Tech Window: MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

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The latest figures have revealed that Everything Everywhere (EE) – the largest mobile operator in the UK and the very first network to roll out superfast mobile broadband to its <a href="http://shop.ee.co.uk/mobile-phone-shop/" target="_blank">EE 4G smartphone</a> and tablet users in this country – managed to bring in around half a million new 4G customers in the third quarter (Q3) of 2013. <br /><br />With almost a year’s head-start on its rivals in rolling out 4G in the UK, it is perhaps no surprise that EE has more customers on its 4G network than its rivals, or that its growth is much faster. The operator now has as many as 1.2 million 4G customers, adding half a million additional subscribers in Q3 of 2013 alone. <br /><br />This swell in customer numbers is impressive, and it has led to data revenues for the company rising by as much as a quarter. EE’s post-paid contracts have also risen by 56 per cent, and major firms such as Expedia and Canon have both signed on to get superfast 4G for their staff members. <br /><br />Experts are now predicting that EE will be publicly floated or sold next year, although the operator itself has not yet commented on this. <br /><br />In addition to the good news for EE, the latest figures suggest that the operator’s customer base has dropped overall. As many as 345,000 customers have dropped its cheaper Pay As You Go (PAYG) services, which EE claims is in line with current trends in the industry. <br /><br />However, the network has also launched new PAYG plans for 4G, which could entice new customers eager to try 4G without being tied down to a contract, and it has also made <a href="http://shop.ee.co.uk/mobile-tariffs/pay-monthly/" target="_blank">4G SIM only plans on EE</a> much more affordable. In fact, analysts are predicting that EE’s new price plans are so competitive that they will put pressure on the operator’s rivals O2 and Vodafone to re-evaluate their own pricing plans for SIM-only 4G. </div>

EE 4G attracts half a million new customers in Q3

The latest figures have revealed that Everything Everywhere (EE) – the largest mobile operator in the UK and the very first network to r...

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Ever since the first generation of mobile technology, there have been competing standards for wireless data transfer which have led to confusion and conflict for consumers. Rival communication firms like Verizon and AT&T use different kinds of technology which prevents one from, for example, using a <b>Verizon phone</b> on <b>AT&Ts network</b>. In addition, this prevents the CDMA-dominated US phones from working in a largely GSM world. Yet this is changing as phones move towards the next generation of mobile technology: 4G. With almost all phone carriers choosing <b>4G </b>LTE as their preferred technology, could we be about to see a worldwide standard in telecommunications?</div>
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<b>Trying to map the evolution of mobile networking is difficult due to the plethora of confusing acronyms and tech language involved, but here is a guide to the journey that mobile networking has taken so far and to how the future may look with 4G.</b><br />
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<b>1G and 2G</b><br />
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The primary distinction between the first generation (1G) and the second generation (2G) of mobile phones is that the former worked via analogue and the latter worked digitally (allowing for the invention of text messaging and other digital data services). The way in which phones were programmed to receive 2G data however varied, as there was no industry standard at the time and different countries allowed the development of different technologies. This led to the creation of three distinct types of data transfer protocol, GSM, CDMA and TDMA (the later of which was later incorporated into GSM). <br />
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The primary difference between GSM and CDMA was the way in which they access signal. With CDMA each call on a network is given a unique code which allows all of the signals to be transmitted simultaneously whilst still reaching the correct destination. GSM however simply split the allocated spectrum based on time, so that callers in essence took turns using the network. At first, CDMA phones and networks tended to be slightly faster and because of this the technology caught on in the American market. In the rest of the world however, GSM took hold and many tech companies and inventors made use of its adaptability. In the ‘2.5’ era, several add-ons were created for GSM like GPRS and EDGE which increased the flexibility and speed of the technology.<br />
<b><br />3G</b><br />
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Third generation or 3G mobile standards were supposed to allow for increased data speed which would enable usable of mobile internet, and at first many thought this would lead to unified standards and the end of the GSM versus CDMA battle. While an industry group did meet to try and design a universal standard in 2003, they were unable to agree on a course of action. Therefore those behind GSM and CDMA standards simply developed upgraded versions of their existing technologies, prolonging the split and angering consumers. <br />
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GSM and TDMA evolved together to create the new 3G WCDMA/UMTS standard (still sometimes referred to as GSM) whilst CDMA carriers simply upgraded to CDMA 2000. Again, GSM’s ability to evolve with new 3G add-ons like HSPA allowed them to gain a technological advantage, and soon flaws in CDMA’s system (like being unable to call and transmit data at the same time) began to emerge. While CDMA was originally the ‘better’ technology during the 2nd generation, GSM’s worldwide coverage allowed it to evolve on a grander scale. While CDMA survived due to massive companies like Verizon being able to pressure manufacturers into making CDMA compatible phones, they have so far continued to be on the back foot.<br />
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<b>4G</b><br />
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The choice of 4G LTE has been been a popular one for mobile networks, meaning that for the first time mobile networks both in the US and worldwide are converging on the same standards. As both GSM and CDMA networks naturally progress to 4G LTE, disparate networks like Verizon, Sprint and AT&T will all one day be using the same standards. <br />
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That does not mean however that there will suddenly be a miraculous interchangeability between phones and networks: different networks are still using different bands  which prevents complete compatibility, and US networks will still use their separate GMS and CDMA 3G networks as back-ups for at least a decade. Hopefully though, all companies using the same technology standards for 4G will eventually put an end to the confusing acronym parade and let consumers make the best choices based on their own needs and not on the technological boundaries set by carriers.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>About the author:</b></span> <br />
<b>Ashley Williamson</b> is part-time blogger, a full-time writer and a huge technology fan. She is currently writing on behalf of <b><a href="http://www.clearwirewimax4g.com/">http://www.clearwirewimax4g.com/</a>.</b> When she is not working she likes to read and travel around the States.</blockquote>
<b>Have a visit to <a href="http://innotechive.com/" target="_blank">Innotechive</a></b></div>

The Evolution of Mobile Networking Standards: Will 4G finally allow a worldwide standard for mobile communications?

Ever since the first generation of mobile technology, there have been competing standards for wireless data transfer which have l...

+ Read more »