4G

ABSTRACT

1G and 2G networks supported low-bit-rate and were primarily designed for voice
communication. Third-generation networks offer multimedia transmission, global
roaming across a cellular or other single type of wireless network, and bit rates
ranging from 384 Kbps to several Mbps. Analysts expect worldwide migration to 3G
to continue through 2005, depending on market needs, carrier and operator
incentives, recovery on investments in existing 1G and 2G wireless systems, and
perceived threats to monopolistic wireless carriers in many countries.

Meanwhile, researchers and vendors are expressing a growing interest in 4G wireless

networks that support global roaming across multiple wireless and mobile networks
—for example, from a cellular network to a satellite-based network to a high-
bandwidth wireless LAN. With this feature, users will have access to different
services, increased coverage, the convenience of a single device, one bill with
reduced total access cost, and more reliable wireless access even with the failure or
loss of one or more networks. 4G networks will also feature IP interoperability for
seamless mobile Internet access and bit rates of 50 Mbps or more.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is my proud privilege to epitomize my deepest sense of gratitude and indebtedness
to my guide, Mr. Rakesh Roshan for his valuable guidance, keen and sustained
interest, intuitive ideas and persistent endeavor. His inspiring assistance, laconic
reciprocation and affectionate care enabled me to complete my work smoothly and
successfully.

I am also thankful to Mr. G.V. Kiran Kumar, Technical Seminar Coordinator for
giving his valuable time and support during the preparation of this report.

I acknowledge with immense pleasure the sustained interest, encouraging attitude and
constant inspiration rendered by Mr. Sangram Mudali, Director, NIST. His
continued drive for better quality in everything that happens at NIST and selfless
inspiration has always helped us to move ahead.

Sanjay Kumar Jha

Roll No EC200210192

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT....................................................................................iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................iv
LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................iv
1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................1
2. ARCHITECHTURE........................................................................................3
2.1 Multimode devices...............................................................................................3
2.2 Overlay network...................................................................................................4
2.3 Common access protocol.....................................................................................4
2.4 QUALITY OF SERVICE....................................................................................5
2.5 End-to-End QoS...................................................................................................5
2.6 Handoff delay.......................................................................................................6
2.7 Internet Speeds.....................................................................................................6
3. DATA TRANSMISSION IN 4G NETWORK................................................7
4. 4G PROCESSING.......................................................................................10
4.1 Receiver section ................................................................................................10
4.2 The first line of defense .....................................................................................11
4.3 Base band processing ........................................................................................13
4.4 Transmitter section ............................................................................................14
5. APPLICATION AND SERVICES.................................................................16
5.1 General Services and Applications.....................................................................17
5.2 Push, Pull, and Location-Based Services...........................................................19
6. IMPLEMENTATION.....................................................................................21
7. LIMITATIONS..............................................................................................23
8. CONCLUSION.............................................................................................24
REFERENCES................................................................................................25

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Multimode devices architecture.......................................................3

Figure 2.2: Overlay network architecture...........................................................4
Figure 2.3: Common access protocol................................................................4
Figure 5.1: Services and application...............................................................17
Figure 6.1: Technology progress in 10 years..................................................21

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1. INTRODUCTION
Cellular service providers are slowly beginning to deploy third-generation (3G)
cellular services. As access technology increases, voice, video, multimedia, and
broadband data services are becoming integrated into the same network. The hope
once envisioned for 3G as a true broadband service has all but dwindled away.

While 3G hasn't quite arrived, designers are already thinking about 4G technology.
To achieve the goals of true broadband cellular service, the systems have to make the
leap to a fourth-generation (4G) network. 4G is intended to provide high speed, high
capacity, low cost per bit, IP based services. The goal is to have data rates up to 20
Mbps. Most probable the 4G network would be a network, which is a combination of
different technologies (current cellular networks, 3G cellular network, wireless LAN,
etc.) working together using suitable interoperability protocols (for example Mobile
IP). There is standardization work on 4G already on the way. For example IEEE is
standardizing 4G cellular networks. The aim is to support up to 4 Mbit/s speeds. The
network is expected to support communications to moving vehicle up to speeds of
250 km/h. This 4G system is going to be based on OFDM modulation, CDMA and
multiple antenna technology. The aim is to bring together 4G mobile technology,
WLAN and satellite communications so that they can all work seamlessly together.

The move to 4G is complicated by attempts to standardize on a single 3G protocol.

Without a single standard on which to build, designers face significant additional
challenges. Table 1 compares some of the key parameters of 3G and 4G (4G does not
have any solid specification as of yet, so the parameters rely on general proposals). It
is clear that some standardization is in order.

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TABLE 1: Key Parameters of 3g and 4 G Systems

3G 4G
Frequency band 1.8 - 2.5 GHz 2 - 8 GHz
Bandwidth 5 - 20 MHz 5 - 20 MHz
Up to 2 Mbps (384 kbps
Data rate Up to 20 Mbps
deployed)
MC-CDMA or OFDM
Access W-CDMA
(TDMA)
Forward error
Convolution rate 1/2, 1/3 Concatenated coding scheme
correction
Switching Circuit/packet Packet
Mobile top speeds 200 km/h 200 km/h

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2. ARCHITECHTURE
One of the most challenging problems facing deployment of 4G technology is how to
access several different mobile and wireless networks. Figures below show three
possible architectures: using a multimode device, an overlay network, or a common
access protocol.

2.1 Multimode devices

Figure 2.1: Multimode devices architecture

One configuration uses a single physical terminal with multiple interfaces to access
services on different wireless networks. Early examples of this architecture include
the existing Advanced Mobile Phone System/Code Division Multiple Access dual-
function cell phone, Iridium’s dualfunction satellite-cell phone, and the emerging
Global System for Mobile telecommunications/Digital Enhanced cordless Terminal
dual-mode cordless phone. The multimode device architecture may improve call
completion and expand effective coverage area. It should also provide reliable
wireless coverage in case of network, link, or switch failure. The user, device, or
network can initiate handoff between networks. The device itself incorporates most of
the additional complexity without requiring wireless network modification or
employing interworking devices. Each network can deploy a database that keeps
track of user location, device capabilities, network conditions, and user preferences.
The handling of quality-of-service (QoS) issues remains an open research question.

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2.2 Overlay network

Figure 2.2: Overlay network architecture

In this architecture, a user accesses an overlay network consisting of several universal

access points. These UAPs in turn select a wireless network based on availability,
QoS specifications, and user defined choices. A UAP performs protocol and
frequency translation, content adaptation, and QoS negotiation-renegotiation on
behalf of users. The overlay network, rather than the user or device, performs
handoffs as the user moves from one UAP to another. A UAP stores user, network,
and device information, capabilities, and preferences. Because UAPs can keep track
of the various resources a caller uses, this architecture supports single billing and
subscription.

2.3 Common access protocol

Figure 2.3: Common access protocol

This protocol becomes viable if wireless networks can support one or two standard
access protocols. One possible solution, which will require interworking between
different networks, uses wireless asynchronous transfer mode. To implement wireless
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ATM, every wireless network must allow transmission of ATM cells with additional
headers or wireless ATM cells requiring changes in the wireless networks. One or
more types of satellite-based networks might use one protocol while one or more
terrestrial wireless networks use another protocol.

2.4 QUALITY OF SERVICE

Supporting QoS in 4G networks will be a major challenge due to varying bit rates,
channel characteristics, bandwidth allocation, fault-tolerance levels, and handoff
support among heterogeneous wireless networks. QoS support can occur at the
packet, transaction, circuit, user, and network levels.

• Packet-level QoS applies to jitter, throughput, and error rate. Network

resources such as buffer space and access protocol are likely influences.
• Transaction-level QoS describes both the time it takes to complete a transaction and
the packet loss rate. Certain transactions may be time sensitive, while others cannot
tolerate any packet loss.

• Circuit-level QoS includes call blocking for new as well as existing calls.
It depends primarily on a network’s ability to establish and maintain the end-to-end
circuit. Call routing and location management are two important circuit-level
attributes.
• User-level QoS depends on user mobility and application type. The new location
may not support the minimum QoS needed, even with adaptive applications.
In a complete wireless solution, the end-to-end communication between two users
will likely involve multiple wireless networks. Because QoS will vary across
different networks, the QoS for such users will likely be the minimum level these
networks support.

2.5 End-to-End QoS

Developers need to do much more work to address end-to-end QoS. They may need
to modify many existing QoS schemes, including admission control, dynamic
resource reservation, and QoS renegotiation to support 4G users’ diverse QoS
requirements. The overhead of implementing these QoS schemes at different levels
requires careful evaluation. A wireless network could make its current QoS
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information available to all other wireless networks in either a distributed or
centralized fashion so they can effectively use the available network resources.
Additionally, deploying a global QoS scheme may support the diverse requirements
of users with different mobility patterns. The effect of implementing a single QoS
scheme across the networks instead of relying on each network’s QoS scheme
requires study.

2.6 Handoff delay

Handoff delay poses another important QoS-related issue in 4G wireless networks.
Although likely to be smaller in intranetwork handoffs, the delay can be problematic
in internetwork handoffs because of authentication procedures that require message
exchange, multiple-database accesses, and negotiation- renegotiation due to a
significant difference between needed and available QoS. During the handoff process,
the user may experience a significant drop in QoS that will affect the performance of
both upper-layer protocols and applications. Deploying a priority-based algorithm
and using location-aware adaptive applications can reduce both handoff delay and
QoS variability. When there is a potential for considerable variation between senders’
and receivers’ device capabilities, deploying a receiver-specific filter in part of the
network close to the source can effectively reduce the amount of traffic and
processing, perhaps satisfying other users’ QoS needs.

2.7 Internet Speeds

2.5G is the interim solution for current 2G networks to have 3G functionality. 2.5G
networks are being designed such that a smooth transition (software upgrade) to 3G
can be realized. 2.5G networks currently offer true data speeds up to 28kbps. In
comparison, the theoretical speed of 3G can be up to 2 Mbps, i.e., approximately 200
times faster than previous 2G networks. This added speed and throughput would
make it possible to run applications such as streaming video clips. It is anticipated
that 4G speeds could be as high as 100 Mbps. Thus, 4G will represent another
quantum leap in mobile Internet speeds and picture quality. Ericsson confirms that 4G
could bring connection speeds of up to 50 times faster than 3G networks and could
offer three-dimensional visual experiences for the first time. The following graph
represents what has been the typical progression of wireless communications:

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3. DATA TRANSMISSION IN 4G NETWORK

To achieve a 4G standard, a new approach is needed to avoid the divisiveness we've
seen in the 3G realms. One promising underlying technology to accomplish this is
multicarrier modulation (MCM), a derivative of frequency-division multiplexing.
MCM is not a new technology; forms of multicarrier systems are currently used in
DSL modems, and digital audio/video broadcast (DAB/DVB). MCM is a baseband
process that uses parallel equal bandwidth subchannels to transmit information.
Normally implemented with Fast Fourier transform (FFT) techniques, MCM's
advantages include better performance in the intersymbol interference (ISI)
environment, and avoidance of single-frequency interferers. However, MCM
increases the peak-to-average ratio (PAVR) of the signal, and to overcome ISI a
cyclic extension or guard band must be added to the data.

Equation 1, describes peak to average adjustment - the difference of the PAVR

between MCM and a single carrier system is a function of the number of subcarriers
(N) as:

(1)
Any increase in PAVR requires an increase in the linearity of the system to reduce
distortion. Proposed approaches to reduce PAVR have consequences, however. One
such technique is clipping the signal; this results in more non-linearity. Linearization
techniques can be used, but they increase the cost of the system, and amplifier
backoff may still be required.

Cyclic extension works as follows: If N is the original length of a block, and the
channel's response is of length M, the cyclically extended symbol has a new length of
N + M - 1. The image presented by this sequence, to the convolution with the
channel, looks as if it was convolved with a periodic sequence consisting of a
repetition of the original block of N. Therefore, the new symbol of length N + M - 1
sampling periods has no ISI. The cost is an increase in energy and uncoded bits added
to the data. At the MCM receiver, only N samples are processed, and M - 1 samples
are discarded, resulting in a loss in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as shown in Equation
2.
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4G NETWORK

(2)
Two different types of MCM are likely candidates for 4G as listed in Table 1. These
include multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) and orthogonal
frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) using time division multiple access
(TDMA). Note: MC-CDMA is actually OFDM with a CDMA overlay.

Similar to single-carrier CDMA systems, the users are multiplexed with orthogonal
codes to distinguish users in MC-CDMA. However, in MC-CDMA, each user can be
allocated several codes, where the data is spread in time or frequency. Either way,
multiple users access the system simultaneously.

In OFDM with TDMA, the users are allocated time intervals to transmit and receive
data. As with 3G systems, 4G systems have to deal with issues of multiple access
interference and timing.

Differences between OFDM with TDMA and MC-CDMA can also be seen in the
types of modulation used in each subcarrier. Typically, MC-CDMA uses quadrature
phase-shift keying (QPSK), while OFDM with TDMA could use more high-level
modulations (HLM), such as, multilevel quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM)
(where M = 4 to 256). However, to optimize overall system performance, adaptive
modulation can be used; where the level of QAM for all subcarriers is chosen based
on measured parameters.

Let's consider this at the component level. The structure of a 4G transceiver is similar
to any other wideband wireless transceiver. Variances from a typical transceiver are
mainly in the base band processing. A multicarrier modulated signal appears to the
RF/IF section of the transceiver as a broadband high PAVR signal. Base stations and
mobiles are distinguished in that base stations transmit and receive/ decode more than
one mobile, while a mobile is for a single user. A mobile may be a cell phone, a
computer, or other personal communication device.

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The line between RF and base band will be closer for a 4G system. Data will be
converted from analog to digital or vice versa at high data rates to increase the
flexibility of the system. Also, typical RF components such as power amplifiers and
antennas will require sophisticated signal processing techniques to create the
capabilities needed for broadband high data rate signals.

In the transmit path inphase and quadrature (I&Q) signals are upconverted to an IF,
and then converted to RF and amplified for transmission. In the receive path the data
is taken from the antenna at RF, filtered, amplified, and downconverted for base band
processing. The transceiver provides power control, timing and synchronization, and
frequency information. When multicarrier modulation is used, frequency information
is crucial. If the data is not synchronized properly the transceiver will not be able to
decode it.

From a high level, the structure of the RF/IF portions of the mobile and base station
are similar, however, there are significant differences in their architectures and
performance requirements. Key drivers for both are performance and cost; mobiles
also need to consider power consumption and size.

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4. 4G PROCESSING

Given that 4G is based on a multicarrier technique, key base band components for the
transmitter and receiver are the FFT and its inverse (IFFT). In the transmit path the
data is generated, coded, modulated, transformed, cyclically extended, and then
passed to the RF/IF section. In the receive path the cyclic extension is removed, the
data is transformed, detected, and decoded. If the data is voice, it goes to a vocoder.
The base band subsystem will be implemented with a number of ICs, including
digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontrollers, and ASICs. Software, an important
part of the transceiver, implements the different algorithms, coding, and overall state
machine of the transceiver. The base station could have numerous DSPs. For
example, if smart antennas are used, each user needs access to a DSP to perform the
needed adjustments to the antenna beam.

4.1 Receiver section

4G will require an improved receiver section, compared to 3G, to achieve the desired
performance in data rates and reliability of communication. As shown in Equation 3,
Shannon's Theorem specifies the minimum required SNR for reliable communication:

(3)
Where C is the channel capacity (which is the data rate), and BW is the bandwidth.
For 3G, using the 2-Mbps data rate in a 5-MHz bandwidth, the SNR is only 1.2 dB. In
4G, approximately 12-dB SNR is required for a 20-Mbps data rate in a 5-MHz
bandwidth. This shows that for the increased data rates of 4G, the transceiver system
must perform significantly better than 3G.
With any receiver, the main issues for efficiency and sensitivity are noise figure, gain,
group delay, bandwidth, sensitivity, spurious rejection, and power consumption. 4G is
no exception; the sensitivity can be determined as shown in Equation 4 :

(4)

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Where KTo is the thermal noise (for this equation it is -174 dBm), BW is the receiver
bandwidth, NF is the receiver noise figure, and SNRavgMCM is the average SNR for
a MCM system needed for an expected bit error rate.

For a 4G receiver using a 5-MHz RF bandwidth, 16 QAM modulation and NF of 3

dB, the receiver sensitivity is -87 dBm. For 3G, the receiver sensitivity needs to be
-122 dBm; the difference is due to the modulation and PAVR. This illustrates the
need to reduce PAVR by clipping or coding. Also the gain is required to be linear,
and the group delay must be flat over the bandwidth of the signal.

The receiver front end provides a signal path from the antenna to the base band
processor. It consists of a bandpass filter, a low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a
downconverter. De-pending on the type of receiver there could be two
downconversions (as in a super-heterodyne receiver), where one downconversion
converts the signal to an IF. The signal is then filtered and then downconverted to or
near base band to be sampled.

The other configuration has one downconversion, as in a homodyne (zero IF or ZIF)

receiver, where the data is converted directly to baseband. The challenge in the
receiver design is to achieve the required sensitivity, intermodulation, and spurious
rejection, while operating at low power.

4.2 The first line of defense

The receiver bandpass filter is the first line of defense to eliminate unwanted
interference and noise. This filter must be able to achieve the cutoff needed for each
bandwidth. In a 4G implementation, the bandwidth could be as low as 5 MHz and as
high as 20 MHz. If the filter were to be only 5-MHz wide, it would not have the
capabilities to use the 20-MHz bandwidth. However, if the filter is 20-MHz wide and
the signal is only 5-MHz wide, the extra interference would increase the noise and
reduce sensitivity. This means that a tunable filter is needed. One option would be a
bank of filters with different bandwidths, where selection is made based on the need.
A typical LNA has a noise figure of approximately 1 dB and a gain of about 20 dB. A
trade-off is made between gain and noise to provide the best solution. The LNA sets
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the noise figure of the overall receiver, since it is one of the first components of the
receiver. Because of the high PAVR of the signal, the LNA will also have to be very
linear to minimize any extra distortion.

The downconverter section of the receiver will have to achieve good linearity and
noise figure while consuming minimal power. A measure of the linearity in the mixer
section is the spurious free dynamic range (SFDR). This is directly related to the
second and third order intermodulation products also known as IP2 and IP3.

The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is the key component that can break the new
system. System issues of the ADC concern whether or not to use undersampling, the
PAVR of the signal, the bandwidth, and the sampling rate. For a 5-MHz bandwidth
signal a typical sampling rate would be 20 MHz. If IF sampling is used, the aperture
uncertainty or jitter must be low enough to prevent errors.

The next requirement is the dynamic range. For an MCM system using the theoretical
PAVR for a 512-point IFFT, the dynamic range required would be 80 dB, which is
equal to 13 bits. This relationship is demonstrated in Equation 5, which shows
quantization noise, determined from the link budget as follows:

(5)
The desired quantization noise is determined by the average ratio of average signal
power to average noise spectrum density measured in dB (Eb/No) for the sub carriers,
the data rate (DR), and backoff (which is generally 15 dB). The constant 20 dB is
added to the end to put the quantization noise 20 dB lower than the system noise. The
number of bits can be calculated as shown in Equation 6.

(6)
In this equation, fs is the sampling rate. If the signal has interference or blocking, the
ADC requires additional bits. The required dynamic range of the ADC could increase
from 15 to 17 bits.

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4.3 Base band processing

The error correction coding of 4G has not yet been proposed, however, it is known
that 4G will provide different levels of QoS, including data rates and bit error rates. It
is likely that a form of concatenated coding will also be used, and this could be a
turbo code as used in 3G, or a combination of a block code and a convolutional code.

This increases the complexity of the base band processing in the receive section. 4G
base band signal-processing components will include ASICs, DSPs, microcontrollers,
and FPGAs. The receiver will take the data from the ADC, and then use it to detect
the proper signals. Base band processing techniques such as smart antennas and
multi-user detection will be required to reduce interference.

MCM is a base band process. The sub carriers are created using IFFT in the
transmitter, and FFT is used in the receiver to recover the data. A fast DSP is needed
for parsing and processing the data.

Different algorithms can be used to create a smart antenna; the goal is to improve the
signal by adjusting the beam pattern of the antennas. The number of DSPs needed to
implement a smart antenna depends on the type of algorithm used. The two basic
types of smart antenna are switched-beam antennas and adaptive arrays. The former
selects a beam pattern from a set of predetermined patterns, while the latter
dynamically steers narrow beams toward multiple users. Generally speaking, SA is
more likely is used in a base station than a mobile, due to size and power restriction.

Multi-user detection (MUD) is used to eliminate the multiple access interference

(MAI) present in CDMA systems. Based on the known spreading waveform for each
user, MUD determines the signal from other users and can eliminate this from the
desired signal. Mobile devices do not normally contain the spreading codes of the
other users in the cell, so MUD will likely be implemented only in base stations,
where it can improve the capacity of the reverse (mobile-to-base) link.

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4.4 Transmitter section
The purpose of the transmitter is to generate and send information. As the data rate
for 4G increases, the need for a clean signal also increases. One way to increase
capacity is to increase frequency reuse. As the cell size gets smaller to accommodate
more frequency reuse, smaller base stations are required. Smaller cell sizes need less
transmit power to reach the edge of the cell, though better system engineering is
required to reduce intra-cell interference.

One critical issue to consider is spurious noise. The regulatory agencies have
stringent requirements on the amount of unwanted noise that can be sent out of the
range of the spectrum allocated. In addition, excess noise in the system can seriously
diminish the system's capacity.

With the wider bandwidth system and high PAVR associated with 4G, it will be
difficult to achieve good performance without help of linearity techniques (for
example, predistortion of the signal to the PA). To effectively accomplish this task,
feedback between the RF and base band is required. The algorithm to perform the
feedback is done in the DSP, which is part of the base band data processing.

Power control will also be important in 4G to help achieve the desired performance;
this helps in controlling high PAVR - different services need different levels of power
due to the different rates and QoS levels required. Therefore, power control needs to
be a very tight, closed loop. Base band processing is just as critical whether dealing
with the receiver or transmitter sections. As we've seed, RF and base band work in
tandem to produce 4G signals. The base band processing of a 4G transmitter will
obviously be more complicated than in a 3G design. Let's consider the chain of
command.

The digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is an important piece of the transmit chain. It

requires a high slew rate to minimize distortion, especially with the high PAVR of the
MCM signals. Generally, data is oversampled 2.5 to 4 times; by increasing the
oversampling ratio of the DAC, the step size between samples decreases. This
minimizes distortion.

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In the baseband processing section of the transmit chain, the signal is encoded,
modulated, transformed using an IFFT, and then a cyclic extension is added.
Dynamic packet assignment or dynamic frequency selection are techniques which can
increase the capacity of the system. Feedback from the mobile is needed to
accomplish these techniques. The baseband processing will have to be fast to support
the high data rates.

Even as 3G begins to roll out, system designers and services providers are looking
forward to a true wireless broadband cellular system, or 4G. To achieve the goals of
4G, technology will need to improve significantly in order to handle the intensive
algorithms in the baseband processing and the wide bandwidth of a high PAVR
signal. Novel techniques will also have to be employed to help the system achieve the
desired capacity and throughput. High-performance signal processing will have to be
used for the antenna systems, power amplifier, and detection of the signal.

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5. APPLICATION AND SERVICES

Today’s wireless users expect great things from tomorrow’s wireless networks. As
stated earlier, these expectations have been fueled by hype about what the next
generations of wireless networks will offer. Application developers and service
providers are paying close attention to user expectations to determine what services to
develop and offer. Wireless users can be categorized into generalized segments. The
wireless industry must understand these segments and what drives each segment’s
requirements and expectations for the next generation of wireless technology. Users
can be segmented in many ways. According to a recent presentation by Lucent
Technologies at the Supercomm 2001 conference in June, Lucent is considering
segmenting users into the following categories: Gender, Age, Internet Usage, Income
Brackets, and Mobile Professional. The Gender segment refers to new female users,
versus traditional male users. These users are typically medium-income individuals.
The types of applications being developed for this segment are social and
entertainment applications such as instant messaging and chatting. The Age segment
is composed of the youth market—generally individuals 18 years old or younger.
Typically these users do not pay for their own service—their parents or guardians do.
The types of applications being developed for this segment are social and
entertainment applications such as music services. The Internet Usage segment is
composed of individuals that typically spend longer than average (i.e., more than
about 32 minutes per session1) browsing the Internet. Typical users in this segment
are technology focused. The types of applications being developed for this segment
are information applications such as personalized news services and streaming news
feeds (i.e., delivered with audio, video, text, or any combination of the three). These
users are especially difficult for providers to satisfy because they are accustomed to
the Internet model of billing (i.e., essentially unlimited usage for a small, fixed fee).
The Income Bracket user segment is composed of middle-aged, value-conscious
individuals. The types of applications being developed for this segment are
information services such as up-to-the-minute, personalized stock tickers. These users
are also generally safety oriented; therefore, regular, reliable voice and data
communications are paramount. The Mobile Professional segment refers to users who
rely on wireless devices to conduct day-to-day business. This segment includes
professionals who travel on a regular basis. These users are generally very important
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to service providers because they often spend more to obtain the services they
require. The types of applications being developed for this segment are messaging
applications such as mobile faxing, e-mailing, and instant messaging. To augment
solid applications, providers are also developing subscriber equipment to allow for
roaming on disparate, worldwide wireless networks using a single communications
device (worldwide interoperability). Like the Income Brackets segment, the Mobile
Professional bracket

Figure 5.1: Services and application

demands regular, reliable voice and data communications. Public safety interests fit
well in the Mobile Professional segment. In addition to the overall functionality
required by the Mobile Professional segment, public safety users require guaranteed
secure communications. More details regarding the impacts of next generation
applications on the public safety community are presented later in this document

5.1 General Services and Applications

For purposes of this document, services are defined as functions offered to
subscribers by providers. Applications are defined as programs, software, or features
that take advantage of (apply) the services offered by the networks. Generally, four
categories of services or applications are being developed for use in the next
generations of wireless communications. They are Localized/Personalized
Information, Communications, Organizational, and Entertainment. Although
localized/personalized information services and applications are geared to most users
across all the user segments previously mentioned, these services are more critical to
the Internet Usage, Income Brackets, and Mobile Professional segments. Localized/
personalized information services and applications will provide users with general
news, financial news, location guides, mobile commerce, and travel services. These
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services will allow the user to establish a single profile that will be associated with
the user whether in his/her home coverage area or roaming on other systems. In some
European countries (e.g., Scandinavia), there are applications that track public
transportation. This information allows users to time their arrival to mass
transportation stops with the arrival of the bus or train. This type of
localized/personalized information service is currently deployed on a limited basis in
countries with enhanced 2.5G wireless networks2. This service can be either push
based or pull-based, depending on whether the subscriber wants the mass transit
information automatically sent to the wireless device or if the subscriber wants the
mass transit information on an as-needed basis. Push and pull services are discussed
in detail later in this document. Communications services and applications involve
messaging and other means of staying connected. These services and applications are
important to all the user segments, especially the Mobile Professional segment.
Communications services include short messaging service (SMS), e-mail, video
conferencing, fax, and bulletin boards. Although some of these services are available
in today’s wireless systems, in future generations these services will be greatly
enhanced. (Speed and reliability are the most notable enhancements planned for these
services.) Organizational services include personal digital assistant (PDA)
capabilities; currency exchange based on user location, and other personal
management applications (e.g., calendars, call management, and address books).
Organizational services and applications are relevant to all the user segments but are
geared primarily to the Income Brackets and Mobile Professional user segments.
Entertainment services are viewed by service providers as having the greatest
potential for immediate return on investment. Entertainment services may include
streaming audio, streaming video, chat, photo trading, and gaming. In the Asian
wireless market, where preliminary iterations of 3G are being deployed,
entertainment services are generating substantial revenue. The user segment targeted
for entertainment services is the Age segment. Another service generating much
excitement in the industry is mobile commerce (M-Commerce). M-commerce is the
ability for subscribers to purchase items (e.g., gas, food from vending machines, etc.)
using a wireless device. For example, to purchase an item from a vending machine,
users would dial a phone number or access code associated with the item (most likely
marked on the vending machine) and the item would be dispensed. In this scheme,
the vending machine would be connected to the public switched telephone network
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(PSTN) via a modem or other gateway-type device. The wireless service provider
would pass the information to the vending company and the vending company would,
in turn, pass the information to the vending machine to instruct it to dispense the item.
The user's wireless service account would be billed for any items purchased, much
like a credit card. This type of M-commerce is currently being tested and
implemented (on a very limited basis) in select countries in Europe and Asia already
having advanced, 2.5G wireless networks. M-commerce can be considered
Information and/or an Organization type of service.

5.2 Push, Pull, and Location-Based Services

Push and pull services are services that rely on the network’s ability to locate
subscribers. In 4G, it is envisioned that networks will be able to pinpoint the exact
location of subscribers, both indoors and out. This ability will make it possible for
value-added functionality to be offered by service providers. Both push and pull
services are further enhanced by user profiles. User profiles, established and updated
by subscribers, assure that information to each user is truly customized. User profiles
contain the subscriber’s preferences (e.g., likes/dislikes, schedules, and formats) and
permissions (i.e., who is allowed to know who and where they are). The user’s profile
would reside in a database maintained by the service provider. The user profile will
be used by the serving network to push services to subscribers. For example, if a user
likes a particular type of food, the network will see the preference in the user’s profile
and will push information regarding restaurants that serve that type of food in the
general locale of the user. Similarly, the user will be able request this same
information from the network (pull) if he or she chooses not to have this information
pushed to the wireless device. The challenge with location-based services is not in the
applications but in the implementation. For location services to be of any real value,
the network must be able to determine the location of subscribers to a high degree of
accuracy—perhaps to within a few feet. Current wireless networks do not have this
capability. In today’s networks, location can be determined by looking at the serving
cells that are communicating with the user’s handset. At best, this technique can be
accurate to within a few city blocks, not nearly the accuracy needed for 4G
applications. Current plans for 4G involve using Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) to
route data packets to the handset. IPv6 has built in location tracking that will enhance
the network’s ability to pinpoint a subscriber’s location. Some have proposed
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applying global positioning system (GPS) capabilities in handsets to help locate
subscribers. GPS, however, would be helpful only to a minor extent. GPS relies on
the ability its receiver to “see” multiple satellites orbiting the Earth. If the receiver has
no access to the sky (i.e., it is indoors), no location information can be provided.
Aside from location, the network must be able to determine various other statistics.
The network must be “aware” of the users’ availability and capability. Privacy groups
have already expressed concerns regarding network awareness. It is critical that
service providers and users manage permissions closely in 4G networks.

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6. IMPLEMENTATION
As with all technology progressions, the “next” upgrades must be in planning and
development phases while its predecessors are being deployed. This statement holds
true with all mobile telecommunications to date. It seems that it will also hold true for
the next generations of wireless networks. The original analog cellular systems are
considered the first generation of mobile telephony (1G). In the early 1980s, 1G
systems were deployed. At the same time, the cellular industry began developing the
second generation of mobile telephony (2G). The difference between 1G and 2G is in
the signaling techniques used: 1G used analog signaling, 2G used digital signaling.
As experience shows, the lead-time for mobile phone systems development is about
10 years. It was not until the early to mid 1990s that 2G were deployed. Primary
thinking and concept development on 3G generally began around 1991 as 2G systems
just started to roll out. Since the general model of 10 years to develop a new mobile
system is being followed, that timeline would suggest 4G should be operational some
time around 2011. 4G would build on the second phase of 3G, when all networks are
expected to embrace Internet protocol (IP) technology. During the last year,
companies such as Ericsson, Motorola, Lucent, Nortel and Qualcomm came up with
"3G-plus" concepts that would push performance of approved, though still emerging,
standards beyond current ones.

Figure 6.1: Technology progress in 10 years

4G will be coming, of course. Just like 2G and 3G, 4G will require global telecom
standardization to approve the technical specifications and allocate the radio

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spectrum. The current understanding is that the spectrum allocation will happen at a
World Radio Conference in 2006 or 2009, with the initial standard for ‘Systems
beyond IMT2000’ being developed during the following few years to be ratified by
the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) which is the topmost governing
body to ratify all telecom standardization. The earliest that the first prototype 4G
cellular networks can be deployed would be around 2010, but more likely 2012. If
anybody suggests that they currently have 4G prototypes in use or being developed,
are just capitalizing on technology hype without being in touch with cellular telecoms
reality.

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7. LIMITATIONS
Although the concept of 4G communications shows much promise, there are still
limitations that must be addressed. One major limitation is operating area. Although
2G networks are becoming more ubiquitous, there are still many areas not served.
Rural areas and many buildings in metropolitan areas are not being served well by
existing wireless networks. This limitation of today’s networks will carry over into
future generations of wireless systems. The hype that is being created by 3G networks
is giving the general public unrealistic expectations of always on, always available,
anywhere, anytime communications. The public must realize that although high-
speed data communications will be delivered, it will not be equivalent to the wired
Internet – at least not at first. If measures are not taken now to correct perception
issues, when 3G and later 4G services are deployed, there may be a great deal of
disappointment associated with the deployment of the technology, and perceptions
could become negative. If this were to happen, neither 3G nor 4G may realize its full
potential. Another limitation is cost. The equipment required to implement a next
generation network is still very expensive. Carriers and providers have to plan
carefully to make sure that expenses are kept realistic. One technique currently being
implemented in Asian networks is a Pay-Per-Use model of services. This model will
be difficult to implement in the United States, where the public is used to a service-
for-free model (e.g., the Internet).

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8. CONCLUSION
4G networks may eventually deliver on all the promises. At times, it seems that
technological advances are being made on a daily basis. These advances will make
high-speed data/voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) networks a reality. In the
meantime, it is important for industry to develop a strong 3G offering that is palatable
for the general public. Equally as important, industry must ensure that expectations
are realistic and that services meet and exceed those expectations. If all goes
according to what the industry envisions, it may be sooner, rather than later that we
will see wireless communications evolve. This evolution will give the general public
as well as the public safety community amazing functionality from the convenience
of a single handheld device.

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REFERENCES

1) “3G and Beyond… Wireless Technologies”, presented at Supercomm 2001

2) Issues in Emerging 4G Wireless Networks Upkar Varshney and Radhika Jain,
Georgia State University
3) http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~jxie/4G/
4) http://voicendata.ciol.com/content/columns/fromcell/101010301.asp
5) http://voicendata.ciol.com/content/columns/fromcell/201010301.asp

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