Subject: [NEXTEL-1] The current crop of wireless technologies is an alphabet soup of acronyms and technological jargon.

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 15:03:18 -0500

The current crop of wireless technologies is an alphabet soup of acronyms and
technological jargon. To help sort out the confusion, use the chart below to
compare some of the key wireless technologies used by computers, mobile phones
and other  electronic devices.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/wireless/interactive/wireless101/index.html

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Wireless 101: The current crop of wireless technologies is an alphabet soup of acronyms and technological jargon. To help sort out the confusion, use the chart below to compare some of the key wireless technologies used by computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Purpose

Frequency

Range

Speed

Devices

Compatibility

802.11a

Wireless Internet access

5GHz

25 to 75 feet indoors; range can be affected by building materials

Up to 54Mbps

Laptop computers, PDAs, cell phones

Not compatible with 802.11b, 802.11g

802.11b (Wi-Fi)

Wireless Internet access

2.4GHz

Up to 150 feet indoors; range can be affected by building materials

Up to 11 Mbps

Laptop computers, PDAs, cell phones

Other 2.4GHz devices, like cordless phones, may disrupt connection

802.11g

Wireless Internet access

2.4GHz

Up to 150 feet indoors; range can be affected by building materials

Up to 54Mbps

Laptop computers

Other 2.4GHz devices, like cordless phones, may disrupt connection

Bluetooth

Wirelessly connect computer peripherals, such as printers, PDAs, cameras

2.4GHz

Up to 33 feet (10 meters); range can be affected by building materials

720Kbps

Printers, cameras, cell phones, PDAs, other peripherals

Other 2.4GHz devices, like cordless phones, may disrupt connection

GSM
(Global System for Mobile Communications)

Digital cellular telephone system; most-used system worldwide

900MHz, 1,800MHz, 1,900MHz

Determined by host network

Determined by host network

GSM-enabled cell phones, PDAs, pagers

Not compatible with CDMA, TDMA networks

3GSM

Third generation GSM network

1,920-1,980MHz and 2,110-2,170MHz

Determined by host network

2Mbps data rate

3GSM-enabled cell phones, PDAs, pagers

Not compatible with CDMA networks

GPRS
(General Packet Radio Service)

An interface overlaid on existing GSM networks to allow for Internet access

Determined by host network

Determined by host network

Theoretical maximum speed of 171Kbps; reality is 40-50Kbps

GPRS-enabled cellular phones and networks

Does not support CDMA networks

CDMA
(Code Division Multiple Access)

Digital telephone system used mainly by U.S. cellular networks

800MHz, 900MHz, 1,700MHz, 1,800MHz, 1,900MHz

Coverage area of host network

14.4Kbps data rate; a revised CDMA standard offers 64Kbps

Mobile phones on CDMA networks

Not compatible with GSM, TDMA networks

CDMA2000

Third generation CDMA-based network

Any existing band

Coverage area of host network

144Kbps; future speeds are estimated as high as 4.8Mbps

Mobile phones on CDMA2000 networks

Not compatible with GSM, TDMA networks

CDPD
(Cellular Digital Packet Data)

System used to transmit data over analog cellular networks

800MHz, 1,900MHz

Coverage area of host network

19.2Kbps data rate

Cellular phones, PDAs, pagers

N/A

TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access)

Digital cellular telephone systems

800MHz, 1,900MHz

Coverage area of host network

64Kbps to 120Kbps data rates

TDMA cellular phones

Not compatible with GSM, CDMA networks

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