Ten years from now you’ll reminisce about the days before wireless high-speed Internet, that dark era when you were tethered to a cabled modem and computer when checking messages. Like life before the cell phone, how did you ever put up with it?
And what will it take to make our high-speed connections obsolete? Certainly not the spotty WiFi access that’s roaming around in coffee shops or spouting from a clueless neighbor’s home; rather, it will be a ubiquitous high-speed cell phone network, or 3G network, so to speak. There’s been a growing buzz about 3G in the media and a few advertisers have even asked us at ICMediaDirect.com about the impact 3G will have on interactive advertising. It’s hard to say too much about any impact, but it isn’t too early to familiarize ourselves with the basics.
3G stands for third generation. It's basically a template for what the next step in cell phone technology should be; it will mean mobility with high-speed access to the Internet and data transfer. As you may already believe, the Internet seems as slow as molasses on most current cell phone networks. Fortunately, things change quickly in today’s dynamic, business-driven environment.
Verizon and Sprint PCS are striving to meet the ideals of a 3G manifest destiny by using “EvDO” technology, which is an awkward acronym for “Evolution Data Only/Optimization”. This system is a descendant of the current digital network system CDMA, which stands for Code Division Multiple Access. Using a single dedicated data-only radio frequency, the EvDO network has the capacity to transfer files and information at a speedy 500-600 kbps average rate with burst speeds up to 2.4 mbps. While this speed is not comparable to an average cable modem, it’s still a vast improvement over standard cell phone data capability today.
T-mobile and other digital cell phone providers have a slower alternative technology to EvDO called EDGE. EDGE is a 1xRRT system—an older derivative of CDMA that is easy to implement. At best, EDGE can deliver content at 144 kbps, but slower speeds are more likely. While this isn’t even close to EvDO’s speed, it’s still faster than plain old CDMA. EDGE won’t supply much in-demand content, but basic Internet surfing which is considerably better than dial-up, a relief to many.
In terms of 3G ambition, it seems that Verizon and Sprint have the jump on competition, but this is hardly a done-deal monopoly. EvDO network coverage is available in selective cities depending on the service provider, although, users that subscribe to this service also have access to the older 1xRRT system which is available anywhere a digital signal is present.
3G networks will change access to the Internet as we know it by delivering more information to more people who, by virtue of mobility, will almost always be connected. The inevitable strides that will be taken towards bridging mobile technology and the boundless Internet will seamlessly play out through 3G’s functionality. With already over 250 million subscribers to the 3G networks globally, usage will only increase as this technology gains popularity.
3G is a multimedia-oriented wireless technology serving products that cater to the growing consumer appetite for content on the go. It’s voice, it’s video, it’s speed. The future for 3G looks so promising that in a few short years, we won’t even recognize the common platforms we use today.
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