Abstract
Technology carries on creating innovative products that are lighter, smaller, and quicker. Cell phones are not exceptions. The transition from analog to digital networks has established the features presented for mobile phones. Further, the jump from 2G-3G appears to be revolutionary following the addition of other new creations or features that will enable users to experience lightening quick speeds. As of the year 2009, most of the GSM, Global System for Mobile, along with the CDMA cell phone telephones in U.S. functioned on the 2G Wireless network. The acronym 2G is an implication of second generation. Consequently, the 2G mobile phones make use of digital signals transmitted from the towers of radio transmission, contrary to the 1G mobile phone that made use of the analog signals. Even though, the 2G mobile phones encompass superior data transmission capabilities compared to the 1G mobile handset, there is a restriction on their capacities. As such, the manufacturing of cellular handsets stems from numerous configurations. They include touch and slide screen technology and clamshell techniques, with the majority connecting in certain mannerism to the internet.
General history
As already aforementioned, 2G is an acronym for second-generation wireless telephony technology. The second-generation cellular telecom network had its initial commercial inception on the standard of GSM in Finland through Radiolinja, which is presently a segment of Elisa Oyj, in the year 1991. Some of the three benefits realized from the 2G network over its predecessors included digital encryption of phone conversations encrypted, the 2G systems becoming considerably further competent on the spectrum thus consenting for far superior levels of penetration by the cellular phones, and introduction of services of data for cellular phones, commencing with the SMS text.
The introduction of the first generation network was during the 1970 period. The consideration of the systems was as cellular prior to shortening owing to the methodology of handling off between the towers. The foundation of the cellular phone signals was on the transmissions by the analog system with the 1G network appearing to be somewhat expensive and less heavy compared to the previous devices. Some of the mainly recognized standards deployed for systems of the 1G network included advanced mobile phone system (AMPS), total access communication systems (TACS), along with Nordic mobile telephone (NMT). This consequently resulted in the growth of the global cell phone market by between 30-50 percent periodically with the manifestation of the network, and the amount of subscribers universal reaching an estimated twenty-millions persons in the year 1990.
General Application
The emergence of the 2G network also created the capability of transferring and getting information, even though, the speeds were essentially sluggish initially, 9.6kb/s. This was much slower when compared to the old, screechy modems, which were usable in the previous periods of the internet. Gradually, innovations in technology have strengthened owing to the rise in the rates of information, through having the latter forms of 2G attaining speeds close to 56kb.s, thought to be fast back then. The 2G network on the GSM standards initially was usable for commercial practices during the year 1991 by Radiolinja, Finnish operator of the GSM. Besides the GSM standard or protocol, the 2G network makes use of numerous other digital protocols such as CDMA, PDC, iDEN, and TDMA.
During the early periods of 1990, there was an introduction of the 2G cellular phones deploying the GSM technology. The GSM makes use of the digital modulation in enhancing the quality of voice even though the network presents limitations to the data services. As demand resulted in the uptake of cellular phones, the carriers of 2G carried on enhancing the quality of transmission, as well as, coverage. The carriers of 2G also embarked on offering additional services including faxing, text messaging, paging, and voice mailing among many other services.
The limited services of data under the 2G network included MLS, WAP, and HSCSD. As such, there was an introduction of intermediary phases during the late period of 1990. The intermediary phase makes use of GPRS protocol or standard, which conveys packet-switched capacities to the existing networks under the GSM standard. Consequently, the intermediary consents to the users sending graphics rich in data as packets. This is because of the increase in the internet protocol, IP, or internet.
Relationship to OSI model
The relationship of 2G to the OSI model arises from the reasoning that the former depends on OSI reference model. The OSI model forms the platform for the operation of the 2G model. The OSI model is important as it forms the basis for the Message Transfer Part (MTP) and the Bearer Services (Narang p126). All these two contributes to the operation of the 2G. For instance, the Message Transfer Part functions depending on the OSI model. The Message Transfer Part (MTP) complements the transport system of the signaling messages, through acting as the main transport system. It facilitates the transmission of the signaling messages from one peer entity to another. The functioning of the MTP are in three categories, that is MTP1, MTP2 and MTP3. The MTP1 helps in the provision of functionality associated to the physical layer; MTP2 provides the functionality for the link layer; MTP3 provides the functionality needed by the link layer. Further, the bearer services also function in reference to the OSI model. The bearer services are significant in the transfer of signal from one communicating entities to another. Through the bearer services, the user is able to apply any higher layer protocol in the event of communication to other entities (Narang p25). In this manner, the model of the OSI offers a widespread set of regulations, which make it possible for the different developers and manufacturers to come up with a program or hardware, which is compatible with the 2G network system.
Physical Layer
The physical is important for the operation of 2G as it carries various different information types, which complement on the operation. This information includes the signaling information, user speech and the user data. In order to understand its operation, there is a need to understand the four categories of the functions, that is, ciphering, channel coding or decoding, interleaving, burst formatting, modulation and demodulation (Narang p62). The modulation in the physical layer occurs as the result of the carrier frequency. This allows for the generation of the different frequencies for the cell phone users. Further, the interleaving associated with the physical layer helps in lessening the consecutive impacts of the error (Moe p6). This occurs through spreading the impacts to the various sections of the transmitted message. This process allows for the application of the error mechanism. Without the interleaving process of the physical layer, the error connection mechanism would be of no importance to the spreading of the impacts related to the consecutive errors. Thereby interleavening help in preventing this from happening through the process involving the carriage of the consecutive bits in bursts, which have no association to the consecutive bits originating from the source message (Narang p63). This implies that there will be distribution of the successive bit errors in the different sections.
The channel coding in the physical layer is also important in detection and subsequent correction of the bit error associated with the presence of the bit streams. This implies that channel coding helps in reducing the BER (Bit Error Rate) (Garg p215). The channel coding always involves the manipulation of the transmitted information through the addition of redundancy. The redundancy added would help in detection of errors during the decoding process. The redundant information, during decoding, is also useful when gauging the transmitted bits that have the highest chance of occurring. The ciphering functions of the physical layer involve algorithms, which are important in allowing for encryption and decryption (Richardson p58). It involves the production of the ciphering sequence and XORing of the sequence with the intended payload that is in the transmission process. The decryption and encryption process occur at both ends.
Applications Layer
The application layer uses the existing protocols, which forms the transport layers, in order to ensure that there is connectivity between entities. This makes the layer to be important in the transfer of information from one entity to another. The application layer also forms a significant part of the operation of the 2G considering that the latter function in providing a platform for the transfer of information (Anttalainen p259). Some of the application layer functions include the Multimedia Messages (MMS) user agents (Eberspächer et al p14). The MMS contains the all the information that relates to the user. Some of the information contained in the MMs includes the subscription, configuration and the capability data. The MMs user agent (found in the application layer) allows users to compose, read and transfer the multimedia messages from and to other users.
Data Link Layer
The data link layer is essential in the operation of the 2G network as it forms the basis for the availability of services to any network layer. The 2G network would need the availability of the service in order to continue in its action. This makes the 2G network to highly depend on the data link layer. Further, the data link layer also functions in modifying the connection between the individual links and the individual hosts. The functioning of the data link layer depends on the channel partitioning which is in three divisions, that is, TDM (Time Division Multiplexing), FDM (Frequency Divission Multiplexing) and CDMA (code division Multiple Access) (St-Andrews p17). These partitioning forms the platform for the operation of the data link layer towards supporting the 2G network. The TDM function in splitting the channel into timeslots (Muller p183). This acts as the basis for the different frequency delivered by the 2G. However, the badwidth can go wastage if there is only one user. The FDM function in splitting the channel into different frequency bands thereby delivering different frequencies for various users. The badwith will also go to wastage when there are few users. The CDMA functions in assigning codes to each sender during the division of the channels (St-Andrews p17). The assigning of the codes allows the senders to transmit over a larger spectrum of frequency simultaneously. For instance, it allows makes it easy for the people speaking simultaneously but in different languages. This have always made the 2G to be an application in most cellphones.
Its future
The protocols recorded in the internet or network layers are accountable for routing and addressing data crosswise networks. They are not accountable for transmitting data inside a network as that is the duty of the data link protocol. The most recognized protocol at the level of definition of addresses format is the internet protocol. The IP address assists with routing across the globe owing to the control of its allocation by one authority in every country. As such, the initial segment of the address points out to the nation in which the holder of the address resides.
Whereas the radio signals from the 1G network are analog, the radio signals on the 2G network are digital. Both the systems though make use of the digital signals to connect to the towers of radio, which listens to the handsets, along with the rest of the cellular system. In the recent period, there has been a supersession of the 2G network by fresher technologies such as the 3G, 4G, and even 2.5G networks. The 2G networks remain operational though as in numerous parts of the globe, it is still under utilization. It would be regardless not to proclaim that the road has been a long one concerning the mobile technology. The initial cellular phones hardly maintained call connections or even conveyed text messages.
Currently, individuals stream content crosswise the spectrum of wireless network whereas cruising the internet and communicating with friends among many other persons. During the initial introduction of smart phones, there was not texting, along with undoubtedly atrocious connections.
My Opinion
The construction of the 2G networks majorly was for the voice services, as well as, the transmission of data as captured by the definition in the IMT-2000 specification document. Their consideration nonetheless by the overall public is 2.5G or 2.75G services owing to their extreme slow connection compared to the current day 3G service. As such, there has been a supersession of the 2G network by latest technologies such as the 3G and the 4G connections even though, the 2G network remains under utilization in numerous parts of the globe. The OSI model is inclusive of numerous protocols, which have the capability of spanning over numerous OSI model layers.
The superior layers of the OSI model offer the users, especially 2G network users, with the program, connection, and network management standards, which they make use of daily, frequently without even realizing it. The subordinate layers of the OSI model typically depict the hardware operations such as switches, routers, alongside hubs. They are fundamentally routers that do not encompass the programming capacity of making routing decisions. The layer of the network makes use of protocols that mostly have a connection with the internal operations of the network.
The development of data network technologies was for the 2G cellular phones. Others included enhanced rates of data and general packet radio service for the GSM carriers and the interim standard-95 for the CDMA carriers. The anticipation is that future innovations will look at building up on rapid data rates that typically offer superior speeds. The choice of network selection influences the functionality of the phone owing to the difference in features, which signify internet connection strength. As such, this paper looks to examine the various aspects of functionality and features of the 2G network ranging from its history to applicability.
Work cited
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