Implementation Of 3G Network

3G Network

    

Based on the International Telecommunications Union standards, the 3G network is the third generation of mobile networking and telecommunications. It features a wider range of services and advances network capacity over the previous 2G network and also increases the rate of information transfer known as spectral efficiency. Telephony has received a wider area and more range, while video and broadband wireless data transfers have also been positively affected. These criteria are identified as the IMT-2000 standard.

A 3G network provides for download speeds of 14.4 megabits per second and upload speeds of 5.8 megabits per second. The minimum speed for a stationary user is 2 megabits per second, while a user in a moving vehicle can expect 348 kilobits per second. This scheme is known as a layered system in which each transmission features three layers of information. The top layer is general service, the middle layer is a control data transmission, and the bottom layer is the basic connectivity information.

There is a distinct difference between WiFi®, or IEEE 802.11 technology, and this network. WiFi® is basically a short range network that offers high-bandwidth designed for data transfer.3G networks are geared towards cellular telephone technology and Internet access.

Japan and South Korea were the first countries to successfully launch this network. The Japanese company FOMA launched in May 2001 and South Korea's SK Telecom launched in January 2002. British Telecom in the United Kingdom and Monet Mobile Networks in the United States followed suit. By 2007, most countries had implemented the technology.

Security Of Network

    

Security concerns over 3G networks have been addressed, and the system uses the KASUMI block crypto encryption rather than the older A5/1 stream cipher on the 2G network. While a number of weaknesses have been identified, the system is overall secure.

Some of the challenges that continue to hinder implementation of 3G. A number of telecommunications companies found themselves in financial instability throughout 2007 and 2008, highlighted by the increased costs of both phones and communications towers. Licensing agreements also vary heavily from country to country in both expense and process, which has led to a lack of interest in building out the networks.

Implementation Of 3G Network

  

Increasing implementation rates of 3G wireless networks and their associated high-bandwidth services have done much to drive the demand for wireless network monitoring services.

Most leading Tier 1 operators in North America and Western Europe have already begun implementing these networks and many operators in Asia Pacific as well as Eastern Europe expect to follow suit in the next one to two years. The need to monitor these services will likely drive wireless network monitoring services over the next several years.

Inset is Analyst Mark Holler who is quoted below.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, World Wireless Network Monitoring Systems Market, reveals that the market earned revenues of $201.9 million in 2006 and estimates this to reach $291.7 million in 2011.

"With implementation rates of 3G wireless networks and services on the rise, the opportunities for monitoring system vendors are significant indeed," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Mark Holler. "It is imperative that network operators ensure extremely high quality of these new services in order to attract and retain new subscribers."
  

As network operators change their approach from customer-centric management to a more service-oriented one, vendors providing monitoring systems face significant challenges. Earlier systems focused on basic network monitoring and troubleshooting, however, now the demands of operators have increased. Operators expect advanced systems capable of monitoring network connectivity and services as well as their customers.

Offering these advanced services will likely heighten the complexity of monitoring and analysis. Market participants will need to understand the changing needs of network operators to design appropriate products and applications.

"Vendors need to understand the focus shift by operators and offer a range of products/solutions specific to subscriber experience and service management, as opposed to basic products/solutions for managing network elements," notes Holler. "By reflecting this changing focus in their business and structuring their marketing strategies accordingly, vendors can address the challenge posed by network operators' changing needs."
  

Focusing on quality will likely become a key competitive advantage as network operators express increasing interest in wireless network monitoring systems. Moreover, complexity in the network has increased considerably due to the convergence of multiple technologies such as voice, audio, video, and data. This has created strong demand for systems capable of monitoring across all of the various technologies incorporated in increasingly complex communication networks.

Operators greatly value the ability to implement one solution that monitors quality across the various technologies contained within the network. End-to-end network monitoring enables network operators to get a real-time view of the performance experienced by subscribers.