What is 1G?

Definition: In the world of cell phones, 1G signifies first-generation wireless analog technology standards that originated in the
1980s. 1G was replaced by 2G wireless digital standards. 

What is 2G?

Definition: In the world of cell phones, 2G signifies second-generation wireless digital technology. Fully digital 2G networks
replaced analog 1G, which originated in the 1980s. 

2G networks saw their first commercial light of day on the GSM standard. GSM stands forglobal
system for mobile communications. 

2G on GSM standards were first used in commercial practice in 1991 by Radiolinja, which was a Finnish GSM operator founded
on Sept. 19, 1988. Radiolinja is now part of Elisa, which was known in the 1990s as the Helsinki Telephone Company. 

In addition to the GSM protocol, 2G also utilizes various other digital protocols including CDMA, TDMA, iDEN and PDC. GSM
is based on TDMA. 2.5Gbridged 2G to 3G. 

What is 2.5G?

Definition: In the world of cell phones, 2.5G wireless technology is a stepping stone that bridged 2G to 3G wireless technology.
While 2G and 3G have been formally defined as wireless standards, 2.5G has not been and was created only for the purposes of
marketing. 

As an interim step from 2G to 3G, 2.5G saw some of the advances inherent in 3G networks (including packet-switched systems).
The evolution from 2G to 3G ushered in faster and higher-capacity data transmission. 

What is 3G?

Definition: 3G is the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology. 3G supersedes 2G technology and
precedes 4G technology. 2.5G was a temporary bridge between 2G and 3G. 

3G technologies enabled faster data-transmission speeds, greater network capacity and more advanced network services. 

The first pre-commercial 3G network launched in May 2001 by NTT DoCoMo in Japan. The network was branded as FOMA.
Following the first pre-commercial launch, NTT DoCoMo again made history with the first commercial launch of 3G in Japan on
Oct. 1, 2001. 

What is 4G Wireless?
4G wireless is the term used to describe the fourth-generation of wireless service. 4G is a step up from 3G, which is currently the
most widespread, high-speed wireless service. 4G is only available in limited areas.

While all 4G service is called "4G," the underlying technology is not the same. Sprint, for example, uses WiMax technology for
its 4G network, while Verizon Wireless uses a technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE.

No matter what technology is behind it, 4G wireless is designed to deliver speed. On average, 4G wireless is supposed to be
anywhere from four to ten times faster than today's 3G networks. Sprint says its 4G WiMax network can offer download speeds
that are ten times faster than a 3G connection, with speeds that top out at 10 megabits per second. Verizon's LTE network,
meanwhile, can deliver speeds between 5 mbps and 12 mbps.

What is GSM?

Definition: GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobile communications, reigns as the world’s most widely used cell
phone technology. Cell phones use a cell phone service carrier’s GSM network by searching for cell phone towers in the nearby
area. 

The origins of GSM can be traced back to 1982 when the Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM) was created by the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) for the purpose of designing a pan-European mobile
technology. 

It is approximated that 80 percent of the world uses GSM technology when placing wireless calls, according to the GSM
Association (GSMA), which represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. This amounts to nearly 3
billion global people. 

Cell phone carriers T-Mobile and AT&T use GSM for their cell phone networks. Sprint, Virgin Mobileand Verizon Wireless use
the competing CDMAstandard. 

For practical and everyday purposes, GSM offers users wider international roaming capabilities than other U.S. network
technologies and can enable a cell phone to be a “world phone”. More advanced GSM incorporates the earlier TDMAstandard. 

GSM carriers have roaming contracts with other GSM carriers and typically cover rural areas more completely than competing
CDMA carriers (and often without roaming charges, too). 

GSM also has the advantage of using SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards in the U.S. The SIM card, which acts as your
digital identity, is tied to your cell phone service carrier’s network rather than to the handset itself. This allows for easy exchange
from one phone to another without new cell phone service activation. 

GSM uses digital technology and is a second-generation (2G) cell phone system. GSM, which predates CDMA, is especially
strong in Europe. EDGE is faster than GSM and was built upon GSM.

What is EDGE?

Definition: EDGE takes GSM even further. GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobile communications, reigns as the
world’s most widely used cell phone technology. 

EDGE, which stands for Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, is a faster version of GSM. EDGE is a high-
speed 3G technology that was built upon the GSM standard. 

EDGE networks are designed to deliver multimedia applications such as streaming television, audio and video to mobile phones
at speeds up to 384 Kbps. Such speeds still pale in comparison, though, to standard DSL and high-speed cable access today. 

EDGE delivers a boost of more than three times the capacity and performance over GSM. 
The EDGE standard was first launched in the United States in 2003 by Cingular, which is now AT&T, on top of the GSM
standard. AT&T, T-Mobileand Rogers Wireless in Canada all use EDGE networks.

Also Known As: Enhanced Data rates for GSMEvolution

Examples:

AT&T uses the EDGE technology standard.

What is CDMA?

Definition: CDMA, or Code Division Multiple Access, is a competing cell phone service technology to GSM, which is the
world’s most widely used cell phone standard. 

CDMA uses a “spread-spectrum” technique whereby electromagnetic energy is spread to allow for a signal with a wider
bandwidth. This allows multiple people on multiple cell phones to be “multiplexed” over the same channel to share a bandwidth
of frequencies. 

With CDMA technology, data and voice packets are separated using codes and then transmitted using a wide frequency range.
Since more space is often allocated for data with CDMA, this standard became attractive for 3G high-speed mobile Internet use. 

The CDMA standard was originally designed by Qualcomm in the U.S. and is primarily used in the U.S. and portions of Asia by
other carriers. Sprint,Virgin Mobile and Verizon Wireless use CDMA while T-Mobile and AT&T use GSM. 

While CDMA and GSM compete head on in terms of higher bandwidth speed (i.e. for surfing the mobile Web), GSM has more
complete global coverage due to roaming and international roaming contracts. 

GSM technology tends to cover rural areas in the U.S. more completely than CDMA. Over time, CDMA won out over less
advanced TDMA technology, which was incorporated into more advanced GSM.

What is TDMA?

Definition: TDMA technology, which stands for Time Division Multiple Access, is a cell phone standard that has been
incorporated into the more advanced GSM standard, which is now the world’s most widely used cell phone technology. 

TDMA is used in second-generation (2G) cell phone systems such as GSM. Most major third-generation (3G) cell phone systems
are primarily based upon GSM rival CDMA. 3G allows for faster data speeds over 2G. 

While TDMA and CDMA both achieve the same goal, they do so using different methods. TDMA technology works by dividing
each digital cellular channel into three time slots for the purpose of increasing the amount of data carried. 

Multiple users, therefore, can share the same frequency channel without causing interference because the signal is divided into
multiple time slots. 

While each conversation is transmitted alternately over short lengths of time with TDMA technology, CDMA separates
communications by code so multiple calls can also be routed into the same channel. 

The major cell phone carriers in the U.S. no longer use TDMA. Sprint, Virgin Mobile and Verizon Wireless use CDMA while T-
Mobile and AT&T use GSM.
2G Vs. 3G Network
2G Networks
 As of mid 2009, the majority GPS (Global System for Mobile or Groupe Speciale Mobile) and CDMA
mobile telephones in the United States operated on the 2G network. 2G is an acronym which means
"second generation." 2G phones use a digital signal transmitted from radio transmission towers, as
opposed to 1G mobile phones, which used analog signals. Although 2G phones have greater data
transmission capabilities than 1G phones, the capacity is limited.

3G Networks
 Among the newest network technology for mobile phones is the 3G network. 3G is an acronym which
stands for "third generation." 3G telephones work on both the GSM and CDMA networks. 3G technology
features very fast transmission of the mobile signal, which vastly expands the data transmission
capabilities of phones which run on 3G networks.

3G Network Advantages
 The lightning-fast data transmission capabilities of 3G opens up a world of features for cell phones
which operate on 3G networks. This includes streaming video and much faster uploads and downloads.
Other features vary by the particular model of the mobile phone. For instance, the 3G iPhone features
GPS (Global Positioning System) capabililities, where the 2G model does not.

3G Network Disadvantages
 The major disadvantage for 3G network plans centers around pricing. Generally, 3G network price
points are much higher than 2G networks with comparable features. In addition, the allowed minutes are
often set at a much lower threshold than for 2G plans of a similar price range.

Considerations
 3G network phones have been in wide use in Japan for years. The introduction of 3G phones in the
United States means that is may now be possible to travel to Japan and use your regular mobile phone,
rather than renting a 3G phone. Many network providers are concentrating their services on 3G networks
to the detriment of 2G service. AT&T confirmed in 2009 that it had switched from the 850 MHz band to
using the weaker 1900 MHz band in some areas after the introduction of phones for its 3G network.

Wireless Generations – 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G !!

Analysis of 1g & 2g:
 In 1G,  narrow band analogue mobile network is used.
 This facilitates the voice calls and sending text messages.
 These services are provided with circuit switching.
 Today the usual call starts from the beginning pulse to rate to the final rate. Then in case of 2G Narrow Band
Wireless Digital Network is used. It brings more clarity to the conversation and both these circuit-switching
model.
 Both the 1G and 2G deals with voice calls and has to utilize the maximum bandwidth as well as a limited till
sending messages i.e. SMS.
 The latest technologies such as GPRS, is not available in these generations.
 But the greatest disadvantage as concerned to 1G is that with this we could contact with in the premises of
that particular nation, where as in case of 2G the roaming facility a semi-global facility is available.
 1G networks (NMT, C-Nets, AMPS, TACS) are considered to be the first analog cellular systems, which
started early 1980s. There were radio telephone systems even before that.
  2G networks (GSM, CDMA, DAMPS) are the first digital cellular systems launched early 1990s.
Some of the advantages that 2G had over 1G are:
 The lower powered radio signals require less battery power, so phones last much longer between charges,
and batteries can be smaller.
 The digital voice encoding allowed digital error checking which could increase sound quality by increasing
dynamic range and lowering the noise floor.
 The lower power emissions helped address health concerns.
 Going all-digital allowed for the introduction of digital data services, such as SMS and email.
 Greatly reduced fraud. With analog systems it was possible to have two or more “cloned” handsets that had
the same phone number.
 Enhanced privacy. A key digital advantage not often mentioned is that digital cellular calls are much harder
to eavesdrop on by use of radio scanners. While the security algorithms used have proved not to be as
secure as initially advertised, 2G phones are immensely more private than 1G phones, which have no
protection against eavesdropping.
The intermediate generation:
In between 2G and 3G there is another generation called 2.5G. The intermediate mobile generation if we can call it
that.
Firstly, this mid generation was introduced mainly for involving latest bandwidth technology in addition to the existing
2G generation. But this had not brought out any new evolution and so had not became critical enough to be
recognized as a standalone generation.
Arrival of 3G:
To overcome the shortcomings of 2G and 2.5G, the 3G had been introduced. In 3G Wide Brand Wireless Network is

used with which the clarity  increases and gives the perfection similar to that of a
real conversation. The data are sent through the technology called Packet Switching .Voice calls are interpreted
through Circuit Switching.
What is Packet Switching?
This is actually done by supplying various addressed packets, which will be interconnected to have the conversation.
It is not necessary to create a new dedicated path for sending the data. It had been modified in such a way that the
data can be send through any path and hence this data will be received in less time as compared to that of voice
calls.
Main features of 3G Wireless Network:
The features and services of 3G are as follows:
1. With the help of 3G, we can access many new services like  global roaming.
2. 3G also have Wide Band Voice Channel, by this the world has been contracted to a little village because a
person can contact with other person located in any part of the world and can even send messages too.
3. Then the point to be noted is that 3G gives clarity of voice as well can talk with out any disturbance.
4. In addition to that 3G also have entertainments such as Fast Communication, Internet, Mobile T.V, Video
Conferencing, Video Calls, Multi Media Messaging Service (MMS), 3D gaming, Multi-Gaming etc are also
available with 3G phones.
 5. 3G networks (UMTS FDD and TDD, CDMA2000 1x EVDO, CDMA2000 3x, TD-SCDMA, Arib WCDMA,
EDGE, IMT-2000 DECT) are the latest cellular networks that have data rates 384 KB/s and more.
6. The bandwidth and location information available to 3G devices gives rise to applications not previously
available to mobile phone users. Some of the applications are:
 Mobile TV – a provider redirects a TV channel directly to the subscriber’s phone where it can be
watched.
 Video on demand – a provider sends a movie to the subscriber’s phone.
 Video conferencing – subscribers can see as well as talk to each other.
 Tele-medicine – a medical provider monitors or provides advice to the potentially isolated
subscriber.
 Location-based services – a provider sends localized weather or traffic conditions to the phone, or
the phone allows the subscriber to find nearby businesses or friends.

Main aspects of 4G Networks:

The Forth Generation could be ready for implementation around 2012.
 Then with the case of Fourth Generation that is 4G in addition to that of the services of 3G have some
additional features such as Multi-Media Newspapers,
 You can also watch T.V programs with the clarity that of an ordinary T.V.
 In addition, we can send Data much faster that that of the previous generations
 A 4G cellular system must have target peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility
such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless
access, according to the ITU requirements.
 Scalable bandwidths up to at least 40 MHz should be provided.
 A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based solution where facilities such
as IP telephony, ultra-broadband Internet access, gaming services and HDTV streamed multimedia may be
provided to users.
 Although legacy systems are in place to adopt existing users, the infrastructure for 4G will be only packet-
based (all-IP).
 Some proposals suggest having an open Internet platform. Technologies considered to be early 4G include:
Flash-OFDM, the 802.16e mobile version of WiMax (also known as WiBro in South Korea), and HC-SDMA.
Indian market still awaits the full implementation of 3G and there are lot of issues relating to its availability. When 4G
comes along it will also be seen whether it succeeds in the Indian context or not.