The journey of 3rd Generation (3G) telephony which started on October 1, 2001 in Japan finally reached India last year. After an auction which got the Government of India a whopping Rs 69,000 crore, 3G services have now been commenced by some operators in few circles of the country
But what is 3G all about? Is it really worth the hype hovering around it?
Benefits of 3G on Your Phone
Users can access high-speed internet on their 3G phone. They can also watch a YouTube clip sans buffering. Downloading of PDF files, images, audio, setups etc. can become a matter of seconds. Mobile applications can also be downloaded very quickly. You can enjoy never-before features like video calling (both mobile phones should be 3G-enabled) and live TV (how about watching the India-Pakistan cracker live on hand-held device! If your phone has GPS, you can locate shopping malls, cinema halls, ATMs, restaurants, hospitals et al in minutes.
3G Fact File
- 3G was first commercially used in Japan in 2001.
- These days 3G is being used in 132 countries in the world.
- 3G is available in 32 Asian countries.
- 3G services have hit the Indian market rather late.
- According to the available data, 650 million people use 3G in the world. By 2013, 6 percent of the total 3G users would be from India.
To use 3G, the user would need to obtain a 3G or 3.5G ready phone. 3G-ready handsets come for as low as Rs 4k. 3G works on both networks - GSM and CDMA.
Video Calling
This is one of the most striking features of 3G technology. Imagine seeing your girl smile while to talk to her over the phone. The catch with this is that the other party should also have 3G services activated on his/her phone. If the other person's phone is 3G enabled but doesn't have a front camera then only s/he would be able to see you while you don't get to see him/her. Front-camera is equivalent to a webcam in your PC.
3G Does Wonders for your PC as well
3G has come to dwarf the existing broadband services. 3G enabled mobile phones can be used as modem for desktops and laptops. Some laptops and tablets with 3G SIM slot have also hit the Indian market. Many telecom operators have also rolled out 3G data sticks.
3G is a Must
How does it feel to browse internet at a speed of 128 kbps (in fact, this is what the operators claim, you actually get much less than this) in the present times? We'll answer for you. It's terrible! 3G is your best bet for accessing high-speed internet.
How does it feel to browse internet at a speed of 128 kbps (in fact, this is what the operators claim, you actually get much less than this) in the present times? We'll answer for you. It's terrible! 3G is your best bet for accessing high-speed internet.
3G and GPRS at the Same Time
3G supports the 'dual mode' in your handset while GPRS supports the 'GSM mode'. You can switch between the two via the 'Network Settings' menu in your phone. (However, we're quite sure that you'd never like to get back to that 'GPRS' once you experience the '3G experience'). Some operators may ask users to surrender their existing data plan before getting 3G activated.
We're blowing our 3G horn but overtime 4Gservices would also be available in India. And they would be yet more advanced that 3G. But till that happens, let's make the most of 3G.
