Categories: Mobile

What is 3G? Does India need it?

Current WAP speed in India is nothing great but it has improved. I understand from my friends who are experts in telecom that you cannot improve the speed performance of WAP any further on a GSM network (which is 2G). I am told only 3G can improve things. So what is 3G?

Ex-Telecom Minister Dayanadi Maran was in the verge of releasing the 3G guidelines in India but he was shown the door. After the new Telecom Minister took over there was some talk about India going with 2.5G, which enables high-speed data transfer over upgraded existing 2G networks.

The GSM and CDMA networks are classed as second generation while the defunct analogue network was the first of the mobile network generations.

3G, or third generation, is the generic term used for the next generation of mobile communications systems. The new systems will enhance the services available today and offer multimedia and internet access and the ability to view video footage.

With a 3G phone and access to the 3G network you can send and receive video calls, watch live TV, access the internet, receive emails and download music tracks, as well as the usual voice call and messaging services found on a mobile phone.

Technically, the main difference between 3G and 2G networks is how quickly data can be sent and received. 3G networks can send data up to 40 times the rates of earlier digital networks, which means that in addition to audio, graphics and text, 3G customers can also send and receive video content, in 3G coverage areas. They provide service at 5-10 Mb per second.

3G was introduced in the United States early in 2002. By late 2004, it was finally providing transmission speeds sufficient to handle full-motion video, albeit over short periods of time (15 seconds to three minutes, in most cases). The third generation technology used in the UK is called UMTS. These services operate at 2100 MHz. (2.1GHz).

Upgrading to 3G will be an expensive affair for all telcos. All telco hardware vendors would have another reason to drool in India!

While we are still not sure when India will get 3G, the technology has already moved on to “beyond 3G” or “4G”. A 4G system will be able to provide a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data and streamed multimedia can be given to users on an “Anytime, Anywhere” basis, and at higher data rates than previous generations.

For any telco to offer 3G the government has to allocate the spectrum. Allocation of spectrum is becoming a mess but ultimately it will be solved (after all it cannot be more complex than pleasing the Left in the govt!!).

I personally believe mobile users in India will have a far better experience after 3G becomes a reality.

References

1. Mobile Phone Mast Jargon
2. Wikipedia: 2G, 3G

BG Mahesh

Internet application ideator and implementor. Been there and done that since early 1990s. I like to present data to the common man in the simplest manner on the internet.

View Comments

  • Hiii, Himanshu
    3g network means Mobile Broadband
    i know india is very backward country because its 40% people are poor.
    So, i says india provides the 3g network after 4-5 years.
    Thank You

  • Hai,
    A country to be known as a developed country and a step to develop a country the Information technology should lead at first, IT is one of the major factor to development. so intruducing 3G network will be another step to develop India. Therefore India definitely need 3G Technology. Goverment should see into it as earliest possible. Thank you.

  • Hi Pradeep, first of all India is still a developing country and not a Developed country. But the fact remains that 40 % of population is Poor, so taking into consideration of the remaining 60 % which is approx 62 crore ie 620 million which is more than the double of the total mobile subscribers. That means India has lot of scope for 3G and the subscribers are definitely looking forward for 3G services to launch

  • 3G will be in India within next 1 Year... Telecom providers has been testing it since long. BSNL and MTNL are already providing some 3G services (Althought not officialy declared 3G) in many cities as 2MbPS internet connection. Airtel has already started booking of iPhone....

  • HI
    Boss will all due respect the other countries have already moved to 4G and beyond till when we will cry that we are poor is us who have to take the lead.........

    I dont thing that the mentality will go i.e. we should go for 3G after 4-5 yrs

    you cant pridict the future

    can u have an gurantee that no war will take place or india will develop on the same rate no u cant so better if some thing is comming which all of us know is good let it be ok

    and rember every thing comes at a price...
    its we who have to ecide that weather it will work in the future or not in our favour........

    Regards
    Aviraj Ashok Jain
    09970280984

  • Today every want to be as fast as lght so have to save his time. By introducing 3G in India, the time needed to complete any job on net reduce and the quality also improves. the one most important thing is the facilites providing by the telecome copanes also increses which fuinaly a good thing for the user. it also help to improve the knowledge of those user who ever doesn\'t know the meaning of 3G.

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