3G Mobile Broadband
The third generation – or 3G – of mobile telephony standards was defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in order to promote and develop mobile telecommunication networks. Its aim is to increase bandwidth up to 384 Kbps when a device is stationary, 128Kbp in a car and 2 Mbps when fixed.
Wireless 3G internet offers consumers enhancements to current applications including increased data speeds, better capacity for voice and data. The term 3G covers a range of wireless processes including WCDMA, CDMA2000, UMTS and EDGE.
The introduction of 3G broadband technology meant so much more than merely faster internet connections. 3G mobile broadband promotes freedom in that it allows us to connect and access the internet just as we are able to connect with our cell phones. Cumbersome equipment and immovable access points become a thing of the past and enhanced speed allows the introduction of more applications and variable usage such as watching movies/TV and listening to music via your laptop.
3G and Wi-Fi; battling it out in a competitive marketplace
It has not always been plain sailing for wireless 3G internet. Going head to head in a very competitive industry with the Wi-Fi movement, 3G mobile broadband providers have had to step up their game to fend off competition and, up until very recently, it was looking as though 3G providers would have to accept that Wi-Fi had the mobile broadband network covered. Though, since launching a recent marketing and technology attack on its Wi-Fi rival, mobile broadband looks as if it is back in favour. Maybe this is helped along because Wi-Fi seems to have hit a brick wall in terms of progress, probably because getting connected can sometimes be an extremely frustrating affair depending on whereabouts you are, and that once you are on, things are just, well, just not always up to speed.
3G: the standard until 4G comes to town
Already the fourth generation 4G; the next stage for mobile broadband networks and the challenger to 3G broadband; is in the pipeline, which will raise the game for mobile broadband even further. It promises an ‘anytime, anywhere’ approach to accessing the web and much higher data rates compared to 3G. Until the advent of 4G, 3G remains the standard.
