Wireless data networks and systems

Abstract

3G Wireless converges voice and data to a broadband wireless data network to serve multimedia applications. Yet the rapidly declining price in existing 2G wireless service, the excessive fees in 3G spectrum license, and the slow-down in business growth has resulted in delay in the deployment of 3G. Bluetooth technology has been expected to grow rapidly as the low-cost solution for short-range wireless networks, but the required price drop was delayed from 2001 to 2002. The delay in long-range 3G Wireless Networks and short-range Bluetooth networks has created an opportunity for the rapid growth of the formerly expensive medium-range Wireless LAN in 2001. In 2002, the technical delays in both 3G and in Bluetooth are over. Yet, Wireless LAN has already grown, with subsequent reduction in cost. Meanwhile, operators have also used 2.5G technology to provide wireless data services.

In addition, work on 4G Wireless standards is already in progress. This tutorial provides an overview and general understanding of the prominent wireless data networks and systems: 2.5G, 3G, Wireless LAN, and Bluetooth. It discusses and compares how different technologies of wireless network communication multimedia are integrated together in the industry in the specification and design of broadband wireless networks.