Beshi 1

Alfred Beshi Ilene Sova Pre-Degree 3 March 7, 2012 Definition of 4G, bearing in mind 3G. Even if, we have heard the term 3G and 4G so many times, there are so many people that can get confused with the G symbol stated by cell phone companies in Canada and US. During to a survey of 2100 people found that 83% of respondents are aware of the term 4G. 49% of that group said they dont understand the meaning. While most of them get idea that it generally means faster speed. Also 27% said they thought that 4G meant the iPhone and 13% meant Android device on T-mobile. Thus, what does it all mean? First of all, it is the performance that makes people feel that 4G means faster speed, when comparing to 3G technology that allows to use basic things on smartphones. Also, features of both of those technologies are explained in a way that only an engineer could understand the distinct of them. That means that ordinary people would not understand that having all the network in IP, it performs an important difference for 4G instead of 3G technology. Most importantly, it is necessary to clarify the misconception about the term 4G. As it is stated 4G technology is basic an extension of 3G. Stated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) , 4G its know as high development of 3G technology. Theoretically the data rate in 4G goes up to 1Gbps in a wireless LAN (local area network) and 100 Mbps for mobile applications. Savo Glisic, professor of telecommunications

Beshi 2

at the university of Ulu in Finland, asserts on his book Advanced Wireless Networks (4G), The major expectation from the fourth generation is to be able to handle much higher data rates, allowing users to seamlessly reconnect different networks even with the same session (Glisic, 46). For example, with 4G there is much faster download speed for data transference. This one, refers to more broadband width availability, that allows to send more data quickly with an unlimited data-plan. Also, the connection speed is faster. Loading the applications that were unable to run them while using 3G technology. Glen Strachan, is a Senior ICT Advisor to NGOs, private companies and sectors. In his statement, he indicates that These speeds are only reachable with wired LANs. (Strachan). This is the reason that the use of youtube, skype ect, looks like the same as everyone does on its desktop computers. Moreover, 4G technology provides streaming of true high definition video, two-way video-calling, and digital television with different applications online that is hard to imagine with 3G technology. The newest and fourth generation of mobile phones, 4G, is expected to provide users with an all-Internet Protocol solution, which will exponentially increase bandwidth. This will allow simultaneous use of voice, Internet access gaming and streamlined multimedia services such as TV and video streaming services. By virtue of these explanations, 4G is named as high performance technology. However , Dr. Upkar Varshney, a member of Broadband Technology center at Georgia State University argues in his article Issues in emerging 4G wireless networks, that A big challenge in 4G is, how to implement handoffs in IP-based 4G networks within minimum latency and packet loss (Varshney 94). Traditionally, a handoff management means that, when a mobile user travels from one area of coverage or cell to another cell within calls duration, the call should be transferred to a new cells base station. Otherwise the call will drop down because the link between current base station becomes weak while the mobile node recedes. In 4G technology the handoff is more complex to deal with, as it covers not only horizontal handoff but

Beshi 3

also vertical handoff. The first one,(horizontal handoff) occurs when the MN(mobile node) moves within intra-system handoff. The MN handles from one cell to another cell within same wireless network. Vertical handoff deals with inter-handoff when a MN moves between two different cells of different wireless network. There are two types of handoff: Soft handoff and Hard handoff. Soft handoff appears when a mobile user connection is created before the old base station connection is released. To solve this issue ITU is applying advantages from both types of handoff to establish a connection between MN and base station more bandwidth-efficient with a shorter delay of handoff. In comparison with 4G, 3G provides a maximum of 14Mbps download speed and 5.8 Mbps for uploading, but more likely 3Mbps downlink and 500-700 kbps uplink. Like 4G, 3G generation provides sending and receiving information and data via wireless access but the capacity of broadband width is lower. Scot Snyder, the president and CEO of Decision Strategies, wrote about this topic in his book The New World of Wireless: How to Compete in the 4G Revolution, 2010. 3G started with high expectation to deliver new unplugged broadband experience that world support whole new breed of multimedia applications (Snyder). This technology was an improvement over 2G because it allows the operators to transmit more calls. The consumer were able to outright use voice and data services and for the first time were provided enough bandwidth to surf the internet. For example , when a new cell phone is presented to the public, it is given an offer of data-plan with different prices from different mobile carriers. They all have the same speed of transmission but they charge with different price because of the amount of broadband width they offer to use. Furthermore, using 3G everyone can download games, songs via mobile but it will take few minutes more than 4G. Of course 3G is used to mail and send necessary documents, even though the performance is in a lower scale compare with fourth generation. Nadeem Unuth emphasizes the 3G technology. He

Beshi 4

declares that 3G is mostly used with mobile phones and handsets as a means to connect the phone to the internet or other IP networks in order to make voice and video calls, to download and upload data and to surf the net (Unuth ). In the same way as 4G, third generation is used for video-calling, music entertainment, watching the latest news, getting data like weather sports, higher call-volumes but all of these characteristics differ from 4G, in quality of performance used on it. Comparing with other technologies before it, 3G made a change on the history of technology development. On the other hand comparing with 4G, it will be considered outdated. Fourth generation is all IP based on IPv6, serving end-users with higher data range than currently available. In context of 4G, IPv6 support is essential to support a large number of wireless- devices, increasing the number of IP addresses and removing the need for network address translator (NAT), which is a method of sharing a limited number of addresses among a large group of devices. Rmi Desprs, a French engineer and entrepreneur known for his contribution on Data Networking, proposed a mechanism for Internet Service Provider to assign IPv6 addresses into costumers sites that still have IPv4 only. He claims that IPv6 traffic between devices of a same site remains within this site (Despres). In the 4G wireless networks, each node will be assigned a 4G-IP address ( based on IPv6), which will be formed by a permanent home-address and a dynamic care-of-address, that represents its actual location. When a device A(computer or cell phone) wants to communicate with another device-B, the first device A, will sent a packet to the 4G-IP addresses on B targeting on its home address. Then a directory server on Bs home network will forward this packet again to the A, through a tunnel mobile IP. Now, two devices are informed with their home location, and next packet will be sent directly. The idea is that IPv6 can carry more information than IP address (IPv4). IPv6 includes 128 bits that means four times more than 32 bits IP address in IPv4. One IP address in IPv4 is meant one set, thus the IP address of IPv6 includes four sets of IP addresses. First set means the

Beshi 5

home-address, second set defines the care-address, third set represents the tunnel address, and the last one is local-network-address, used for sharing information or VPN (virtual private network). In other words the new technology simplifies the use of wireless more. Everybodys cell phone is connected all the time with high speed network, similarly as an wireless LAN. Another characteristic of its feature is that 4G uses the performance of radio communications depends on an antenna system. Multiple antenna technologies are showing up the goal of 4g system such as: high rate, high reliability, and long range communication. So far, we are familiar with issues of the interference between two different hosts. This antenna system will provide high quality of the network. This one, will allow 4G users the ability to use their devices everywhere. George Tsoulos, the Editorial Board Member of Journal of Wireless Networking and Communications states in his book Adaptive Antennas For Wireless Communications that Smart antenna techniques, such as multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) systems, can extend the capabilities of 3G and 4G systems to provide customers with increased data throughput for mobile high-speed data applications (Tsoulos). For these reasons fourth generations wireless technologies will provide data rates similar to office LANs or home cable modems and would be complementary to emerging 3G services. Several approaches are possible, classifying from a high-speed system very closely integrated with a completely new high-speed packet data system. MIMO system use multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to increase the capacity of wireless tunnel. In addition the coverage zone of one cell (one base transmission station) is dramatically enlarged. The coverage area is evaluated from the distance needed between base stations and the number of devices required to support the infrastructure, to provide the technology with the ability to switch/hand-off between base stations without loss of coverage . Coverage zone is an important characteristic because it determines how large a contiguous wireless can be. The Coverage zone is important for the cost as well, because the companies can

Beshi 6

reduce the amount of money spent, if they could serve the same area with fewer base stations. The benefit of this enlargement is that users have the chance to communicate with high quality video-call or video-conference just using wireless connection over IP. These features conclude the main aim of 4G to replace the third technology. Unlike 4G, the third generation is based on two parallel infrastructures consisting of circuit switched and packet switched. Paul Baran, is presently the Chairman of the Board of Com21, Inc. He is generally blamed for creating the concept of what is now called packed switching. On his book RAND Memorandum, he declares that These two concepts, circuit switched and packet switched change between how wireless was delivered in the past and how it will be presented in the future (Baran). Conventional cellular radio and landline telephony use circuit switching. Services like Cellular Digital Packet Data , employ packet switching. Some aspects of 3G also use the packet switching, but more in common it contains the combination of both circuit and packet switching. Circuit switching dominates the public switched telephony network or PSTN. The path or circuit stays the same throughout the call. That means, a call from Alberta to New York goes through switching centers in Calgary and Toronto. Its like having a railroad track with only one train. Packet switching carries digital signal by 1s and 0s bits. All these bits compounds into small groups called packets, frames, blocks or cells. Packet switching dominates data networks like the internet. A data call or communication from Alberta to New York is handled much differently than with circuit switching. With circuit switching all packets goes directly to the receiver in an orderly way, one after another on a single track. Like the train we mentioned before hauling one boxcar after another. With packet switching routers determine a path for each packet, or boxcar on the fly, dynamically ordering them about to use any railroad track available to appear to the destination. Upon arriving to their destination, packets collects together in an order by packet assembler. Each packet may arrive in a different period of time,

Beshi 7

because different routers use different logic to find the shortest way to send the packet. Other packets from other calls may use these track as well. Unlike circuit switching, none of other packets can use this way, unless the first call is finished. The data are transferred both through wired and wireless networks. Especially, most of the parts where 3G is spread out, the transmission works in a combination of both wired and wireless network and in some other parts it works separated from each other. For example in rural places is more conmen to transmit by wireless, and in urban places a mixture of both wired and wireless is necessary because the demand for an extension of bandwidth is more required. The most significant feature of 3G technology is that its supports greater voice and data capacity, and higher transfer at the lowest cost both in rural and urban areas compared with 2G. Whereas the 4G is supposed to be cheaper than other technologies. Another important point to show the difference between 3G and 4G is that, the coverage zone in 3G technology is limited up to 10 miles for each cell. For instance: different areas have different strength of signal. And users , usually encounter a slow connection when they are across the border of transmission. All in all, even if 3G was a wide spread technology, cannot withstand the future progression. Technically the fourth generation is specified as 3.9G. The term 4G is just a marketing term defined by many carriers, to encourage customers to purchase the latest cell phone. There are so many operators that try to convince everyone that they have the best technology, by presenting their electronic devices. But, indeed none of them provides the real 4G. Jeffrey Nelson, the Vice President Communications of Verizon Wireless argues in a speech at News Factor that Costumers will quickly realize that theres really a difference between the capabilities of various wireless data network. All 4G is not the same (Nelson). Therefore 4G is not the real one, it is just considered an extension of 3G. The official reports from different carriers had shown that none of these standards meet the technical requirements of 4G wireless

Beshi 8

connectivity. The highest speed recorded by a cell phone is 14.4Mbps. But the peak speed of a wireless network to be branded 4G is almost seven times higher. According to ITU 4G does not possess any official standard but two technologies that are shown to be called as 4G are LTE and WiMAX. The brand 4G-LTE comes from the pre-4G technology 3GPP Long Term Evolution. LTE is a standard for mobile communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals. Is based on GSM/EDGE and UTMS/HSPA network technologies of previous generations , increasing the capacity and speed by using a new modulation techniques. WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is also a standard for wirelessly delivering high-speed internet service to large geographically areas. WiMAX provides at home or mobile internet access across whole cities or countries. Furthermore the network coverage is a major factor that customers need to consider as well. A 4G device should be used within the area covered by network that supports the 4G technology. The goal of true 4G is to create a superfast and basically ubiquitous global network. What we have got now and in the near future, it is pretty good and definitely better then what we have had. But they are no 4G. In the other hand the 3G technology follows the guidelines by ITU. 3G comes with an enhancement over previous wireless technology such as, advance multimedia access, as actually was defined to be. Third generation comprises several cellular access technologies, and the three most common are CDMA2000 (based on 2G. Code Division Multiplexing Access), WCDAM (UMTS) Wideband Code Division Multiply Access) and TD-SCDMA(Time-Division Synchronous Multiplie-Access). Rrahim Tafazolli, Professor at University of Surrey and also a Group Leader of Mobile Communications Research, elaborates the topic at his book Beyond 3G/4G that The evolution of the 3G system has been continuous since the first release (Morris 135). For this reason to move from 2G to 3G, mobile operators had to upgrade the existing network while simultaneously planning for revolutionary to new mobile network. This lead to

Beshi 9

the establishment of two distinct of 3G, 3GPP and 3GPP2. The third Generation Partnership Project includes GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPDA and LTE. 3GPP2 was formed to help North American and Asian operators using CDMA200. Every simple detail or specific concept made from ITU upon 3G, is already proved from customers by themselves. Definitely, the mission of 3G is completed, there is no doubt on what truly third generation is. Consumers demand more from their technology, such as : long-range, high-speed wireless. On the other hand wireless carriers are bombarding them with ads about 4G wireless technology. A new question gets in their mind: Should they upgrade to 4G , Does this 4G truly meets their needs instead of 3G ? First, the progress of technology ensure a high performance for consumers. Since, 4G is considered as latest technology, it seems it is more valuable than other technologies. After that a new dilemma comes into being. If the attribute of both technologies will readjust within each-other quickly or will remain incomprehensive to people. Finally, every single detail should be explained and clarified in a perfect manner to keep the latest and previous technologies just separated from each-other with a clear definition. Carriers are enforcing 4G as the next wireless standard. However the term 4G, is the name of the technology development with high performance than the previous one. 4G offers is very good for advanced mobile services such as video and movie streaming. This offers much higher speed than 3G or WiFi. Unlike WiFi, 4G has far expanded coverage and hence, offers more or less constant connectivity. Users, especially business users, are more likely to use 4G, as it offers them more security than WiFi. This enhances safety and privacy of data. Many companies are introducing low-cost 4G introductory offers. Both 3G and 4G networking have a great deal to offers in terms of speed and quality. Though in its infancy yet, 4G is expected to catch on and become the premier connectivity provider in the coming few months.

Beshi 10

Work Cited

Glisic, Savo. Advanced Wireless. Finland : John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009. Print. Strachan, Glenn. "Is 4G Better Than 3G?" Discovery News. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. Varshney, Upkar. Issues in emerging 4G wireless networks. Atlanta: IEE Computer, 07 August 2002. Print Snyder, Scott A. The New World of Wireless: How to Compete in the 4G Revolution. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Pub., 2010. Print. Unuth, Nadeem. "3G Technology - What Is 3G?" About.com Voice Over IP. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. Depres, Remi. Data Networking. France: M.COM, 04 November 2010. Print Tsoulos, George. Adaptive Antennas For Wireless Communications.Greece: IEEE Press Marketing, 1 January 2001. Print Baran, Paul. RAND Memorandum. California: Rand Corporation, 1964, Print. Nelson, Jeffrey. All 4G is not the same. News Factor, Web.28 April 2011. Tafazolli, Rrahim. Beyond 3G/4G, England: eMobility, 07 December 2010. Print