| The wireless telecommunications phenomenon began in the 1970's with "portable phones" (soon to become known as "cellular phones". For people born in the 70's, it is hard to remember a time when cellular phones weren't around, and comparing the early phones to modern cellular phones is almost like comparing apples and oranges. However, at the time, cellular phones represented the first step towards a mobile and connected society. For the first time, people had a means of communication that allowed them to contact anyone else who had a phone. Prior to cellular phones, the only wireless communications were by licensed radio (such as Amateur Radio, Business Band Radio or CB Radio, which required a license up until the early seventies). All of these methods were limited both in range and in that they required the other party to have a similar radio.
Right now, any Ham reading this is gearing up to send e-mail. Amateur radio operators (Hams) have the ability, depending on their license, radio and access, to connect to a telephone line via their radio. However, because of the required test, licensing fees and radio costs, this was not a common route for the average person. cellular phones didn't require a test or a license, and while early models were expensive, the costs came down quickly.
The first cellular phones, called 1G (or 1st Generation) wireless telecommunications, used an analog system operating the 800 MHz range. This technology limited the number of users, as each channel could only carry one conversation. The first generation lasted through the 1980's, when digital technology came onto the scene.
The next generation of cellular phones, called 2G (2nd Generation), used digital technology rather than analog. This allowed multiple conversations on the same channel, vastly increasing the capacity. The technology was called digital circuit switching, where each conversation was carried on a single circuit.
The "traveling office" began developing during this time, and cellular phones, which had been designed for voice communication, began to be used for data transmission, allowing the user to fax information or upload/download by calling into another computer. For people of the younger generation, the Internet did exist back then; however, it was still text-based and mostly populated by scientists, teachers, the military, the government and the early computer users (using tools such as Archie, Gopher and handset modems).
When the World Wide Web exploded onto the scene, it introduced the Internet to millions of people, which led to the realization that cellular phones could incorporate Internet access. However, the technology of the time did not support that level of data communications, which spurred the industry into finding ways to increase the capability for data transmission. There were two products of this search -- 2.5G (representing 2nd generation telephones maximized for data communications) and the 3G (3rd Generation) standard.
The step 2.5G occurred because of the time required to develop a 3G standard and get it to marketplace, while the buying public wanted Internet telephones today. Introduced in 2001, 2.5G telephones use a technology called digital packet switching technology. This means that each signal is broken into digital packets and each packet is sent separately. These telephones have the capability for limited web browsing, enhanced multimedia and streaming video. With 2.5G, the description "cellular telephone" has been left behind. As the communications are as often data as voice, the technology is more appropriately called "wireless telecommunications".
3G has already been introduced in test markets and is moving into mainstream use. In addition to using the digital packet switching technology, the 3G standard allows both universal access and portability across different device types. The communication speed is up to ten times faster than the speed of 2G systems. This technology is expected to mature between 2004 and 2005, and the industry is already looking at the next stage of development.
Expected to be introduced in 2006, 4G (4th Generation) intends to build on the advances of 3G, increasing communication speeds by up to another ten times and allowing world-wide roaming. |
