The 3G technology is one of the well-talked subjects in the city of late. It has been launched in greater Guwahati and is available in areas like Panbazar, Fancybazar, Ulubari, Silpukhuri, Rehabari, GS Road, Ganeshguri, Rajgarh Road, Lakshmi Nagar, Kahilipara, Anandapur and Hatigaon. 3G has become a reality in greater Guwahati, thanks to the efforts of BSNL, Assam Telecom circle. But what is 3G technology? How shall it bring change to our lives?

3G is the acronym for the third generation of the wireless mobile communication. It was in the early 1980s with the commercial deployment of advanced mobile phone service (ADPS) cellular networks that the first generation (1G) of mobile communication came into being. This service used FDMA to carry voice channels in 800 MHz. With the beginning of 1990s the second generation developed where the mobile operators deployed two types of digital voice standards: CDMA and GSM.

The third generation (3G) partnership project was formed in 1998 with the aim to promote the deployment of 3G networks that descended from GSM. The 3Gpp technologies offer GPRS: general packet radio services at a speed up to 114 kbps. The enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) has reached up to 384 kbps. VMTS wind band COMA offered downlink and high speed downlink packet access (HSPDA) are certain specialties of 3G mobiles. The 3G network as described by BSNL in their advertisements is characterized by speed, versatility, convenience, economy, efficiency, and convergence. In general, the 3G network features are capacity, convergence, content, better coverage and cost effectiveness. The 3G network holds high rate of data providing access to various seamless applications anytime and anywhere. It is said to be a unique source of infotainment at the same time cheap, considering the common platform created to reduce call overheads.

The 3G had its first commercial launch by NTT OOCOMO in Japan in October 2001 with the brand name FOMA. In Europe, the first commercial network was by Telenor. In India, only BSNL and MTNL are providing 3G services. It took ten more years to be launched in Assam after its maiden launch in Japan.

According to the 3G Standard International Telecommunication Union (ITU), IMT-2000 can be defined as a standard for 3G mobile communication. The IMT-2000 consists of six radio interfaces. However, there are certain specific characteristics associated with the 3G mobile that marks this network as a three layered architecture. These layers are service layer, control layer and connectivity layer. 3G network provides fast deployment of services at a centralized location with the ability to upgrade the procedures and capacity of the network to be dynamic in nature. Transmission technology of voice data traffic is a unique feature of 3G.

3G Service provides secure communication for virtual private network and connect e-commerce transaction anywhere in the world. The equipment for 3G services are preferred as electronic wallets. These equipment also support web browsing and multimedia. Location based services are the added facilities in 3G equipment which include train schedule, flight arrival/departure, yellow pages, etc. Thus it can be rightly expected that 3G services may reduce the complicated and huge load of work on a daily basis.

The recent launch of the 3G service in the city has enabled the public to opt for the new technology for better and concise facilities available in a single handset. With BSNL 3G mobile, one can enjoy high speed internet and data service even while on the move. Starting from mobile TV, broadband, video calls to movies and video PRBT, every facility is available with the 3G services. Thus here is a great opportunity for the Guwahatians to enjoy the ‘All in One’ service.

Panchalee Tamulee