Mobile communication is one of the fastest evolving technologies in the past few decades.

India is one of the largest customer bases for Telecom Companies. Thus, all the Telecom
companies compete with each other to attract customer base in India. Currently in India
majority of the customers are still using 2G Network. It is only since last two to three years
that the Telecom Companies have offered the Indian customers a choice to switch to the 3G
Telecom Network. The Telecom Network Technology has continuously transformed from 2G
to 2.5G and now to 3G. GSM network has become the defacto standard and has overtaken
CDMA. All Telecom companies have moved to GSM Technology for business survival.

Our country today feels vulnerable with this public utility which has a potential to disrupt the
country’s well-being by misuse and abuse of mobile networks. The Telecom Companies in
India providing 3G Services shall also bring upon their focus upon 3G GSM Network
Security.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of 3G?

Advantages of 3G:

 Overcrowding is relieved in existing systems with radio spectrum

 Bandwidth, security and reliability are more
 Provides interoperability among service providers
 Availability of fixed and variable rates
 Support to devices with backward compatibility with existing networks
 Always online devices – 3G uses IP connectivity which is packet based
 Rich multimedia services are available

Disadvantages of 3G:

 The cost of cellular infrastructure , upgrading base stations is very high

 Roaming and data/voice work together has not yet been implemented
 Power consumption is high
 As the WCDMA based 3G, as the data speed increases the coverage area of the cell become smaller and smaller.
 Using WCDMA cells, with increase in data rate, the speed of movement of user terminal also become lesser and lesser.
 Requires closer base stations and are expensive to implement.
 Spectrum-license costs, network deployment costs and handset subsidies subscribers are tremendous.

Characteristics of 3G

 High Quality Voice Service: The quality of voice-falls under 3G will be much higher compared to 2G services.
 Enhanced content Service: 3G users can download full music files, full movie files and other files at high speed.
 Mobile Broadband: 3G user can use his handset for high speed internet any time anywhere (where connectivity is available).
 Video Services: 3G user can enjoy the video call facility where in both the caller and receiver will be able to see each other while
speaking if both have 3G services and 3G enabled handsets.
 Mobile TV: 3G users can watch TV programmes of different video channels as per his liking while on the movie.

APPLICATIONS OF 3G
The bandwidth and location information available to 3G devices gives rise to applications not previously available to mobile
phone users. Some applications are
 Mobile TV.
 Video on demand.
 Video calling.
 Location-based services.
  Global Roaming.

PSTN vs. VoIP Networks

The GSM signalling Terminology:

• GSM uses SS7 signalling for call control, mobility management, short messages and value-added services

• MTP1-3: Message Transfer Part

• SCCP: Signalling Connection Control Part

• TCAP: Transaction Capabilities Application Part

• MAP: Mobile Application Part

• BSSAP: Base Station Subsystem Application Part

• INAP: Intelligent Network Application Part

• CAMEL: Customized Application for Mobile Enhanced Logic