Wireless Wide Area Network Overview

Wireless Wide Area Network Overview

1G Wireless System

• First Generation (1G): Launched in the early 1980s with Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS).
  • Used Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (FDMA) to transmit analog voice in the 800 MHz band.

2G Wireless System

• Second Generation (2G): Emerged in the 1990s, introducing digital voice standards.
  • IS-95 (North America): Utilized Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), multiplexing up to 64 calls per channel in the 800 MHz band.
  • GSM (Global System for Mobile communication): Adopted worldwide, utilizing Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), multiplexing up to 8 calls per channel in 900 & 1800 MHz bands.

3G Wireless System

• Defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) under the IMT-2000 standard.
• Enabled growth in bandwidth and support for diverse applications.
  • GSM Enhancements:
  • Circuit-switched data at speeds up to $14.4 ext{ Kbps}$.
  • Transitioned to packet-switched data for multimedia applications, requiring evolutionary upgrades.
• Technologies Evolved Under 3GPP:
  • General Packet Radio Service (GPRS): Up to $114 ext{ Kbps}$.
  • Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE): Up to $384 ext{ Kbps}$.
  • UMTS Wideband CDMA (WCDMA): Up to $1.92 ext{ Mbps}$.
  • HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access): Up to $14 ext{ Mbps}$.
  • LTE E-UTRA: Targeting $100 ext{ Mbps}$.

3GPP2 Technologies

• Deployed for North American and Asian operators using CDMA2000:
  • 1xRTT: Up to $144 ext{ Kbps}$ (2.5G).
  • EV-DO: Enhanced downlink speeds up to $2.4 ext{ Mbps}$, revised to $3.1 ext{ Mbps}$ in Rev. A.
  • UMB: Potentially achieving $288 ext{ Mbps}$, but focused on LTE development instead.

4G Wireless System

• Fourth Generation (4G): New broadband standards set by the ITU-R, termed IMT-Advanced.
  • Must provide speeds higher than $100 ext{ Mbps}$.
  • Required to switch to an all Internet protocol (IP)-based system and use OFDMA.
• Essential Features:
  • Global mobility and service portability.
  • High-speed, high-capacity connections.
  • Support for multimedia and various broadband services.
• Applications:
  • Ultra-high-speed internet, video conferencing, telemedicine, and high-definition media streaming.

LTE and LTE-Advanced

• Long-Term Evolution (LTE): Successor to 3G, peaks at:
  • Downlink: $100 ext{ Mbps}$ (typical: $5-12 ext{ Mbps}$).
  • Uplink: $50 ext{ Mbps}$ (typical: $2-5 ext{ Mbps}$).
• LTE-Advanced: Classified as "true 4G" by ITU; can reach theoretical speeds of:
  • Up to $3 ext{ Gbps}$ downlink and $1.5 ext{ Gbps}$ uplink.

5G Wireless System

• 5G: Next-generation technology, expected speeds from $1 ext{ Gbps}$ to $10 ext{ Gbps}$.
• Goals include:
  • Lower latency, higher capacity, integration with WiFi, and advanced techniques such as high-order MIMO.
• Anticipated commercial rollout in the 2020 timeframe.

Comparison of 3G and 4G

Conclusion

• The wireless communication technologies have evolved significantly from 1G through 5G, enhancing speeds, capacity, and the ability to support complex services and applications. The future continues to see advancements that prioritize higher efficiency and seamless connectivity.