What is meant by 3G?

3G, abbreviated for third-generation mobile telephony services, is set to revolutionize mobile phone services in India and take it to the next technological level. This new technology will provide a high-speed mobile connectivity in the country.

Currently mobile phones work on 2G or 2.5G, and use 30-200 KHz bandwidth. But the future 3G phones will work in higher bandwidths of 15-20 MHz. Hence it will provide a greater capacity and efficiency than the current 2G systems. 3G will able to support high-speed broadband internet access on the mobile, interactive gaming and download movies, video clips and music along with “triple play” features like mobile TV and converged communication services like video conferencing.

Using 3G technology, you can download a 3-minute song in approximately 15 seconds compared to around 8 minutes required in existing mobile technologies. The most interesting & useful aspect of 3G wireless technology is its ability to unify existing cellular standards such as GSM, CDMA and TDMA.

While the state-run telecom companies, MTNL and BSNL have said that they will launch 3G services within six months (starting from North and East zones), private service providers may take longer.

3G will allow operators to enhance their capacities for voice traffic as well. It will be beneficial for the key operators who are facing severe 2G spectrum crunch in top 20-30 cities which is hampering their future growth. As the government has indicated that it has limited spectrum left for 2G services.

But this new technology can cost more to your pocket. You may need to upgrade your handset to switch from 2G to 3G. The starting price for a 3G-enabled handset is about Rs 6,000, compared to an entry-level phone of Rs 700.  Presently, about 15-20 per cent of the mobile phones in India are 3G-ready. Motorola currently has three 3G models priced between Rs 14,000-19,000.

However, operators have reportedly said that they will make 3G affordable in a price-sensitive market like India. According to reports, a 3G start-up package could cost users around Rs 299. This may jack up for unlimited downloading which may cost between Rs 500-1000.

Also subscribers, after switching from the normal 2G to 3G services, saw a 50 % jump in their monthly phone bills.

However, now with 3G services only six months away, mobile phone makers are reportedly ready to offer handsets for as less as Rs 3500. Chinese telecom company Huawei Technologies is said to be in talks with Indian GSM operators to introduce a 3G entry-level phone between $80-100.

On August 1, 2008, India joined the elite list of countries to announce a policy for third generation mobile service that will enable customers to enjoy voice, video, data and downloading facilities on their mobile phones.

Hence, 3G technology is ready to rock in India in the coming year. It marks the evolution in communication and mobile telephony and will provide a big change to the users.