ISP Review introduces the new 3G (UTMS) broadband wireless services

Despite its overwhelming popularity, only a small portion of owners actually understands the true power of the little device they hold in their hands. For example, even modern mobiles can act as portable modems for a Laptop or PocketPC, allowing you to access the Internet from almost anywhere in the world.

Sadly the mobile world doesn't stand still just because people don't know how to make the best use of their phones, it moves on. This article is here to serve as a brief introduction to a world of portable multimedia communications, otherwise known as the next generation of mobile phones, 3G (3rd Generation) Broadband Wireless.

Brief History Lesson

It wasn't always this way, 8 years ago mobiles were rare and even those that did exist were bulky and often weighed as much as a typical leather briefcase. Indeed it was an almost unbearably slow transmission to the tiny, trendy and ultimately well priced devices we have today.

By 1995 mobiles had just started to creep into a fledgling consumer market, although still big and carrying a hefty price tag, an increasing amount of people began to invest. Very slowly prices started to fall, then the big corporations and operators began to see the true possibilities of mobile communications.

Before long a new network was built (2G - 2nd Generation), which would allow for cheaper bandwidth, clearer digital communications and better manageability. Along with this came a little known (even today) technology called GSM (Global System for Mobiles), which would allow mobile digital communication with the Internet and data networks through the aid of specialised mobile modems and later, WAP.

At the turn of the 21st Centaury mobiles had become increasingly sophisticated, with higher clarity LCD displays, multiple communication functions (SMS etc.), Internet access, vastly cheaper calls and the elevated status of fashion.

Present Day Communications

At this point in time many of the mobiles on the market still fit the description from the paragraph above, although that's about to change with this summers (2001) introduction of the improved 2G standard, known as 2.5G or GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) in Europe and the UK.

From now on any new generation of mobile phone will be increasingly pushed into the age of Internet and data access rather than voice, which many agree has progressed as far as is required or needed. As such 2.5G is designed as a stepping stone technology between modern mobile Internet/data access and broadband (3G) access.

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