4G Wireless network

ACCTCIS500

1.0. Compare and contrast 3G wireless networks to 4G

networks in terms of:
a) Services and application
We can compare and contrast 3G wireless networks and 4G networks in four areas:
service and application, network architecture, data throughput and user
perceptions. Some examples of services offered by 3G wireless networks are
CDMA2000, UMTS, and EDGE along with a list of others while 4G networks offer
Wimax2 and LTE-Advance. The applications are where a lot of users get hooked on
technology. 3G opened a whole new realm of possibilities with applications allowing
users to stream video and audio, video calling, video conferencing and a huge array
of multimedia applications in the mobile environment. 4G applications include
gaming services, amended mobile web access, high definition mobile television,
video conferencing, IP telephony and even 3D television.

b) Network architecture
The 3G mobile network is a Wide Area Cell Based network with a circuit-switched
subsystem. It relies on large satellite connections that connect to
telecommunication towers. For example, users make a call or open the internet; a
radio signal is transmitted to a 3G tower antenna or cell site. That data travels from
the cell site to a central switching office by a wire-line fiber-optic network. Then the
central switching office connects the call or data request with the rest of the world.
The 4G networks are an integration of wireless LAN and Wide Area. 4G does not
have a circuit-switched subsystem, it is a purely packet based Internet Protocol (IP)
system. When a Sprint user accesses a website or uses an internet based
application, a radio signal is sent to a 4G cell site. That data request travels from
the satellite to a central office wirelessly using microwave technology. This is a
more reliable method than a wire-line transmission because there is less network
downtime. The central office, in turn, connects the data using a wire-line network to
the outside world.

c) Data Throughput
The data throughput rate for 3G is up to 3.1 mbps with a bandwidth of 5 20MHz; while the
data throughput rate for 4G networks is 3 to 5 mbps but potentially estimated at a range of 100 to
300 mbps with a bandwidth of 100MHz (or more).

d) User Preference
Many users are happy with their 3G wireless network service. It is readily available
and competitive pricing have enabled millions of users to access mobile technology
in ways they never imagined possible. However, 4G networks have had outages
and complaints about coverage areas. The differences are definitely there between
the two technologies but the users of today have only gotten a brief taste of the
potential benefits of 4G service. The common users who only listen to music and
watch the occasional video wont be to swayed to evolve but the business mined
tech savvy individual will be converting as fast as the technologies change. In the
next few years, I expect to see a few changes in the 4G services being offered. I

look for boosted app performance and capabilities, International 4G Roaming

Agreements, Collaborative Network Contributions instead of strain and the end of
flat rate data.

2.0. Distinguish between the 4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 4G

WiBro networks based on:
a) Upload and download speeds
The introduction of 4G networks has given us a variety of network choices: 4G LTE,
4G WiMax, and 4G WiBro. The 4G LTE network stands for 4G Long Term Evolution.
This is the 4G technology used by Verizon Wireless. It supports data rate exchanges
at speeds of 100 Mbps for downloads and 50 Mbps for uploads. Users that are really
taking advantage of the advancements seem happy with the 4G LTE services
offered today, but there have been some reports of poor connectivity and
sometimes no connectivity at all. Most of the problems are away from the
metropolitan areas where there are fewer 4G cell sites. With time this will be
resolved.

b) User perceptions
It is common knowledge that in order to access a 4G network a user must be
equipped with a 4G network enabled device. Devices have some limits with
compatibility of networks when going for 3G to 4G but the real issue is backward
compatibility. There is backward compatibility of LTE-Advanced with LTE. This
basically means that an LTE terminal should be able to work in an LTE-Advanced
Network and the same in reverse. This is because LTE was designed to be backward
compatible with GSM and HSPA. Because of this design, if a piece of mobile
equipment travels beyond the range of an LTE network, it can fall back on a 3G
network if it has the required radio technologies.
As of April 19th, 2012 Verizons 4G LTE network coverage maps showed their service
covered two-thirds of the U.S Population. This coverage provides service to 230
markets in the United States with expectations of that coverage increasing to 400
markets and 260 million people by the end of 2012. With benefits like security,
customer address control, enhanced customer experience and services for diverse
uses it will no doubt reach its projected goals.

c) Backward Compatibility
The 4G WiMax network stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
and is a different standard (802.16). This technology is also the current standard of
wireless broadband devices in the United States. Sprint uses this technology for its
4G network. This type of 4G network was designed to provide broadband wireless
access in on open Internet Architecture. Its cost to performance ratio exceeds all
other technology and for that reason has already brought access to millions of
users. Most data exchange rates show this technology to have a data rate of 70

Mbps. Reports have shown Fixed WiMax can provide speeds of up to 75 Mbps and
Mobile WiMax offering speeds of up to 30 Mbps. When WiMax standard of 802.16d
(fixed WiMax) was upgraded to 802.16e (Mobile WiMax) it was made to be
backwards compatible with its previous version. Like LTE, WiMax is also backward
compatible with 3G technologies. The Service availability for WiMax is limited in that
it only allows so many users on the standard and will cut off any additional users
trying to use the connection. For non-line of sight the network can reach up to 25 30 square miles, but for line of site between the transmission point and the
receiving antenna, the range increases to 2,800 square miles. This Wireless
Metropolitan Area Network can offer voice and data services without the high
expense of cable or the limitations DSL has with distance.

d) Service Availability
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.

3.0. The Competition between the 4G LTE Carriers

One of the driving factors causing competition between carriers is the customers
increase in choices but there are several other factors that are causing more
interest in mobile technology today that is also driving such fierce competition. One
of those factors is 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. One of the many other factors causing this competition is
governments of undeveloped countries wanting to take advantage of global services
by using the technology to increase telephone access to rural areas unable to be
served by wired telephone infrastructures. The ability to offer 4G LTE network
technology has taken the competition to a whole new level with accompanying
benefits for the user. Prices are being driven down by having more than one carrier
offer the service. Data plans have more competitive 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 driving the competition along and spreading
the benefits to each new market it reaches.

4.0. Verizon and AT&Ts Markets

Verizon was the first carrier in the United States to offer a 4G LTE network. This
gave them a full years competitive advantage to develop their coverage areas.

AT&T just launched their network in September of last year and is trying to catch
up. Verizon achieved this lead partly by offering unlimited service plans and
popular data-equipped handsets. Verizon also obtained another 17 million people in
their customer base by delivering wholesale access through third party resellers.

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Better.htm
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http://www.goingwimax.com/what-is-the-difference-between-wimax-and-lte-4155/
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