overlay to the analog network. New carriers had to
deploy entirely new digital networks, but they had the benefit of a market that was
already aware of wireless telephony and an existing demand for the advanced services
that digital technology offered. Still, the transition had to happen fairly quickly for
established carriers to compete with all-new digital carriers.
Now, just a few years after the transition to digital wireless, another generation of
wireless communications is approaching, but it doesn't mean existing systems will
become obsolete. Instead, carriers will find new ways to use existing systems more
efficiently while adding network elements that provide new services. The key to 3G is
convergence-not only a technological convergence of different kinds of
communications but, more importantly, a convergence for business reasons.
Few major carriers today have a single network that offers one kind of
communications service. Many larger service providers offer wire-line, wireless and
Internet access in multiple locations using a variety of transmission technologies,
standards and vendors. To operate efficiently, carriers must converge these operations
to one manageable, efficient network. To compete in an increasingly crowded field,
they must provide applications and services that customers can use wherever they are.
There is a veritable alphabet soup of standards and protocols under discussion for 3G.
In the United States, CDMA, TDMA GSM and iDEN are used, depending on location
and carrier. GSM is widely used in much of the rest of the world, but over different
frequencies. Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), multi-carrier CDMA (cdma2000) and
EDGE have been identified as migratory paths for high-speed wireless data services.
Industry debate notwithstanding, the most important acronym in 3G is IP. Just as the
wire-line world is changing from traditional circuit-switched networks to data-
oriented packet-switched networks, the transition to 3G is a shift to packet-switched

wireless. This transition retains the benefits of wireless mobility while adding the
benefits of a data network. People will still have access to standard cellular voice
communications, but providers will be able to add information services that work in
the mobile environment. By converging all communications onto a multi-service IP
backbone, operators can achieve economies of scale for network management and
customers can obtain their communications services anywhere and anytime. IP also
enhances a service creation environment that will allow operators to compete on the
basis of IN features.
Today the truly seamless global network is still a dream. The recent and ongoing
spate of mergers and acquisitions in the telecom community has created networks that
in many cases look like the Frankenstein monster, a hodge-podge of bits and pieces
loosely stitched together. One company may operate with three different wireless
standards on a couple of different frequencies, along with operating a data network
and offering local and long-distance wire-line telecommunications. Customers of
these kinds of companies receive different services in different ways depending on
which network they access and where they are. If they access the network from a new
location or node, they may be using services from the same company, but the services
they receive may seem quite different. This is because operators must currently
recreate each service for each network they operate.
An open, standards-based service platform and an IP backbone linking disparate
networks are essential to turning the Frankenstein monster into a seamless, global
system with universal services. The platform will allow carriers to create a service
concept once in a standard format like Java and distribute it to users throughout the
network via the IP backbone. Not only do customers benefit by better access to their
services, but operators also simplify their networks and reduce the cost of service
development.
Services will drive competition in the 3G world. Already, voice has become a
commodity. With the advent of one-rate service plans, voice ceased to become a real
profit center or competitive edge. Wireless carriers must continue to add value to their
offerings by providing additional services such as network-based address books that
are accessible anywhere from any terminal, unified messaging, location-based
information services, access to other communication accounts as well as a host of

services yet to be envisioned. Applications and services will let the 3G genie out of
the bottle. Demand for services will drive wireless usage and will bring customers to
the high-speed 3G networks.
Evolution to the global information access of 3G has already begun. Today there are
handsets that allow international roaming by working on a variety of networks and
frequencies. There are intelligent network platforms for service creation and
deployment. Wireless data is here -- CDPD for circuit-switched networks and GPRS
high-speed data offerings to be implemented this year in Europe and next year in the
United States.
A next step is connecting the communications networks to an IP backbone, linking
wireless, wire-line and Internet access. Several operators currently offer all these
services, and we're starting to see single-rate price plans that work across a variety of
services. IP as a backbone transmission mechanism for voice telephony is becoming
more common throughout the world. Today's data networking technology takes the
multi-service network concept into consideration. Routers, switches and other
backbone equipment are being designed with multiple services, such as voice and
video, in mind.
In the world of 3G, there will be what looks to customers like one large wireless
communications network. Services will be location-independent so customers will
have a personal "number" or address that follows them wherever they go. They will
access their communications services in the most convenient way -- most likely via
wireless means. It is important to end users that the means of transmission are
invisible. Carriers will manage one network, even though parts of it transmit data over
radio waves and parts over wires. They will be able to implement services globally,
and they will compete on the strength of their service offerings.
11. CONCLUSION
The move to 3G is inevitable, and it is something both wireless and wire-line carriers
face. Competition and the importance of services will drive it, as will ever-growing
demands for both mobility and bandwidth. Operating costs also will play an important
role. Even the large carriers will have to streamline operations to compete, and
making all their pieces play together will be essential.
3G technology will bring forth faster data transfer, higher quality voice calls, video &
multimedia capability & much more than we can imagine. 3G is definitely a huge step
forward for the wireless communications industry & has many new features that will
help people everywhere. There are many advantages that 3G has to offer, along with a
future that is only bounded by the “speed of light”.
REFERENCES
UMTS Forum : www.umts-forum.org.

3G White Paper : www.genericsgroup.com/uploads/docs/white-papers/whatis3G.pdf
3G Forum : www.smarthomeforum.com/start/3g.asp?ID=1
Official 3G News site : www.3gnewsroom.com
Information on 3G technology : www.mobileinfo.com
1st generation(1G): analogue transmission: AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)

in USA, TACS (Total Access Communication Service) in Europe, NMT (Nordic
Mobile Telephone), and others
2nd generation(2G): digital transmission: GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications), ERMES (European Radio Messaging System) - paging, CT2, CT3
(Cordless Telephone Standards), DCS 1800 (Digital Communication Service), DECT
(Digital European Cordless Telephone), CDMA(Code Division Multiple Access),
EDGE(Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution), GPRS(General Packet Radio
Service)
3rd generation(3G): unification of different technologies: FPLMTS (Future Public
Land Mobile Telecommunication System), UMTS (Universal Mobile
Telecommunication System), IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication)
To clarify, 3G is a collection of international standards & technologies that have the
goal of improving wireless networks through increased efficiency & performance. 3G
is not a specified technology, but more of a group of ideas culminated into a
technology.
3G stands for third generation & for obvious reasons as it is preceded by first &
second generation wireless communications. The first generation bore the
introduction of wireless technology to the industry & offered only analog voice
services with no data capability. This service was a huge leap forward in terms of
wireless communications. However, this service was very limiting & left much room
for improvement. Then came 2G technology, first part of which used GSM to provide
digital voice services. Then in the second part, it used CDMA, GPRS and EDGE
technologies to provide the user the best possible digital services. These technologies
enabled the user to reach data transfer rates between 9.6k to 56.6k bits/sec & offered
two way data transmission. These technologies dominated the wireless
communications domain until very recently that 3G has really started to emerge &
became integrated in communication networks globally. The standards used in 3G
were first proposed in 1999, however, it was in the end of 2001 that 3G services was
implemented in parts of Asia & emerged in Europe in 2002.
However, almost four years down the lane, 3G has not been able to capture the
communication domain in a broader prospect. Because of various reasons; mainly, the
type of infrastructure that the 3G demands, it is quite difficult & expensive at the
same time to implement 3G. Also other reasons could be high bandwidth
requirements, high cost involved in manufacturing 3G enabled handsets, etc.
But as 3G is an advanced technology, it will take some time to fully implement it.
When fully implemented, it will change the way communication is made. And the
time will arrive when 3G will be at the forefront of the technological revolution in the
field of communication.
3. NEED FOR 3G

3G Mobile Communication.

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

3G Mobile Communication.

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

3 G COMMUNICATION

Mobile communication was initially developed for mobile business

Firstly I will be discussing the media to which the 3G technology is being

Sandeep Kumar Hotta

Third Generation (3G) mobile devices and services promise to transform

As 3G stands for third generation mobile communication systems, it is a

Each generation of mobile communications has been based on a dominant

4.1 First Generation(1G) cellular standard:

First generation wide area wireless communication systems were characterized as

Second Generation(2G) cellular standard:

can be sent to another subscriber to the service, and an acknowledgement of receipt is

5.1 Basic Principle :

Figure 5.1 : MSO-PSTN Connection

GSM - Causes For Concern :

GPRS ( Part of 2.5G) :

EDGE (Part of 2.5G+) :

3G – The Holy Grail :

3G can be thought of as 2.5G services such as GPRS plus entertainment (games,

environment, 384Kbps in a low-speed moving environment, and 2Mbps in a

10. 3G EVOLUTION & REVOLUTION

Making the transition to third-generation wireless :

oriented packet-switched networks, the transition to 3G is a shift to packet-switched

information services, access to other communication accounts as well as a host of

UMTS Forum : www.umts-forum.org.

1st generation(1G): analogue transmission: AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)

You might also like