Millions of consumers in the UK are now
used to connecting to the internet whilst on the move via their mobile
phones. While the fastest way to do this is typically 4G, in most cases
consumers are still using 3G. So what is 3G, and how does it work?
What is 3G? explained in simple terms.
3G actually stands for “third
generation”, as it is the third type of access technology that has been
made widely commercially available for connecting mobile phones.
The first generation of mobile
phones was launched in the 1980s, and transmitted across an analogue
signal; these phones were large, brick-like devices that were often kept
in a vehicle as they were impractical and inconvenient to carry
around.
They were supplanted by the second
generation in the 1990s, which now used a more reliable digital signal,
and enabled the use of text messaging, or SMS (Short Message
Service). However, the technology was still not robust or fast enough
to deal with the thousands, and then millions, of consumers who wanted
to use mobile phones; the signal could not carry enough data
simultaneously, and there were many areas the signal did not cover.
There was also a rapidly growing demand for transmitting data – using
email and accessing the internet – across mobiles, which 2G was just not
fast or reliable enough to manage. An intermediate technology –
sometimes called EDGE or 2.5G – came next, but the technology rapidly
moved on towards proper 3G.
The development of 3G services in the early years of the 21st century
was a major step forward both in terms of reliability and UK coverage
for voice calls and text messaging, as well as providing far more rapid
access to the internet due to its capability of carrying larger amounts
of data.
In theory, the service allows download
speeds of up to 7.2Mbps, giving users the capacity to download an amount
of data equal to a song per minute – however, in reality, actual
experienced speeds somewhat less than this, with the average download
speed coming in at around 3Mbps. The introduction of widespread 3G led
to the adoption of the term “mobile broadband”,
as this was the first time it became a realistic option to use the
internet whilst on the move; for example, on a train or as a passenger
in a car.
The 3G services work using a “cellular”
based technology; the signals are passed from phone tower to phone
tower, and then the tower nearest the phone passes the signal to it.
This is why there has been a rapid growth in the number of phone towers
in the UK; these towers ensure that a widespread strong and reliable
signal is available. It also means there can be dips in service as you
move around, as the signal switches from tower to tower and as you move
too far from a tower.
What is 3G? - The technolgy explained
In the UK, 3G services were launched commercially in 2003 through Hutchinson 3G, now known as Three.
Now, all of the mobile network operators in the UK offer 3G services,
and all major mobile phone manufacturers offer 3G phones that can access
these services; many can be found in the 3 store online. In fact just about every smart phone and most feature phones support 3G.
Normally, when a consumer buys a mobile
phone – be it on pay as you go arrangement or on a monthly contract –
they will find that their phone already has the capability to receive 3G
signals built in. Depending on the payment plan, the consumer should
then be able to browse the web from their phone easily. Some plans will
only allow a fairly limited amount of internet access, in order to keep
costs down, while other plans will be far more generous, allowing for
potentially unlimited data.
It is also possible to use mobile
broadband through 3G on other devices, such as laptop computers, by
using a small pencil-sized device known as a dongle, which simply slots
into one of the USB ports on the side of the PC to give access on the
move. These can also be bought on a monthly or pay as you go basis from
all operators, including the 3 store.
Whilst 3G is quite effective when it
comes to giving users mobile access to the internet, and is a vast
improvement over the previous 2G technology, it is still far from
perfect. Download speeds can sometimes be slower than expected with the
signal strength very variable depending on your device, whether you’re
inside or outside and how far from a tower you are.
Coverage across the UK is also still not
100%, so it is not uncommon to have coverage fade in and out as you
move around, though that tends to only happen in rural areas these days.
However, the technology continues to
develop rapidly, with phone operators continuing to provide phones with
faster processors, and mobile operators also upgrading their networks.
Something known as High Speed Packet
Access (HSPA – also sometimes termed 3.5G) has also helped to improve
network speeds. Three’s ‘Ultrafast’ service is an example of this and
offers theoretical download speeds of up to 42Mbps, while real world
speeds tend to be around 6Mbps, which is still around twice as fast as
standard 3G. We’ve also now seen mobile networks roll out 4G, which is
the fourth generation or mobile technology and is faster still.
If you leave mobile data turned on then
your smartphone will use it automatically. Load the browser and it will
connect over 3G (or 4G if available), while apps will rely on a mobile
data connection to sync and push content to you, even when you’re not
actively using them.
Although smartphones rely on mobile data
access it is advisable to turn off the 3G access on your handset when
you are not using it, as the service can drain the battery quickly. If a
Wi-Fi connection is available you should always use that in preference,
as it is likely to be both faster and less harsh on your phones
battery.
In most cases turning 3G on or off can
be easily done under the settings options in your phone or even faster
from for example the pull down notifications screen on Android.
It is also advisable to turn off
something called “roaming” when you travel abroad; this prevents your
phone from connecting to 3G services in other countries and downloading
data there, something which may not be covered by your contract and
could end up costing you a great deal of money. When travelling abroad,
it is always worth checking what is and is not covered.
4G and beyond
While 3G is still widely used by people
in the UK it is no longer the fastest or newest method of carrying
mobile data as it’s been superseded by 4G. This was first rolled out
around two years ago by EE and now all of the major UK networks offer it
to some extent. 4G is typically around five times faster than 3G,
however coverage is still relatively limited, some networks charge a
premium for it and not all phones support it, though most recent
smartphones do.
So whether you’re not on a 4G contract,
not in a 4G signal area or not using a phone which supports 4G you’ll be
relying on 3G at least some of the time. But within the next few years
it’s expected that 4G will reach the majority of the UK and at that
point 3G could become a rarely used technology.
Looking even further ahead it’s expected
that we’ll see 5G begin to rollout in around 2020 and this is likely to
offer an even bigger jump in speed
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