A brief history of Mobile

Mobile devices are no longer simple voice communication devices. They have become a medium to create
voice, music, text, video, and image communications. In addition to communication methods, mobile
devices are also a tool used to access the Internet, view television and movies, interact with GPS (Global
Positioning System), play games, and read and respond to barcode and augmented reality messages. The
functionality of mobile devices depends on their underlying network infrastructure and the capabilities of
the mobile device or handset. A mobile phone is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls
over a radio frequency carrier while the user is moving within a telephone service area. The radio
frequency link establishes a connection to the switching systems of a mobile phone operator, which
provides access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Most modern mobile telephone
services use cellular network architecture, and therefore mobile telephones are often also called cellular
telephones or cell phones. In addition to telephony, 2000s-era mobile phones support a variety of other
services, such as text messaging, MMS, email, Internet access, short-range wireless communications
(infrared, Bluetooth), business applications, gaming, and digital photography. Mobile phones which offer
these and more general computing capabilities are referred to as smart phones. The first handheld mobile
phone was demonstrated by John F Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset
weighing c. 4.4 lbs (2 kg). In 1983, the DynaTAC 8000x was the first commercially available handheld
mobile phone.

Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first publicized handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC
model on April 4, 1973. A handheld mobile radio telephone service was envisioned in the early stages of
radio engineering. In 1917, Finnish inventor Eric Tigerstedt filed a patent for a "pocket-size folding
telephone with a very thin carbon microphone". Early predecessors of cellular phones included analog
radio communications from ships and trains. The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. First commercially available
handheld cellular mobile phone, 1984. The first handheld mobile cell phone was demonstrated by
Motorola in 1973. The first commercial automated cellular network was launched in Japan by Nippon
Telegraph and Telephone in 1979.
Types of mobile phone generations

Analog Cellular Networks or “1G”

The first generation of cellular networks paved the way to the networks we know and use today. Use of
multiple cell tower sites, each connected through a network, allowed users to travel and even switch cell
towers during a call. It was a revolution built on existing, analog technology with the first being built in
Chicago in 1977.

Digital Cellular Networks or “2G”

The 1990s saw the arrival of two new, digital technologies – the European GSM (Global System for
Mobile Communications.) standard and the North American CDMA (Code-division multiple
access) standard. In addition improvements in batteries and internal components, allowed for much
smaller mobile devices.

Another advancement made possible by 2G was the introduction of SMS messaging using GSM
technology. As popularity grew, pre-paid mobile phones and plans emerged in the late 1990s and the first
download services enabled users to download ringtones.

2.5G services technologies like GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM
Evolution) provided improvements over standard 2G, they did not match the speed of existing 3G
technologies.

Mobile Broadband or “3G”

The world’s first 3G network in was introduced in October 2001. 3G transformed the mobile phone
industry and enabled widespread mobile Internet and the transmission services like TV and Radio for the
very first time and smart phone use took off.

By around 2005 3G had evolved leading many to coin the terms “3.5G” “turbo 3G” and “3G+” in reference
to HSPDA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), HSPA and HSPA+.
Native IP or “4G”

The first technology was WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) in the US but perhaps
the most successful technology has been LTE (Long-Term Evolution).

4G enables users to stream high-definition audio and videos without interruption due to its high
transmission speed. It also facilitates wireless broadband that allows the users to access the
internet without any need for fixed wired. It provides high speed at a low cost.

4G is based on the native IP networks enabling both voice and data communication ,with a circuit-
switched network.

LTE (Long-Term Evolution)

Depending on the carrier, speed ranges from 20 Mbps to 100 Mbps

5G is the 5th generation mobile network.

It is a new global wireless standard. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect
virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices. 5G is ideal
for telecommunications, internet of things (IoT) and for private networks using private 5G.

With 5G, data transmitted over wireless broadband connections can travel at multigigabit speeds,
with potential ideal peak download speeds as high as 20 gigabits per second (Gbps) and can
offer latency of below 5 milliseconds (ms) or lower, which is useful for applications that require
real-time feedback. 5G enables a sharp increase in the amount of data transmitted over wireless
systems due to more available bandwidth and advanced antenna technology.