Third Generation (3G) mobile devices and services will transform wireless communications into
on-line, real-time connectivity. 3G wireless technology will allow an individual to have immediate
access to location-specific services that offer information on demand. The first generation of
mobile phones consisted of the analog models that emerged in the early 1980s. The second
generation of digital mobile phones appeared about ten years later along with the first digital
mobile networks. During the second generation, the mobile telecommunications industry
experienced exponential growth both in terms of subscribers as well as new types of value-added
services. Mobile phones are rapidly becoming the preferred means of personal communication,
creating the world's largest consumer electronics industry.
The rapid and efficient deployment of new wireless data and Internet services has emerged as a
critical priority for communications equipment manufacturers. Network components that enable
wireless data services are fundamental to the next-generation network infrastructure. Wireless
data services are expected to see the same explosive growth in demand that Internet services
and wireless voice services have seen in recent years.
