As VoIP traverses the path to mainstream, new developments in
Internet technology continue to impact the growth of broadband
telephony. One such new technology that is expected to sustain, if not
help, VoIP to gain a wider acceptance is the fourth generation (4G) in
cellular wireless technology, which succeeds the 3G systems currently in use. The competing 4G technologies are expected to provide secure
broadband connectivity with giga-bit speeds that are perfect for
demanding applications that require high-bandwidth and top-speeds, such
as online gaming, multimedia streaming and IP-telephony.Some mobile carriers have rolled out the infrastructure and equipment necessary to deploy the new technology, such as the 4G system implemented by TeliaSonera in Stockholm and Oslo in Scandinavia. Moreover, the market release of the first ever 4G mobile phone - the HTC EVO 4G - this year signals the beginning of a new era in mobile connectivity.
Competing 4G technologies
The most striking aspects that define 4G technology are the high-throughput requirement (up to 1 Gbit/s); the ditching of the CDMA radio technology used in 3G systems in favor of multi-carrier transmission using frequency-domain equalization schemes; and the use of multiple intelligent antennas for transceivers. Although there are quite a number of implementations proposed for 4G, two candidates have so far succeeded in attracting the most number of investors and adherents: WiMax and LTE.
WiMax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, a telecommunications protocol that delivers 'last-mile' wireless broadband access. The current version of WiMax (802.16e) offers up to 40 Mbit/s, still way below the 4G standard, but the imminent IEEE 802.16m revision is expected to ramp up the speed to up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed connections.
LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, a standard that improves on the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) that was part of the 2008 revision of the 3G systems. The first release of LTE also falls short of the 4G standard on throughput - and for this reason the release was called 3.9G. The two largest mobile carriers in the US - Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility- have announced that they will convert their existing systems into LTE beginning 2011.
VoIP and 4G
One or both of the competing 4G protocols are expected to provide all-IP networks with high-bandwidth and low-latency. The 4G standards are expected to integrate voice services on top of the data stream, to give voice calls made via cellular or VoIP connections unmatched clarity and quality.
WiMax is a form of wireless Ethernet like WiFi, but the former offers more in terms of reach (WiMax signals can cover several kilometres), sustained throughput and quality of service. However, Wimax runs on the licensed radio spectrum unlike WiFi which is on the unlicensed and unregulated bands. LTE, on the other hand, is more similar to mobile cellular systems but it does offer mobile broadband capability that is useful for packet transmissions.
Both these technologies would be great for mobile VoIP calls, although it remains to be seen if the cost per call in either system will be reasonable compared to current costs of cellular calls.
Saiju George is an IP Communications and business software expert. He enjoys promoting great mobile VoIP applications that integrate well with hosted VoIP pbx solutions.
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