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Primer: Intro To Cellular Networks

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3G? What About 1 and 2? Fine, So What About 3G?

CDMA networks like Verizon, Sprint and Alltel are launching a 3G technology called EV-DO (EVolution, Data Only). They will follow this up with further advancements in speed based on the same technology, such as EV-DO Revision A. EV-DO networks use a different data protocol, but they still use the same voice technology as 1xRTT networks.

GSM networks call 3G by two different names: WCDMA (Wideband CDMA), which is the name of the protocol, and UMTS. The first version of this technology has been launched in much of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The second version, HSDPA, is the version that Cingular intends to launch, and it improves download speeds significantly. Even faster revisions are also being developed; they include HSUPA and a "super 3G" called UTRAN LTE.

The goal of all these advances in data is to speed up the data rate, and decrease the lag time between sending the data and it arriving at its destination, called latency. As these two factors are improved, new applications such as streaming video, video calls and more are possible. Carriers are also selling subscriptions on these fast networks to laptop users who want broadband-like data speeds without being tied to cables or even Wi-Fi access points.

Because 3G does not exist everywhere there is cellular coverage, manufacturers are building 3G phones that are compatible with older 2G and 2.5G networks. It will be a long time before any major carrier can launch 3G service over their entire coverage area, and even longer before every subscriber on that carrier switches to a 3G handset. Thus 2G networks and handsets that are backwards compatible will be around for quite some time.

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