Quick guide to 3G cell phone services
Types of 3G
There are two main flavors of 3G: UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Service), which is being rolled out over existing GSM networks, and CDMA2000, which brings 3G speeds to CDMA networks; for a detailed explanation of terms, see the glossary. Both UMTS and CDMA2000--which has two high-speed offshoots, the data-only 1xEV-DO and the voice-plus-data 1xEV-DV--are already available in major cities with more expansion set for 2006. Speeds for both should be about DSL quality. We're also beginning to see discussions of 3.5G and 4G technologies such as HSDPA and WiMax, which should provide cable modem and gigabyte Ethernet speeds.
Of course, you'll need a 3G-capable phone to use one of the new high-speed networks. After a slow start, a wide assortment of 3G handsets is now available from the carriers. All the mobiles offer support for the new 3G networks, and they come in a variety of styles, from stylish and trendy--such as the Samsung SGH-Z540--to simple and functional, as in the Nokia 6233. For a complete list of phones, see the next page for all new 3G cell phone reviews.
Laptop users also can take advantage of 3G networks for on-the-go broadband without a Wi-Fi network; all you need is a carrier-supplied PC Card. |
Services and
speeds
| |
1G |
2G |
2.5G |
| Technology |
AMPS |
GSM
CDMA
iDen |
GPRS
1xRTT
EDGE |
| Speeds |
n/a |
Less than 20Kbps |
30Kbps to 90Kbps |
| Features |
Analog
(voice only) |
Voice; SMS; conference calls; caller ID; push to talk |
MMS; images; Web browsing; short audio/video clips; games, applications, and
ring tone downloads |
| |
3G |
3.5G |
4G and beyond |
| Technology |
UMTS
1xEV-DO |
HSDPA (upgrade for UMTS)
1xEV-DV |
WiMax* |
| Speeds |
144Kbps to 2Mbps |
384Kbps to 14.4Mbps |
100Mbps to 1Gbps |
| Features |
Full-motion video; streaming music; 3D gaming; faster Web browsing |
On-demand video; videoconferencing |
High-quality streaming video;
high-quality videoconferencing;
Voice-over-IP telephony |
*WiMax has been mentioned as a possible
4G technology, but no standards have been set.
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