Block 4 / Unit 1: Personal Communication Service Networks Evolution

what specifications does 3G consist of?

- 3GPP - 3GPP2

what is CDMA?

- Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) - channel access method where several transmitters can send information simultaneously over a single communication channel.

what are some characteristics of 3G?

- Data speeds of 144 kbps to 2 MBPS - High speed web browsing - Running web based applications like video conferencing, multimedia e-mails, etc. - Fast and easy transfer of audio and video files - 3D gaming

what are some prominent characteristics of 2G?

- Data speeds up to 64 kbps - Text and multimedia messaging possible - Better quality than 1G

what is D-AMPS?

- Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System - digital version of advanced mobile phone systems (AMPS) that coexisted with AMPS. - used time division multiplexing (TDM) for multiple calls.

what are the popular 2G systems?

- Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Systems (D-AMPS) - Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) - Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

what are some downsides of 3G?

- Expensive mobile phones - High infrastructure costs like licensing fees and mobile towers. - Trained personnel required for infrastructure set up

what is FDM?

- Frequency Division Multiplexing - a technique by which the total bandwidth available in a communication medium is divided into a series of non-overlapping frequency bands, each of which is used to carry a separate signal.

what is GPRS and what did it enable?

- General Packet Radio Service - a packet oriented mobile data standard for mobile communications. - enabled web browsing, email service, and fast upload/download speeds.

what is GSM and what multiplexing method does it use?

- Global System for Mobile Communications - a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute to describe the protocols for 2G digital cellular networks used by mobile devices. - uses frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM) for handling multiple calls simultaneously.

what specifications does 4G adhere to?

- IMT-Advanced

what is LTE?

- Long Term Evolution (LTE) - standard for high-speed mobile communication, based upon GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies.

what are the categories 4G comes in?

- Long-Term Evolution (LTE) - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX)

what is 3GPP?

- Third Generation Partnership Project - specifications are based upon Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, and are known as Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS)

what is TDM?

- Time Division Multiplexing - a method of transmitting and receiving independent signals over a common signal path by means of synchronized switches at each end of the transmission line so that each signal appears on the line only a fraction of time in an alternating pattern.

what technologies are included in 3GPP?

- Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) - General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) - Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE)

what technologies are included in 3GPP2?

- Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) - CDMA2000

what is WIMAX?

- Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) - a mobile wireless broadband access (MWBA) standard.

what is an analog signal?

- a continuous signal, in both time and range of values. - think of a frequency modulation chart. (AM or FM radio waves) Explanation: think of a tin can telephone. The can on one end catches the sound waves and causes the string to vibrate accordingly, which is transmitted to the other can which reverses the process back into sound. An analog systems works the same way, but instead of a tin can converting sound into vibrations on a string, think of a microphone converting sound into varying voltages on a wire.

what are some advantages of 2G over 1G?

- allows voice signals to be digitized and compressed. - introduced data services for mobile in form of SMS text messaging - Data and voice signals are digitally encrypted - Digital signals consume less battery

what does 4G provide?

- broadband cellular network services. - an all IP based cellular communications.

What is a digital signal?

- consists of pulses with 2 states: on and off - All signals start out as analog, since the "real world" is analog. And they have to end up as analog in order for our eyes and ears to perceive them, since we're in the real world too. But in the middle, for doing things like storing, processing, or transmitting long distances, we like to convert to digital. The reason digital is preferred over analogue is that errors (caused by noice, interference, etc) are much easier to correct.

what are some drawbacks of 1G communications?

- prone to interference - did not support adequate encryption systems - tapping could not be controlled

what is 3GPP2?

- specifications are based upon Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

what are the major characteristics of 4G?

- speeds of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps - Mobile web access - High definition mobile TV - Cloud computing - IP telephony

what are some characteristics of 1G communications?

- speeds up to 2.4 kbps - Poor voice quality - Large phones with limited battery life - No data security

what is the main difference between previous generations of communication systems and 1G?

- the introduction of cellular technology. - land area was divided into small sectors known as cells. Each cell had a base station, which used radio signals and a transceiver for communicating with mobile devices. Base stations were connected to telephone networks. Frequency modulation techniques were used for voice calls by base station.

what generation of mobile telephony was the first to use digital signals?

2G

which generation of mobile telephony first allowed the encryption of data and voice signals?

2G

which generation of mobile telephony introduced data services for mobile in form of SMS text messaging?

2G

what does 2.5G mean?

2G with GPRS

which generation of mobile telephony paved the way for increased usage of smartphones?

3G

which generation of mobile telephony promises to provide smooth handoffs across heterogeneous network areas?

4G

which generation of mobile telephony provides an all IP packet switched network for transmission of voice, data, signals and multimedia?

4G

what technology did 2G use?

GSM technology

what standard does 3G follow?

International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 IMT-2000

what kind of signals were used to transmit 1G data?

analog signals

what was 2G also known as?

personal communications services (PCM)

what does downlink mean?

signals communicating to earth from something like a satellite.

what does uplink mean?

signals communicating to something like a satellite from earth.

what does 3G promise?

to deliver quality multimedia services along with high quality voice transmission.

what was 1G designed exclusively for?

voice communications