Wireless Networks free essay sample

Compare and contrast 3G wireless networks to 4G networks in terms of: 3G and 4G wireless networks can be compared and contrasted by four areas of capabilities: Service and application, network architecture, data throughput and user perception. â€Å"Some examples of services offered by 3G wireless networks are CDMA2000 (also known as IMT MultiCarrier (IMTMC), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and EDGE as well as a long list of others while 4G offer Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax2) and Long-Term Evolution (LTE- Advance). (Jamia Yant, 2012, April 26) 3G applications allows users the ability to stream video and audio, video conferencing as well as other multi-media applications within a mobile environment. 4G applications on the other hand offer gaming services, amended mobile web access, high definition mobile television, video conferencing, IP telephony and 3D television. The architecture between 3G and 4G are very different,3G mobile network uses a Wide Area Cell Based network with a circuit-switched subsystem and â€Å"3G networks rely on large satellite connections that are connected to telecommunications towers†. (Turban, E. nd Volonino, L, 2011) 3G allows users to make calls or open the internet, through signals which are sent to 3G tower antennas or cell sites. The data travels from the cell site to a central switching office by a wire-fiber optic network. The central switching office then connects the call or data request with the rest of the world according to; (Jamia Yant, 2012, April 26) 4G networks are an integration of wireless LAN and Wide Area. What are significant about 4G networks is they don’t use circuit-switched subsystems such as 3G networks. 4G is based on a purely packed based internet protocol (IP) system. Circuit switching is very old technology that has been used in telephone systems for a very long time and the downside of this technology is that it ties up the resources for as long as the connection is kept up. The efficiency of packaging switching allows the cell phone company to squeeze more conversations into the same bandwidth. 4G no- longer utilizes circuit switching for voice or video call, all information is passed around would be packet switched to enhance efficiency† (3G-vs- 4G Difference and Comparison, p3). The data throughput rate for 3G is up to 3. 1 mbps with a bandwidth of 5-20 MHz, while the data hroughput for 4G networks is 3-5 Mbps but is potentially estimated at a range of 100-300 Mbps with a bandwidth of 100 MHz or more. â€Å"Many users are happy with 3G wireless network service. It is readily available and has completive pricing which has enabled millions of users’ access to mobile technology in ways they never imagined possible. However, 4G networks have outages and complaints about coverage areas. The differences are there definitely between the two technologies but the users of today have only gotten a brief taste of the potential benefits of 4G servic e. The common users who only listen to music and watch the occasional video won’t be swayed to evolve, but the business mined tech savvy individual will be converting as fast as the technologies change†. (Jamia Yant, 2012, April 26) 4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 4G WiBro Networks 4G wireless is the term used to describe the fourth-generation of wireless services. 4G technology is designed to deliver speed and there are three 4G systems that are commercially available LTE, WiMax, and WiBro. LTE or Long Term Evolution, has download speeds of 100 Mbps and can support upload speeds of 50 Mbps. User enjoy the fast download speeds, potentially better call quality, smoother streaming videos and faster webpage loading. Users have had issues with LTE outside of metropolitan areas because of fewer cell towers with 4G capabilities. LTE is designed to be backward compatible with lesser networks. The means if a mobile device is not in the range of a LTE network, it can resort back to a less network, such as 2. 5 or 3G. One of the benefits LTE is its service availability. Most cellular operators have adopted LTE as their 4G standard, which makes LTE one of the fastest growing networks available. Mobile phone providers calm that they have the widest 4G LTE network in an attempt to attract customers. For example, Verizon’s 4G LTE network coverage maps showed two-thirds of the U. S Population is covered by their service. While ATamp;T, calms their customers have access to the nations largest 4G network which covers over 285 million people. â€Å"WiMAX is an IP based, wireless broadband access technology that provides performance similar to 802. 11/Wi-Fi networks with the coverage and QOS (quality of service) of cellular networks. WiMAX is also an acronym meaning Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). (WiMax. com, 2013) WiMax is capable of average download speeds of 3 to 6 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1Mbps. Depending on the device and the service being used peak download speeds may reach 10 Mbps. WiMax network is similar to wireless networks, where the available bandwidth is divided among the users in certain radio sector. The problem that users hav e with this is when there are high volumes of users on the network; it can drop users in certain sectors. Like LTE, WiMax is also backward compatible with 3G technologies. WiMax service availbilty has is pros and it cons. WiMax is not dependent of cables to connect to each endpoint, do being able to deploy this network to a community or school campus can be done in a matter of a few days. While WiMax does work well on a localize area, the routers used for the connections do not have a wide range of coverage. The reality is WiMax network availability is only available in select locations. The WiBro network was created in South Korea to allow people to the internet from anywhere in the country. WiBro network has a download speed of 40. 32Mbps and â€Å"WiBro was designed to maintain a connection up to speed of 74 MPH. (WiBro, 2013) This allows users the ability to enjoy broadband Internet in cars or subways that run at high speeds. WiBro will soon become nearly obsolete with the advancement of the LTE network being available at lower cost because of the multiple service providers. 4G LTE Carrier Competition LTE’s security enrichments, minimal dormancy and extraordinary speediness above 3G merely denote that a consumer will have the ability to manipulate practically any online operation conceivable on a cellular phone. The limitations of equipment that have caused numerous operations to be restrained are now issues of the past. Consumers increase in service/carrier elections is one of the dynamic influences which initiate competition amongst carriers. Additionally, there are numerous other influences that are triggering added curiosity in cellular technology nowadays that is additionally propelling such aggressive rivalry. The accessibility of cellular bandwidth quickness is precisely contending with fixed line admittance technologies (Moscaritolo, 2012). Individuals want to be able to be mobile and on the go, all while maintaining the equivalent rate of connection velocity as they do at their household or workplace. As a direct result, individual output echelons rise intensely. Companies with inaccessible division offices want to implement a cellular empowered industry entrance as their primary WAN connections and this is an additional factor which must be considered when it comes to making their products better (Moscaritolo, 2012). Governments of regions that are not fully established desire to benefit from global amenities by utilizing technology to upsurge the admission of phones to areas that are incapable of being obliged by standard phone set-ups (McQueen, 2012). One of the countless other influences that are triggering this competition is the aptitude to provide 4G LTE web tools. This has hauled the rivalry to a completely innovative echelon with additional advantages for the consumer. By having multiple carriers provide the LTE service, costs have no choice but to go down in order for the carriers to remain competitive. Carriers formulate improvements to their products and service every day and this further prompts the data plans to obligate additional competitive costs and the aspiration to be the victor over the consumer.