Wireless technology has perhaps been one of the most important and significant of the human inventions. In most simple and lucid terms, Wireless Technology refers to technology that relies on waves like radio waves, electromagnetic waves, Infrared waves etc. rather than the conventional and traditional wires. Thus it is a broad terms that refers to all communication techniques or processes sans wires. Having evolved over the years, Wireless Technologies today impact humans a great deal. They form an imperative part of the lives of the people across the globe.
Wireless Technologies have evolved over the years, but they have flourished and prospered in last two decades due to extensive research and innovation. The history of Wireless Technologies is a long drawn one. Though, the original history stretches back to almost two centuries, but the actual work on wireless technologies, as they are known in their present form, started around six decades back. It was with the invention of transistor by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley in 1947 that the wireless age really kicked off. It was the same year that the concept of cellular technology was talked about for the first time. The years between 1947 and 1983 saw many innovations and changes to policies regarding wireless technologies before the first cellular phone came into existence. DynaTAC mobile telephone unit by Motorola changed how the world looked at the field of wireless communication, the main utility of wireless technologies. The world hasn’t looked back since and some drastic innovations have been carried out in the branch of wireless technologies in recent years making it indispensable to human lives.
There are different types and forms of Wireless Technologies. “Eighteen major types of wireless technologies exist today, containing a large number of subset technologies that range from ATM-protocol based, to wireless local-area network” (CISCO 2011). The process through which radio waves are propagated and amount of data carried are primarily the two ways used to differentiate between different wireless technologies. The three most vital and important factors, which are used to differentiate between different technologies, are:
Protocol: The two most commonly used protocols for wireless technologies are ATM or IP and hence these technologies are distinguished based on the protocol they use.
Connection Type: Connection type is an important factor when it comes to wireless technologies. There are two types of connections known in context of wireless technologies i.e. Point-to-Point and multipoint connections. Different wireless technologies are based on one of these connection types, primarily according to their ultimate use.
Spectrum: Spectrum is perhaps the most vital aspect when it comes to wireless technologies. There are two types of spectrums available. While some technologies use licensed spectrum, others rely on unlicensed spectrum. Cellular technology is an important example of a wireless technology that uses licensed spectrum.
Some of the most important and valuable of these wireless technologies are as discussed below:
Cellular Technology: Cellular Technology is one of the most popular and important of the wireless technologies on offer. It is also popularly known as Mobile technology. Cellular technology uses radio waves for its operation. The technology ha boomed in the recent years. It uses licensed wireless waves. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) is the most widely used of the cellular wireless technologies. GSM network works in the frequency spectrum of GSM 850Mhz and 1900 Mhz. GSM as a technology has evolved in stages. “While the first-generation GSM mobile technology had only voice facility, the second generation provided fax, data and messaging services in addition. The third generation (3G) added features like multimedia facilities and higher data access speed while the even advanced fourth generation has exceptionally good bandwidth and data access speeds and many additional features” (Ashiho 2003). The advancements in the field of cellular technology have been carried out at a mind boggling and incredible speed over the years. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) is another mobile or cellular technology that is much more recent as compared to GSM technology. CDMA, though not as popular and common as GSM, offers better voice quality and increased security and most importantly it optimally uses the available spectrum and hence has gained good acceptance in limited years of its existence.
Bluetooth: It is perhaps one of the latest wireless technologies available in the market and signifies the rise of wireless technologies sector. ‘It is a telecommunications specification that describes how mobile phones, computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) can be easily and effectively connected using a short-range wireless connection’ (SearchMobileComputing 2013). This technology allows transfer of data between two or more Bluetooth enabled devices over a distance ranging between 30 and 50 feet, though some powerful devices allow up to 100 feet. It is one of the multiplepoint connection wireless technologies, which is capable of maintaining a wireless network with up to 8 devices at a time. Reception and transmittance of data or information occurs in the unused or vacant frequency bands of 2.45 GHz. Thus Bluetooth technology is an example of wireless technology that uses unlicensed spectrum for its working or operation. It uses radio waves for maintaining and establishing connections. “All manufacturers that want to include this feature have to incorporate specific requirements into their electronic devices” (US-CERT 2013). Extensively used and known as the last inch connecting technology it is capable of transferring data at up to 3 Mbps speed (Bluetooth 2.0).
Wi-Fi: It has been one of the groundbreaking inventions in the field of wireless communication and is indeed the most popular wireless technology after cellular technology. “It is primarily associated to computer networking that uses IEEE 802.11 specification to create wireless local-area network that may be secure, such as an office network, or public, such as coffee shop” (Cox 2013). It is a half-duplex wireless technology that enables only one-sided data transfer or communication at a time and operates in 2.45 GHz frequency band. It is again an unlicensed spectrum using wireless technology, which has in last few years become a household name. It can support maximum data rates of up to 54 Mbps and can transmit up to 300-500 feet with antennas and between 100 and 150 feet with routers. Wi-Fi is fast and robust as a wireless technology and supports a wide range of products, a feature that is behind its immense and intense popularity.
WiMAX: It is one more of the pioneer wireless technology that has evolved and come up in last decade or so. As a wireless technology it is well capable of providing a range of over 30 miles to broadband users. The technology is based on IEEE 802.16 standard and is a telecommunication protocol offering full access to mobile Internet across cities and countries with a wide range of devices. The technology is based on Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) technology and has been fast gaining significance as a potent and important alternative to traditional DSL and wired broadband connections. “WiMAX provides two different forms of wireless services i.e. Non-Line-of Sight and Line-of-Sight with both these services serving different purposes and aims. While the former uses frequencies in the range of 2 and 11 GHz, the latter uses bigger antennas and frequencies of up to 66 GHz” (tutorialspoint 2013). It is capable of providing connectivity over very large area as compared to other wireless technologies like W-Fi. It can also provide exceptionally good data rates, which could go up to a whopping 74 Mbps under a 20 MHz spectrum. As a very latest entrant into the world of Wireless Technologies, WiMAX is yet to establish itself; though looking at the benefits it offers it is just a matter of time before it becomes as popular as other wireless technologies.
Wireless Technologies have off late percolated almost every phase and part of human lives. They are almost everywhere and offer distinct, disparate and unique advantages. In last 5-10 years, wireless technologies have seen huge technological advancements and have taken giant leaps to establish themselves and they have mostly succeeded. They offer freedom from wires, high data rates, mobility and robustness and are indeed much more accessible compared to any other conventional technology. The experts predict that wireless technologies are to see much more advancement in near future. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that wireless technologies have changed our lives in a big way and for the better.
References
Ashiho, L.S. ” Mobile Technology: Evolution from 1G to 4G”
Electronics For You. 28 April 2013. Web. 2003,
< http://www.electronicsforu.com/EFYLinux/efyhome/cover/jun2003/Mobile-tech.pdf>
CISCO. ” Wireless technologies”
CISCO. 28 April 2013. Web. 2011, Chapter 20
< http://users.freenet.am/~file/DownDB/CISCO_PDF/Wireless_CISCO.pdf>
US-CERT. ” Understanding Bluetooth Technology”
United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team. 28 April 2013. Web. 2003,
< http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST05-015>
Cox, Michael. ” A Description of Four different types of Wireless Technologies”
Radio Shack. 28 April 2013. Web. 2013,
< http://techchannel.radioshack.com/description-four-different-types-wireless-technologies-2190.html>
SearchMobileComputing. “Bluetooth Tutorial”.
TechTarget, April 28, 2013, Web. 2013
Tutorialspoint . “WiMax- Salient Features”.
Tutorialspoint, April 25, 2013, Web. 2013
