Mobile broadband evolution: from controversy to convergence

ABSTRACT

Wireless personal communication has existed for about a quarter century. In the 1980's analog FDMA served a small mostly North American base of wireless telephony users. The 1990's witnessed the start of widespread worldwide digital telephony and limited data service, categorized as 2^nd Generation, employing two conflicting technologies, TDMA and CDMA. The first decade of the new century brought full wireless data and Internet connectivity with two competing 3^rd Generation CDMA implementations: CDMA2000 and WCDMA. For the second decade beginning in 2010, early indications point to convergence upon a single 4^th Generation high speed data technology, OFDMA, generally referred to as Mobile WiMax for which a standard 802.16e has recently been adopted. After describing this historical evolution, we shall address the challenges and opportunities of both 3^rd and 4^th Generation Wireless Broadband service.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  A. General Literature
  A.0 GENERAL
      Subjects: Conference proceedings

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Wireless communication

General Terms:
Design