India walks into the 3rd generation of wireless and wired computing. 3G as popularly called, I would like to have my MS pals walk through a little on this technology, its salient features and its vital or fatal contributions.
3G refers to the third generation of developments in wireless technology, especially mobile communications. The third generation, follows the first generation(1G) and second generation(2G) in wireless communications.
1G
The 1G period began in the late 1970s and lasted through the 1980s. These systems featured the first true mobile phone systems, known at first as "cellular mobile radio telephone." These networks used analog voice signaling, and were little more sophisticated than the repeater networks used by amateur radio operators.
2G
The 2G phase began in the 1990s and much of this technology is still in use. The 2G cell phone features digital voice encoding. Examples include CDMA and GSM.
3G includes capabilities and features such as:
• Enhanced multimedia(voice, data, video, and remote control).
• Usability on all popular modes(cellular telephone, e-mail, paging, fax, videoconferencing, and Web browsing).
• Broad bandwidth and high speed(upwards of 2 Mbps).
While 3G is generally considered applicable mainly to mobile wireless, it is also relevant to fixed wireless and portable wireless. A 3G system should be operational from any location on, or over, the earth’s surface, including use in homes, businesses, government offices, medical establishments, the military, personal and commercial land vehicles, private and commercial watercraft and marine craft, private and commercial aircraft(except where passenger use restrictions apply), portable(pedestrians, hikers, cyclists, campers), and space stations and spacecraft.
Threat: Researchers, engineers, and marketers are faced with the challenge of accurately predicting how much technology consumers will actually be willing to pay for.
Now I believe that the above detail is enough a technical jargon to make everybody and anybody aware of what wonders 3G can do and its basic meaning and utility. Phew. quite extensive, isn’t it?
It is now believed that, in a couple of months from now on, India would be marching towards yet another technological enhancements in this ever so necessary and vital field of telecommunication, to see itself as a messiah for the service providers and handset manufacturers, who at last could breathe easy with the thought that something new would help them make a little better business than what they are making as of today(more looting).
On August 1 2008, this headline hit my eyes and the bid figures got my eyeballs rolling. Rs.2020 crore is the reserve price for Pan-India 3G auction bids. Man, presently our country seems to be talking of some monstrous figures for sure. “We have about 60 MHz of spectrum available with us. Except for Delhi and Mumbai. At least 2 to 5 operators cam be accommodated right now in many circles” states A Raja, Telecom Minister. Except for Delhi and Mumbai. Now this statement gets my head ringing with curiosity, as to why exclude such prime circles. My Analysis: I guess this is a rural business model strategy aftermath. Or else why would one keep Mumbai and Delhi outside the circuit, where in fact any operator can perceive maximum profits owing to metropolitan affordance ratio. Boy oh boy, seems like another political stunt on its way. Mumbai and Delhi desperately need this service, to be rid of the band congestion and call drop war. Ironically, despite of the exclusion, operators can target a revenue model of 30, 000 to 40, 000 crores(INR). Man that’s another bullish figure to witness. This move would be in practice by way of government auctioning slices of the spectrum for supporting and providing this high-value service to the telecom operators who would make an extra chunk out of yet another public agony in the name of availing good service.
TRAI(Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) mentioned that the operators that have or are eligible for Unified Access Service(UAS) license, would be available to bid and the service gates will be opened for Category A cities – Mumbai and Delhi by the year 2012 for a reserve price of Rs 160 crore(yet another booking price for reservations – AAP QATAR MEIN HAIN, KRIPYA PRATEEKSHA KAREIN, types). Till 2012, the operators will have to bear with such a message because MTNL and BSNL are the ones privileged for the headstart on availing and providing this service.
Benefits for the industry:
1. Service providers will make the money from rural pockets and we would yet be facing another service lag in terms of technical experimentation during the setup phase and yet people will have to bear the cost for the no-service period. Anyways service is on a hang-up throughout the year and it is nothing new. But this could be worst.
2. Mobile Handset manufacturers will be making their money by dropping down the cost of their current 2G product offerings and definitely not aim towards easing the burden of people by making minor alterations to the existing piece, but would aim to agonize everybody by making expensive new handsets so people would be forced to buy these at sky high costs since I am very sure, they would be sabotaging and worsening their current 2G bands in hands with the service providers like BPL, Vodafone, Airtel etc., to irritate people and when people will call to inquire regarding this disruption they would blame the existing problems and discrepancies with the government and then convince them regarding the expensive concept and put the monkey cap on them to buy the service and the product supporting it, for better reliability. Ideally, HISTROY SHALL REPEAT ITSELF SOON and all will be, but, the same after few greedy pass-ons. I bet you can expect seeing SRK on screen enacting Govinda in a song from Jodi no.1 “What is mobile no., what is your style number”, the only difference being the handset would be single unlike in the song and rings would be many, he he.
3. Government would anyways be making lots of money through both of them.
The only sufferers in this run, would be us, facing the same service disruptions, similar lack of support complaints, erratic billing formats, excess call lists, the only difference this time, if you land up availing this service would be, you just can’t blame one operator and you can easily be dodged pillar to post since all these operators will be passing the monkeys on the others shoulders and you shall have to fight with many and would be able to verify none. Service ease could be perceived, as may be(JUST NOTICE THE MAY BE Factor) you would have the ease of being connected always, anywhere and at all times, but at what cost it might come to you, go himself knows. You might be the next sacrificial goat to this monstrous corporate mind-game hunger pang since all your so called income will be sucked out of your life and pockets to suffice their sadistic business principles just to see you a lot more crippled than what we all are today, being a complete slave to technology.
So the option is yours buddy. Would you want to be the 3G MAN / WOMAN? Choice is yours.