What exactly are 3G networks, and why should we care? Here’s the story.. ;)

Phoning It In

3G is shorthand for the third generation of wireless network technology. 3G networks allow you to do all the science fiction things that weren’t possible to do before. :d

With 3G, mobile phones, handheld devices, and notebooks with 3G-compatible modems can easily handle high-speed multimedia content and serve as all-in-one communication, entertainment, and information devices, the promise goes. You’ll be able to hold a video-conference with your coworkers while simultaneously surfing the Web on your mobile phone. E-mail messages with file attachments will instantly download to your PDA or notebook. You can also pull up to an automated car wash, activate the sudsing with your 3G phone, and have the charge added to your phone bill, according to 3GNewsroom.com.



From 1G to 3G

The first generation of wireless networks, known as 1G, was a basic analog voice phone service without data capability.

With second-generation networks, or 2G, wireless technology progressed from analog to digital. These networks are still the most prevalent standard in use today. There are three main 2G network standards: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access). Each type has its own characteristics and features. For instance, GSM networks are global.

But 2G networks were primarily intended for digital voice services. Under ideal circumstances, 2G networks are painfully slow at sending data, reaching 10 to 19 kilobits per second, which is much less than half the speed of a traditional 56-kbps dial-up modem. And unless they’ve been especially optimized, most Web pages accessed from a 2G network inch across a handheld screen, which makes surfing the Web on a 2G wireless device as efficient as running underwater.

A few network providers introduced an interim standard, 2.5G technology that can handle speeds between 56 and 144 kbps. But for several years, the big push has been toward 3G, which promises data transfer rates of 144 kbps to 2 megabits per second, and an always-on connection.

Beyond the Propaganda

In addition, 3G networks aren’t nearly as prevalent geographically as 2G networks, so coverage can be spotty. And service plans are often expensive and confusingly structured. Users of the Sprint PCS Vision network, for instance, are billed according to the amount of data downloaded, which can be difficult to estimate and control.

Despite 3G’s current limitations, our testers concluded that the new networks are worth the price premium for mobile business users who need frequent access to e-mail and the Internet. But don’t expect to use your cell phone to have your car washed just yet. :P