MAKING A CALL.. This is how the system works.......
Two people on a phone call create an end to end connection that works much like two computers sharing data. Between them, exists a network of routers and switches that use a host of protocols and services that facilitate the transaction. From a networking standpoint, a cell phone operates in a similar fashion, so we can look at a few simple scenarios that illustrate this:
- Making a call to your friend standing next to you will use the same BTS and BSC. It's not a mind game, your cell phones are directly connected like Bluetooth, but ten zillion times more expensive and complicated. Put away the phone and try speaking directly to your friend and save some money. If it's a good friend, they'll borrow some of that money at some point.
- Making a call from Montego Bay to your friend in Kingston requires the use of 2 Base Transceiver Stations and may require some routing between 2 Base Station Controllers and maybe a single MSC. Not very difficult since the cellular network has high-speed backbones built for this scenario.
- Making a call to your friend that’s not on the same cell network as you are, requires a hand off to the receiver's cellular carrier's closest Control Switch, then Base Station, and then your friend's cell. The cycle continues!
- Making a call to your friend overseas requires the combination of Local and regional Control Switches, PSTN Gateways, Intra-Regional Fiber and satellites. Let's stop there for now. TMI…..
PSTN means Public Switched Telephone Network and is a collection of the World's telephone networks and cellular networks. This encompasses the communication satellites, underground telephone lines and fiber optic cables than tangle Earth.
Protocols of Cellular Networks
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) is a 2G Digital Network suite and is the most popular cellular suite of protocols. in Jamaica, GSM networks initially used GPRS to transmit data, but has been upgraded to EDGE. so If you have EDGE on your phone, you've got data!
SMS - Short Message Service - is what allows us to send text messages. Text messaging was introduced with the GSM (2G) digital network and is the most popular use of cellular networks across the globe. In Asia, it is most popular form of communication and the Western World is in hot pursuit. In Asia, the Philippines and India, It is safe to say SMS is where cell companies really make their money.
Analog RF, TDMA, CDMA, WCDMA, UMTS, GSM, GPRS, SMS, CDPD, HSDPA, EDGE, G2, G3, G4, EV-DO, LTE, and WiMax are all technologies that drive cellular networks. These are some popular telephony acronyms that we hear of very often, as they describe a host of protocols used to transmit voice and data traffic. In recent times, data traffic has become the main focus of the cellular technologies.
DATA transmission protocols and the speeds to expect
Analog Phones (0G) - wired phones of the past that used the PSTN and provided 0 data transmission
Analog (1G) - first generation wireless service that had data rates of 5.6kb/s
GPRS (2G)- General Packet Radio Service - is a best effort service that can reach up 114 kb/s
EDGE (2.5G) - Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution - you can expect up to 1Mb/s
3G - 3rd Generation of Mobile Telecommunications - gives several Mb/s speeds
4G - 4th Generation of Mobile Telecommunications - is all IP based and gives several Gb/s speeds
In Jamaica, it is common to hear cellular networks boasting about moving to 3G and 4G. These technologies are already in use in the 1st world countries and provide them massive technological benefits. When introduced to Jamaica, can you tell what you'll do with 4G?
After all considerations, the networking involved in cellular services has taken a tremendous leap from the introduction of text messages in 1991, all the way to transferring Gigabytes of data from one cell phone to another. Pretty sexy, isn't it… I think so. The implications of this are baffling when you consider the steady technological improvements. Maybe we are fast approaching the Sci-Fi age… maybe we are already in it.
After all considerations, the networking involved in cellular services has taken a tremendous leap from the introduction of text messages in 1991, all the way to transferring Gigabytes of data from one cell phone to another. Pretty sexy, isn't it… I think so. The implications of this are baffling when you consider the steady technological improvements. Maybe we are fast approaching the Sci-Fi age… maybe we are already in it.
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