4G Wireless Network |
Compare and Contrast 3G Wireless Networks to 4G Networks
3G networks allow people to have high speed access to data and voice services, they are essentially a high-speed mobile Internet, that can offer speeds of up to 3.1 megabits per second (Mbps) or more. This speed is around the same speeds offered by earlier sellers of cable modems. However, depending on where you are and how many users there are, the actual speed of 3G networks will fluctuate. Even though 3G is still more commonly used, the recently introduced 4G networks have quickly become the standard for wireless communication. The 4G networks are 4-10 times faster than 3G protocols and are ideal for watching streaming videos or movies, and offer more security, unlike a Wi-Fi connection. We can compare and contrast 3G wireless networks and 4G networks in four areas: service and application, network architecture, data throughput and user perceptions. The following standards are typically branded 3G: CDMA2000, UMTS, and EDGE. Whereas 4G wireless is the term used to describe the fourth-generation of wireless service such as WiMax and LTE. Although 4G is a step up from 3G, the limited coverage that is the present 4G market keeps 3G as the frontrunner in wireless protocols being used by the public.
While all 4G service is called "4G," the underlying technology is different. Sprint, for example, uses WiMax technology for its 4G network, while Verizon Wireless uses a technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE. Regardless of what technology is behind it, 4G wireless is designed to deliver speed. On average,

Distinguish between the 4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 4G WiBro Networks
Since the launch of the 4G era, it has become a hot commodity. This new service offers a variety of network choices as well. The 4G LTE network stands for 4G Long Term Evolution. In the fourth-generation (4G) world of technology, there are two competing 4G standards: wireless interoperability microwave access (WiMAX) and long-term evolution (LTE™). Both of these standards are so similar that many professionals and experts get them confused. One difference between LTE and WiMAX is that they function on different frequencies, making their deployment slightly different. WiMAX is made to work with new deployments, while LTE is made for existing mobile and broadband deployments. Between LTE and WiMAX, LTE is slightly faster and WiMAX is slightly easier to set up. Any wave-based technology, such as LTE and WiMAX, needs to run on a certain frequency to be deployed. This frequency does not affect speed, functionality or dependability, but it does change how the systems are set up and deployed. LTE is made to work on 700 megahertz (MHz), WiMAX is made to work on 2.3 gigahertz (GHz) and 3.5 GHz, and both are able to work on 2.1 GHz and 2.5 GHz.
The WiBro 4G network technology stands for Wireless Broadband. This is offered as an alternative to WiMax. It is a radio service for broadband, mobile access designed in Korea for the purpose of maintaining connectivity on the go. There are similarities between WiBro and WiMax in that the transmission speeds for both are same. However, WiBro has the ability to mark out a receiver that is stirring from one location to another location at speeds of up to 74 miles per hour. WiMax avoids this because it requires a stationary antenna for receiving the signal. The rate of exchange has data rates of 30 – 50 Mbps. Identify why the competition between the 4G LTE carriers has been so fierce and describe the benefits of this competition to the subscribers.

One factor causing competition between carriers is the customers increase in choices because of the availability of mobile broadband speeds that are directly competing with fixed line access technologies. If an individual can be on the move and have the same level of connection speed as they do at their home or office, their productivity levels increase dramatically. Another big factor are the businesses with remote branch offices that want to adopt a cellular enabled business plan that adopt cellular-enabled business gateways as either primary or back up WAN connections. The ability to offer 4G LTE network technology has taken the competition to a different dimension with benefits for the consumer. The LTE specifications that have been standardized to accommodate rapidly changing user demands and associated network requirements are known as Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS). These (eMBMS) services are now a multicast standard for 4G LTE precisely because it allows one-to-many distribution of video content. Prices are decreasing by having more than one carrier offer the (eMBMS) as the foundation of their service plan. Data plans have become more competitive in pricing and the desire to be the order winner is causing carrier to make improvements to their systems daily. The race to increase coverage areas is motivating the competition along and spreading the benefits to each new market it reaches. Mae Kowalke, noted the following in her article comparing cost reduction as a benefit to the end users, written in February 2012 : Initial deployments of eMBMS, a standard supported by 3GPP R9, are slated to begin this year (2012). As the article highlights, eMBMS can be used to expand the capabilities of LTE networks by using the same frequency layer for multicast, broadcast and unicast. This goes to the heart as to how and why operators can not only save money and but also provide an improved customer experience because of better reception and throughput.
She further noted that Vale and Viswanathan involve a somewhat complex interplay of network elements: * Broadcast/Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) – schedules and manages MBMS services * Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) Area – group of cells that coordinates MBSFN transmission * Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services Gateway (MBMS-GW) – sends IP multicast packets, performs session control * Evolved Node B (eNB) and Mobile Management Entity (MME) – existing elements in LTE * Multi-cell/Multicast Coordinated Entity (MCE) – function that performs admission control, radio resources allocation and session control signaling * SYNC Protocol –identifies radio frame transmission timing, detects packet loss * M2 and M3: signaling interfaces
Her conclusion is probable the best observation of the technological explosion surrounding 4G and is probably the main reason for so much consumer competitive pricing. Much of what she states below as of February 2012, is already a reality today.
In addition to the inherent cost savings derived from content delivery being one-to-many instead of one-to-one, as stated above the fact that eMBMS sessions can be set up dynamically — and share resources with unicast sessions — eliminates the need for dedicated spectrum. Lower cost of using a scarce and expensive resource and a better customer experience sounds like a solution that is likely to be in the future of many of us.”

In January 2012, Verizon stated that 4G LTE is available in 190 cities covering 200 million American subscribers. According to AT&T’s Website, they had plans for covering 20 million Americans in 15 markets by end of 2011. Conclude why Verizon is able to cover more markets than AT&T.

Verizon was the first provider in the United States to offer a 4G LTE network. This gave them an entire year to gain the advantage to develop their coverage areas. AT&T just launched their network in September of 2012 and is working to catch up. Verizon achieved this lead mainly by offering unlimited service plans and popular data-equipped handsets. Something AT&T has yet to do. Verizon also obtained another 17 million people in their customer base by delivering wholesale access through third party resellers. Commercials for smart-phones abound and the technology accompanying them is showing the world the capabilities of mobile technology. Advancements from 3G wireless networks to 4G networks are just the next step in mobile technologies evolutionary process.

Reference Page www.wisegeek.com http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-differences-between-wifi-wimax- and-wibro.htm

http://mobiledevices.about.com/od/carrierfaq/a/3g-Vs-4g-Which-Is-Better.htm

LTE Service Provider Solution: Reduce Cost, Increase Efficiency with Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) : Mae Kowalke http://blog.tmcnet.com/next-generation-communications/2012/02/lte-service-provider-solution-reduce-cost-increase-efficiency-with-evolved-multimedia-broadcast-mult.html