What is 3G ?
 
3G is an ITU (International Telecommunications Union) specification for 3rd Generation mobile communication technologies. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), generally refered as 3G, is broadband, packet-based transmission of text, digitized voice, video and multimedia at data rates up to or higher than 2 Mbps, offering a consistent set of services to mobile phone users no matter where they are located in the world. Based on the GSM communication standard, UMTS, endorsed by major standards bodies and manufacturers, is the planned standard for mobile users around the world. Once UMTS is fully implemented,  PDAs and mobile phone users can be constantly attached to the Internet as they travel and roam. Users will have access through a combination of terrestrial wireless and satellite transmissions.

3G services allow high-speed data connectivity on mobile phones which will enable users to watch a movie, play interactive games, download data from the World Wide Web on the move. 3G networks will enable operators to provide value-added services and applications such as video-on-demand, unified messaging, mobile commerce, etc.

3G is said to be the natural next step in the evolution of mobile services. World's first launch of 3G was in Japan, by NTT DoCoMo, in October 2001. Today, Japan has the largest 3G subscriber base, served by two 3G operators. Wide band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is the 3G technology choice, commercially available on number of networks world wide. Europe has enjoyed the widest WCDMA 3G deployment so far and networks in Asia Pacific region have already started implementing 3G.

In India, cellular operators are still on 2.75 G or 2.5 G with technologies such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) or EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution) but most of the operators are quietly upgrading their networks to be able to provide 3G services. Next year may see the commercial launches. Considerable infrastructure investment is required to ensure the service promised by third generation networks. For instance, cell density is to be increased to provide additional bandwidth. New transaction-based billing methods will have to be introduced in place of the time-based billing used today. However, the savings generated from a packet-network will more than negate the cost for the operator to lay the network.

The State-owned MTNL floated Rs.1000-crore draft tender to roll out four million mobile lines on 3G technology. Almost all the GSM operators including Airtel, Hutch and IDEA, have already applied for the radio frequency required to launch 3G services.
 
Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson believes that the rollout of 3G telecom networks in India will help operators reduce costs, offer an array of services to users, and connect millions in rural areas who have never used a phone. 3G as a technology is said to be more advanced and more efficient. Other equipment vendors such as Nokia and Motorola are also gearing up to meet the demands of the Indian market. Nokia, for instance, is developing a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), a natural evolution to 3G that will bring even higher data speeds with a simple software upgrade.

A study by Ericsson has found that almost 50 per cent of users in metros are looking for services beyond voice and SMS. The study predicts that India will have 200 million mobile phone users by 2009 and at least 10% will subscribe to 3G services.Apart from revenues, 3G will also bring in efficiency in spectrum usage.

CDMA operators have an advantage over their GSM counterparts when it comes to 3G deployment because most CDMA networks in India are already 3G-enabled. Simply put, a Reliance Infocomm is in a position to start offering 3G services from tomorrow once spectrum is allocated while GSM operators will have to set up a parallel network with their existing 2G network to offer 3G services.
 
Video on demand, high-speed multimedia and mobile Internet access are just a few of the possibilities for users. 3G services expand the possibilities of content rich information and communication. However, the main benefit of 3G systems is that they will offer substantially enhanced capacity, quality and data rates above those that are available currently with 2G.