The Benefits of 3G are Global

3G has revolutionized the landscape of wireless communications by providing mobile voice and high-speed data connectivity and accelerating the convergence of mobile communication devices with consumer electronics. Mobile devices are no longer simply phones — they are powerful and efficient tools for mobile communication, computing and gathering information.

3G offers the world more than mobile devices with digital cameras and MP3 music players. 3G enables countries and their governments to transcend the social and economic challenges they face today or may face tomorrow - providing solutions for improved education, entrepreneurship, health care, public safety and the environment. The Wireless Reach projects discussed in the preceding pages are only a sample of what is possible with 3G. What future 3G solutions and applications emerge is limited only by our imaginations.

3G: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

3G stands for third generation wireless. It is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) initiative for a single global wireless standard called International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000). This concept of a single standard evolved into a family of five 3G wireless standards; and in late 2007, a sixth 3G standard was included. Of those six, the most widely adopted are CDMA2000® and WCDMA (UMTS ).

According to the ITU, a wireless standard must meet minimum speed requirements to be considered 3G. And 3G technologies must provide high-speed Internet broadband data access comparable to a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and/or a cable modem in a mobile setting.

But why is 3G important? 3G — whether in a mobile phone, fixed wireless phone, wireless modem or data card — is important because it is an affordable way to provide voice and data access, especially in rural areas where landline access is limited or doesn’t exist. For governments, this may mean that 3G is a fundamental way of increasing their countries’ teledensity and Internet penetration rates and bridging the digital technology gap. For citizens, 3G may represent their primary way of making a phone call or how they are able to connect to the Internet and its resources. 3G is also important because it provides new avenues to address issues of public importance such as Internet connectivity, education, public safety, health care, governance and environmental conservation in a sustainable, efficient and cost effective manner.

Wireless Reach projects take advantage of the ever increasing capabilities of 3G, to provide high-quality digital communications including high-speed wireless broadband access.

Learn more about some of the exciting things possible through 3G.

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