Mobile Phone Technology - Revolution

The third generation phone is based on whole new network protocols such as IMT-2000, UMTS and W-CDMA. These standards of protocols allow high speed connection via the mobile phone, enabling it to make improvements on voice communications, engaged in a video calls (only among users on the 3G services), get access to the internet and also watch television programs (Australia’s reality TV, Big Brother can be watched on the 3G phones during the broadcasting period).

In 2001, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo launched the world’s first commercial W-CDMA standard mobile phone system, FOMA. Later in 2003, Hutchison Whampoa launched a whole new mobile phone service, 3G. This company owned by Hutchison Whampoa is “Three� (also recognised as 3). Three has established the WCDMA protocol services in numerous countries such as United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Denmark etc. These two companies leaded the 3G mobile phone market (FOMA is only available in Japan) while other countries will only be launching these services after 2005.

As referred, the 3G protocol enables high speed internet connection. It is like an IP (Internet Protocol) on the phones. It is very different from the connection using GPRS. GPRS only allows a certain limit of data to flow; 3G allows more data to flow in, which helps the streaming on video calls. The internet access speed of 3G can go up to 2Mb (megabits) per second, where GPRS can only go up to 144b (bits) per second. Thus, the 3G system can take the role as WAN (Wide Area Network) and LAN (Local Area Network). The concept is to change the terminal from landline to wireless.

Other service that 3G brought includes M-commerce (Mobile Commerce) and global positioning. M-commerce is attached with the idea of electronic wallet. Users can access, organise and operate their financial transactions, trading stocks, managing payments etc. Global positioning is a form of GPS (Global Positioning System) that enables users to know their current position, get information about traffic condition and also traffic navigation (direction for getting to a certain places). These services on the 3G system are expected to be in the market in the near future.