Knowing how mobile networks work is not something usual unless you are a lover of telecommunications. Usually, we learn how to use a phone and make calls, send messages and connect to our social profiles.
However, for that to be possible, there is an arduous communication work behind which includes, of course, a mobile network, which is the channel through which all the information you exchange with the world passes.
We will see today precisely what mobile networks are, how they work, what they are for and which ones exist, with their corresponding differentiating characteristics.
What are mobile data networks and what are they for?
A mobile data network is the system that is required for communication to take place between a central unit and the devices that connect to it. (in this case, mobile phones) and also between exchanges.
This is made up of visible and non-visible elements: antennas, radio waves, transmitters and receivers (found in communication towers or base stations), traffic-generating devices, a network core, andof course, mobile devices with which we communicate, which are the points at which the information is opened, expanded or interpreted, reaching the final recipient (the user).
Each network works on a geographical area, which is normally delimited by a grid with cells.. In these the stations are placed; this is usually done either at the vertex between several cells or in the center of each one of them. This is decided based on the conditions of the place (physically) and the number of phones that will use the network.
How does a mobile data network really work?
We will start by stating that the network by itself is not capable of fulfilling its function to the user. In addition to this, it is necessary to find switching telephone exchanges to connect to, and that are between the mobile network system and our telephone.
That being said, it should be noted that communication between phones is made possible by sending and receiving radio signals, which have low power. So that they can travel to nearby points, exchange with signals from nearby antennas (which are connected to radio transmitters and receivers and which, in turn, are also connected to the other telephone networks), thus being able to “bounce” to move as far as necessary, carrying the message both on the same network as a different one that the recipient of the message is using.
When we call from a mobile phone, it begins by studying the coverage in the area where it is located to check if there is sufficient force to meet the needs of the call.
In the event that adequate coverage is available, there is a connection with the nearest telephone station, which is the one that truly establishes the call and provides support to maintain it until one of the two parties in the conversation hangs up or until there is no longer sufficient coverage at that base station.
Of course, the concept has developed a lot, coming into play , MMS, video calls and, of course, from mobile devices. This has meant that, obviously, the needs are different and that the networks have had to be modified according to them.
What types of mobile networks are there and what do the connection symbols mean?
Advances in telephony and communication in general have allowed us, over the decades, to use (and have used) several different mobile networks. These are the main ones:
GSM or 2G
The acronym originally stood for Group Special Mobile and actually, Global System for Mobile Communication. It has also been known as the 2G network for being the second generation. Its about first fully digital mobile phone system. It was with this network that the use of these devices became accessible to everyone.
It offers very good results in voice communication but is not suitable for working with data, since the speed handled between the network and the device was, in the first instance, 900 bits per second. This is possible but done very slowly and never in combination with voice calls.
It uses the frequency bands GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900. Although there are currently many others that we will see below, all phones continue to have compatibility with at least one of these bands so that the user can use the 2G network at times when nothing more elaborate is required.
GPRS
is the acronym for General Packet Radio System. This network is the 2.5G network. It was created to solve the problem of sending non-switched network-telephone dataachieving a speed of 56,000 to 144,000 bits per second (from network to mobile, conversely the 9,600 were maintained).
This is ideal because when we connect to the Internet, it is usual to receive much more data than we send, so maintaining a low speed in the telephone-network direction is appropriate so as not to consume more battery than necessary. His system consists of use of various spaces that remain unused when we do not use the voicewhich multiplies the speed.
EDGE
The name means Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution. It is the unknown 2.75G network. It is a version of the previous one that what it does is increase the speed as we get closer to the antenna. We come up with a modulation of data that differs to achieve this.
UMTS or 3G
Although we know it as 3Gits name is UMTS, from Universal Mobile Telecommunication System. For society it represents an absolute change: video calls are allowed and the data connection is given at 384000 bits per second.
The performance in terms of coverage prioritize nearby devices, which begin to receive the bulk of the antenna’s resources, leaving the distant ones destitute. Therefore, many more antennas (3-1) are necessary to offer the same coverage. As is evident, speed requires power and this, battery consumption, the main reason why we still find users who use only 2G.
HSPA
This network is the High Speed Packet Access, known as 3.5G. It stands out for even exceeding the speed of many ADSL services, counting on up to 14.4 MBit/s central-device.
Later, we find that there are two variants of this, which are HSDPA and HSUPAwhich will improve the speed in this direction in reverse respectively, reaching 2 MBit/s in the case of the latter.
HSPA+
This is the evolution of the HSPA network and, in short, what it offers is an increase up to 88 Mbps in the direction from the central to the device and 22 Mbps in the opposite direction. Therefore, it would be the 3.75G network.
LTE or 4G
Abbreviating the term Long Term Evolution Y known as 4GBecause it is considered the fourth generation network, we have the LTE network. Works with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing technology (OFDM) and stands out for solving the problem that occurred with 3G coverage in distant points. With it the coverage remains constantwhether there is a lot or a little.
It is quite advanced and we find it in a number of devices, although we have to say that no operator is yet certain that taking the step towards the 4G network by eliminating the others is appropriate, so that any current phone, has the operator that you have, it will allow you to connect to it but also disable its connection to enjoy the benefits of 2G in the cases in which it is more convenient.
Even so, we already have two options of this standard: LTE FDD and LTE TDD. There are bands reserved for one and the other and each operator works with the most convenient license, although we have no problem, since our phones support both. In the first case we find a given communication on two different frequencies that are within the same band. In the second, we find that communication in both directions uses a single frequency.
LTE Advanced is a technology that includes MIMOan effective tool that allows the use of both multiple bands and up to four antennasconstituting what we know as Carrier Aggregation, which would be a functionality that allows us to receive information at 3 GBps and send it at 1.5 GBps.
LTE Advanced Pro (or 4.5G) goes one step further by exceed the speed of fixed FFTH networks, which is achieved thanks to the improvement and subsequent use of up to four technologies. But, the most characteristic of this network is the use of the 5GHz Wi-Fi band.
IMT-2020 or 5G
the 5Gwhich is often confused with the WiFi band we just discussed, is practically a reality, ready to catch up with us in 2020 (hence its name).
Their trivial capacity will be 100 Mbps and it is intended to even reach 10 Gbps depending on the circumstances. Its latency will be 1 mssince a high-capacity channeling element will be required to allow so much information to move, including data transmission and voice calls over VoLTE.
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