Cellular Radio Internet Connections

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• The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands used by Wi-Fi have limited range
• while fixed wireless internet requires a large dish antenna
• Cellular radio wireless networking facilitates communications that cover much larger distances using mobile devices
  • also used by some Internet of Things (IoT) devices
  • Cellular digital communications standards are described as belonging to a particular generation

3G

• 3G cellular radio makes a connection to the closest base station
  • area served by each base station is referred to as a cell
    • cells can have an effective range of up to 5 miles (8 km)
    • though signals can be obstructed by building materials
• 3G cellular radio typically works in:
  • the 850 and 1,900 MHz frequency bands (mostly in the Americas)
  • the 900 and 1,800 MHz bands (rest of the world)
• these lower frequency waves do not need so much power to propagate over long distances

2 Types of Competing 3G Formats

• established in different markets

1.  Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM)-based phones

   • allows subscribers to use a removable subscriber identity module (SIM) card to use an unlocked handset with their chosen network provider

2. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based handsets

   • handset is directly managed by the provider and there is no removable SIM card

• The type of data connection is represented by a code in the device’s status bar
  • G, E, and 1X represent minimal service levels, with connection speeds of 50-400 Kbps only
  • codes representing 3G services:
    • 3G
      • Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) on a GSM handset
      • or Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) on CDMA networks
    • H/H+
      • High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) provides improved data rates on GSM networks
      • HSPA+ can work at up to 42 Mbps, but real-world performance is likely to be lower

4G

• Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a series of converged 4G standards supported by both the GSM and CDMA network providers
• devices must have a SIM card issued by the network provider installed

5G

• 5G standard uses different spectrum bands from low (sub-6 GHz) to medium/high (20–60 GHz)
• Low bands have greater range and penetrating power
• high bands require close range (a few hundred feet) and cannot penetrate walls or windows
  • also referred to as millimeter wave (mmWave)
• design and rollout of 5G services is relatively complex
• Rather than a single large antenna serving a wide area wireless cell
  • 5G involves installing many smaller antennas to form an array that can take advantage of multipath and beamforming to overcome the propagation limitations of the spectrum
  • referred to as massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO)
• 4G and 5G:
  • have faster speeds for mobile device internet connections
  • can be used as a fixed-access wireless broadband solution for homes and businesses and to support IoT networks