BY AXXO

NAVYA VARSAAChee Hoon Hoonit Parbee Mogall Vaachpyaano.

The new year brings renewed hopes of a better world. My Christmas was rocking. Good to start the new year with something new. What new? 4G… 4G you ask? Hell yeah, jus coz third class BSNL is using Deepika Padoon-cone to promote their crappy 3G, it doesn’t have to mean that 3G’s the latest. While, all over the world 4G is the in thing, we’re still in the dinosaur age.

In a world of increasing technological needs, the mobile Internet can play a significant role in resolving the user’s capacity and connectivity needs. There is lots of research and suggestions around the 4G concept, where vendors and operators are trying to define it based on their preferred technology and strategic planning.

At the end of 2007, the total mobile subscribers were three billion, with GSM-based users to grow over two billion. Several research reports are predicting that WiMAX will commercially be deployed by 2009 and the LTE (Long Term Evolution) by 2015. However, the standards battle towards the 4G establishment is a major concern. ITU and IEEE are trying to secure a smooth transition into the new technology.

NEXT STEP

THERE is no formal definition for 4G. It is a term used to describe the next step in wireless communication. Several terms are also describing the concept, such as “Super 3G” or “Next Generation Wireless”. We are looking for a new converged system that will provide at least 100Mbps connectivity to the broadband users. 4G is expected to offer data rates of 100 Mbps for mobile applications and one Gbps for nomadic applications and should be achievable by the year 2010.

The current defined objectives for 4G include:
• Fully integrated IP solution
• “Anytime, Anywhere”
• Seamless connectivity- wireless and wire line
• Global access and interconnection
• Interoperability
• Data rates of at least 100Mbps
• Spectrally efficient system

There are several applications that could be supported and leveraged in 4G due to the advanced environment. These include mobile commerce with a dimension to mobile banking, peer-to-peer networking and full usage of the advanced Internet services in the converged cloud. This could be defined as a communications technology ecosystem with a plethora of different services that will give users a more convenient and easy lifestyle.

Since 4G is not well defined yet, there is no demand nor have markets been shaped yet. Therefore, we are lacking forecasts or precise predictions that could help us to strategically plan for the market in an estimated timetable. An interesting approach is to evaluate each country’s readiness to deploy 4G based on different criteria such as technological, business, legal and policy.

The 3G, in most cases and countries, has not paid off yet and will not for the next five years. However, the operators are trying to decide on the best standard to invest in the long run and will cover their future needs ending up debating between the WiMAX and the LTE.

MOBILE MOVEMENT

THE world is moving rapidly towards this 4G open mobile movement. In China, the government has, in fact, targeted the 4G mobile industry. In the European Union, evolution to 4G has been the mission-critical strategy since 2003. Japan and Korea started 4G regulations in 2002. The US mobile market is a pretty different case, because the FCC as a law enforcement agency basically has no power to enforce the law. The operators pay huge monies to the congress, and congress manages the FCC. So eventually, the operator “makes” the law. However, nobody can stop the future and it is just a matter of time when this 4G open mobile comes to life.

And here we are in India, where mobile phone operators are talking big about 3G. Bah! What a joke. All mobile phone operators know that Indians go by the name rather than the technology. Therefore, in India, we’ll always remain technological dinosaurs. Believe me.

Next week, I’ll carry on with 4G, till then… enjoy your new year celebrations; don’t drink and drive.