Fourth-generation wireless technology: All about speed

THE trailblazing speed by which developments occur in the telecommunications industry has always been mind-boggling. Not so long ago, third-generation or 3G technology in mobile-phone communications was considered to be the latest technological innovation as well as the benchmark. With the advent of the fourth generation of cellular wireless technology, or 4G, local telecommunications companies and consumers alike can expect and look forward to significantly faster data transfer. This year alone, several telecommunications companies in our country were already been heard uttering the word 4G. A quick glance at mobile-phone technology development would show just how far we’ve arrived. First-generation or 1G technology referred to analog telecommunications and was prominent back in the 1980s. This was eventually replaced in the 1990s by the second-generation or 2G technology, which is based on digital signals. 2G technology was not merely limited to voice communications; it also introduced data services for mobile phones, such as the ubiquitous text-messaging service. It was during the proliferation of 2G technology here that the Philippines became known as the “texting capital of the world.” 2G technology eventually evolved and developed variants such as 2.5G and 2.75G, which resulted in better transmission rates as well as the availability of other data services, such as multimedia messaging service or MMS, e-mailing and web surfing. 2G technology was eventually replaced by 3G which provided previous technologies with enhancements, such as higher transmission speed and advanced multimedia access. With 3G technology, mobile-phone users are able to connect their phones to the Internet or other IP networks in order to make voice and video calls or to simply access the Web. Until recently, however, 3G was considered the best available technology for mobile phones and mobile-telecommunication services. Now, we are on the verge of yet another significant advancement in cellular wireless technology: 4G. The International Telecommunication Union or ITU, which is the United Nations-specialized agency for information and communication technologies, issued the requirements for what is now marketed as 4G mobile phone and Internet access service. These requirements are known as International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced, or IMT-Advanced, the characteristics of which have been specified by the ITU as follows: (1) a high degree of commonality of functionality worldwide while retaining the flexibility to support a wide range of services and applications in a cost- efficient manner; (2) compatibility of services within IMT and with fixed networks; (3) capability of interworking with other radio access systems; (4) high-quality mobile services; (5) user equipment suitable for worldwide use; (6) user-friendly applications, services and equipment; (7) worldwide roaming capability and (8) enhanced peak data rates to support advanced services and applications. As further specified by the ITU, the peak speed requirements for 4G service are 100 Mbit/s for high-mobility communication (such as moving vehicles) and 1 Gbit/s for low-mobility communication or for stationary users. This is a far cry from the standards set for 3G, which is about 200 Kbit/s or 0.2 Mbit/s. The increased speeds will definitely be good news for consumers. Once 4G is fully rolled out, consumers will enjoy services previously unheard of, such as watching high-definition movies via handheld device without the bothersome “buffering” or simply enjoying high-quality and seamless video conferencing without any “lag time.” Currently, there are two kinds of technology associated with 4G. These are Long-Term Evolution or LTE and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, which is commonly referred to as WiMAX. LTE is a 4G wireless technology developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a collaboration that brings together a number of telecommunications standards bodies. Its architecture is based on Internet Protocol (IP). LTE is specified to provide a downlink (which is defined as the transmission path from a base transceiver station or cell site to the mobile station or cell-phone) peak rates of 300 Mbit/s, uplink (the transmission path from the mobile station or cell phone to a base station or cell site) peak rates of 75 Mbit/s. LTE is said to have the ability to manage fast-moving mobiles as well as support for multi-cast and broadcast streams. On the other hand, WiMAX, as described in its own web site—www.wimax.com—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 said to deliver high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas and is capable of long distance transmission up to 50 kilometers or 30 miles. WiMAX is designed to provide 30 to 40 Mbit/s data rates. As observed in the transmission rates of the current offerings of LTE and WiMAX, however, they do not fully comply with the requirements set by the ITU for a 4G network, which is again 1 Gbit/s for low-mobility communication and 100 Mbit/s for high-mobility communication. In this regard, versions of LTE and WiMAX, which are said to be compliant with 4G standards, are being developed and are touted as “LTE Advanced” and “WirelessMAN-Advanced,” respectively. However, even technologies which actually do not meet the speed requirements of 4G can nevertheless earn the right to hoist the “4G” brand as according to the ITU, the term “4G” “may also be applied to the forerunners of these technologies, LTE and WiMAX, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed.” In the Philippines, telecommunications service providers are still in a tussle over 3G as they continue to build and operate their networks based on that technology. However, despite the fact that the National Telecommunications Commission, the country’s regulatory body for fixed and mobile-phone communications, has yet to issue rules and regulations with respect to 4G, mobile-phone companies are already jumping the “4G bandwagon” and announcing their intent to embrace and actually have invested in 4G technology. On April 18, 2011, Globe Telecommunications Inc. (Globe) announced the launch of its own “4G mobile technology” with the release of its Globe HSPA+ network. HSPA+ reportedly has a download speed of about 84 Mbit/s. Globe mentioned that its 4G services are already available in over 1,500 sites in nearly 60 provinces across the Philippines, covering major cities such as Manila, Caloocan, Cebu, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. In May 2011, Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) followed suit and announced the deployment of its own 4G network based on LTE technology. Smart said that it plans to deploy its network to major urban centers, cities and municipalities nationwide. Smart further mentioned that it plans to increase the throughput of LTE to 100 Mbit/s as soon as the same is justified by market demand. Wi-Tribe Telecoms Inc. (Wi-Tribe), which is a joint-venture company between San Miguel Corp. and Qatar Telecoms, has likewise invested in the installation of its 4G infrastructure which uses WiMAX technology. Currently, Wi-Tribe’s business is focused on mobile broadband. Lastly, in September 2011, Bayan Telecommunications Inc. (“Bayantel”) announced its own plans to roll out 4G services using its assigned frequencies in the 1800 Mhz band. According to Bayantel, it will utilize LTE technology for its 4G infrastructure. The technological developments brought about by 4G, as well as the competitive nature of our telecommunications industry, translate to better products and services for us consumers. On this score alone, the future of mobile-phone communications looks bright.