Evolution of Mobile Wireless Communication Networks: 1G to 4G

Abstract

Mobile communications systems revolutionized the way people communicate, joining together communications and mobility. A long way in a remarkably short time has been achieved in the history of wireless. Evolution of wireless access technologies is about to reach its fourth generation (4G). Looking past, wireless access technologies have followed different evolutionary paths aimed at unified target: performance and efficiency in high mobile environment. The first generation (1G) has fulfilled the basic mobile voice, while the second generation (2G) has introduced capacity and coverage. This is followed by the third generation (3G), which has quest for data at higher speeds to open the gates for truly “mobile broadband” experience, which will be further realized by the fourth generation (4G). The Fourth generation (4G) will provide access to wide range of telecommunication services, including advanced mobile services, supported by mobile and fixed networks, which are increasingly packet based, along with a support for low to high mobility applications and wide range of data rates, in accordance with service demands in multiuser environment. This paper provides a high level overview of the evolution of Mobile Wireless Communication Networks from 1G to 4G.