M-Commerce


Fourth Generation
(4G)


 By Prof T.R. Vaidyanathan

 4G (Fourth
Generation)
Fourth generation (4G) technologies are
bringing high-speed broadband devices and
services to the wireless world, erasing any
clear distinction between customers in the
home or outside the home. To be precise,
mobility and the internet are getting married.
Where 3G networks were really about the
technology, 4g networks are both a technology
and a business information. From the
technology point of view, there is strong
pressure on companies’ to demonstrate a high
return on investment and help reduce short-
term risks.
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
A 4G system may upgrade existing
communication networks and is expected to
provide a comprehensive and secure IP based
solution where facilities such as voice, data
and streamed multimedia will be provided to
users on an "Anytime, Anywhere" basis and at
much higher data rates compared to previous
generations.
4G technologies are sometimes referred to by
the acronym "MAGIC," which stands for Mobile
multimedia, Anytime/any-where, Global
mobility support, integrated wireless and
Customized personal service
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
4G is the short term for fourth-generation
cellular wireless, the stage of broadband
mobile communications that will super cede
the third generation (3G). While neither
standards bodies nor carriers have concretely
defined or agreed upon what exactly 4G will
be, it is expected that end-to-end IP and high-
quality streaming video will be among 4G's
distinguishing features. Fourth generation
networks are likely to use a combination
ofWiMAX and WiFi.
 4G (Fourth Generation)
4G will potentially reshape not just the wireless
industry, but also cable, wire line, and handset
companies, and simultaneously providing the media
and entertainment industry another avenue for
content delivery.
What is 4G
From a technology point of view, 4G represents an
Internet Protocol(or all-IP) environment for services
based on mobility and high bandwidth. As Scott
Coleman, a telecom equipment analyst with Morgan
Stanley, puts it, 4G is all IP, end-to-end, device-
agnostic application platforms where third-party
developers will be able to write to open systems. For
Coleman, when you are talking about 4G, it really
comes down to speed and availability. As 3G network
is sufficient for many of the services and activities
that we think about in an online world, such as Web
 4G (Fourth Generation)
Objectives
4G is being developed to accommodate the Qos
and rate requirements set by forthcoming
applications like wireless broadband access,
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), video chat,
mobile TV,HDTV content, Digital Video
Broadcasting (DVB), minimal services like voice
and data, and other services that utilize
bandwidth.
The 4G working group has defined the following as
objectives of the 4G wireless communication
standard:
High network capacity: more simultaneous users
per cell,
A nominal data rate of 100 Mbit/s while the client
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
User-Driven: Increased user control is the essence
of the web 2.0 world. Users have more control over
accessing, receiving, creating and sharing content.
Today’s communications environment is
characterized primarily by passive users and active
providers. Tomorrow’s environment will be one
much more oriented around user desires.
Rapid Development Times Based on Concepts
of Better Collaboration and ‘Good Enough”
solution: Part of the adaptation to Internet models
involves adopting a more collaborative
development approach, as well as a certain ‘good
enough’ attitude to the development of new
services. Developers will be pushing applications
and services to the marketplace much more rapidly
in a kind of ‘perpetual beta’ environment.
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
Flexible Revenue Models: A distinctive aspect of
the 4G environment is the flexible, adaptive pricing
models that drive the business. Providers will no
longer be locked into a particular model. With
dynamic pricing, services might be based on
subscriptions, pay-per-use or advertising. And the
model might shift from day to day, or even hour to
hour.
HEART OF 4G
The heart of the 4G experience is ultimately about
two things: First, breaking the barrier between
fixed and wireless, in-home and mobile; and,
second, putting increased control and more
choices in the hands of consumers
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
The technology aspects of the coming
transformation are profound- the move the flat IP
architectures, and the pursuit of open platforms
and open, plug-and-play devices. Yet the
transformation, as we have argued, is really about
both business and technology. The ability to adopt
more flexible revenue models will be key, as will
the ability to harness innovation through external
partnerships and to develop a factory-like
approach to the delivery of new services.
Above all, 4G requires companies to give the
‘remote control’ for next-generation; rich media
services back to the consumer. The ability to offer
customer control, not just content, will be a key to
achieving high performance in the years ahead
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
The six major characteristics of 4G
Flat IP: - The new communications environment is
all-IP or even more accurately “flat-IP”. I.e. The
architecture stresses lower-latency flat networks
that comprise fewer network nodes compared to
traditional hierarchical cellular networks.
Open: 4G application and service development will
be characterized by an open architecture model,
derived from Internet-style development.
Device Neutral: Particular handsets or mobile
devices will not be locked into specific networks.
In general, with some exceptions, any device will
be able to access any network – subject to some
band and technology platform limitations
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
Unlike 3G, which is based on two parallel
infrastructures consisting of circuit switched and
packet switched network nodes respectively, 4G
will be based on packet switching only. This will
require low-latency data transmission.
By the time that 4G is deployed, the process of
IPv4 address exhaustion is expected to be in its
final stages. Therefore, in the context of 4G, IPv6
support is essential in order to support a large
number of wireless-enabled devices. By increasing
the number of IP addresses, IPv6 removes the
need for Network Address Translation (NAT), a
method of sharing a limited number of addresses
among a larger group of devices, although NAT will
still be required to communicate with devices that
are on existing IPv4 networks.
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
At the present rates of 15-30 Mbit/s, 4G is
capable of providing users with streaming
high-definition television. At rates of
100 Mbit/s, the content of a DVD-5 (for
example a movie) can be downloaded within
about 5 minutes for offline access.
When fully implemented, 4G is expected to
enable pervasive computing, in which
simultaneous connections to multiple high-
speed networks provide seamless handoffs
throughout a geographical area. Network
operators may employ technologies such as
cognitive radio and wireless mesh networks to
ensure connectivity and efficiently distribute
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
The high speeds offered by 4G will create new
markets and opportunities for both traditional and
startup telecommunications companies. 4G
networks, when coupled with cellular phones
equipped with higher quality digital cameras and
even HD capabilities, will enable vlogs(Video
blogging, sometimes shortened to vlogging or
vidblogging is a form of blogging for which the
medium is video and is a form of Internet
television) to go mobile, as has already occurred
with text-based moblogs. New models for
colloborative citizen journalism is likely to emerge
as well in areas with 4G connectivity
 4G (Fourth
Generation)
Conclusion:
The key players in the 4G ecosystem must
rediscover customer-centricity. The ability to offer
customer what they need-or what they might
need- will be a key to achieving high performance
in the years ahead.