3G (third-generation)

Third generation wireless employing wideband frequency carriers and a CDMA air interface. Networks must be able to transmit wireless data at 144 kilobits per second at mobile user speeds. (Cingular)

3G is a global development of communication standards and technologies. This development will lead to the ability to access multimedia services with your mobile phone. (Nokia)

3G (or 3-G) is short for third-generation technology. It is usually used in the context of cell phones. The services associated with 3G provide the ability to transfer both voice data (a telephone call) and non-voice data (such as downloading information, exchanging email, and instant messaging).

In marketing 3G services, video telephony has often been used as the flag-ship killer application for 3G. A certain euphoria was created, which led to huge spectrum-licensing fees in many countries, especially in Europe, where spectrum auctions generated many billions of euros for the respective countries. Since these spectrum licensing fees were collected many years before any income could be expected from 3G business, and since enormous investments are necessary to build the 3G networks, many telecommunication operators got into great financial difficulties, which greatly delayed 3G roll-out in all countries except Japan and South Korea, where such spectrum licensing fees were avoided since priority was set on national IT infrastructure development.

The first country which introduced 3G on a large commercial scale was Japan. In 2005 about 40% of subscribers use 3G networks only, and 2G is on the way out in Japan. It is expected that during 2006 the transition from 2G to 3G will be largely completed in Japan, and upgrades to the next 3.5G stage with 3 Mbit/s data rates is underway.

The successful 3G introduction in Japan shows that video telephony is not a killer application for 3G networks after all. Actually, the real-life usage of video telephony on 3G networks is only a very very small fraction of all services. On the other hand, downloading of music finds very strong demand by customers. Music downloads were pioneered by KDDI with the EZchakuuta and the Chaku Uta Full services.

Next generation (3G) wireless networks are not IEEE 802.11 networks. Rather, they are networks dedicated to personal devices, including PDAs and cellular telephones.

(Wikipedia)