The Generations of Wireless (2)

Analog networks still exist in most wireless network infrastructures, but are being quickly phased out by newer and more efficient digital networks. The reason that service providers must keep analog around is that the combination of unlike digital networks cannot readily communicate and interchange information directly with each other. In other words, AT&T’s Digital TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) network cannot communicate directly with Sprint’s CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network. We’ll talk about the differences between these digital networks in the next section on second generation wireless. Suffice it to say that analog cell networks were the first step to a world of mobile voice communication to be accepted by the mass-market consumer marketplace. Soon after, digital networks made their way into the hands of the consumer with the next generation of cellular technology.

Second Generation: CDMA, TDMA, and GSM

The second generation (2G) of wireless and mobile phone technology gave users the capability to send and receive data in a digital format. In technical terms, it’s a way of encoding analog information into digital data using a binary language of 0s and 1s. Digital technology offers many benefits over analog by offering better service to customers (a service operator can fit more information in a transmission), much improved clarity of sound (during voice conversations), higher security, and access to future generation features. At the same time, one of the negative aspects of second generation digital is that three distinctly different digital networks exist that don’t allow for interchangeable communication. As was mentioned previously, this is one of the reasons why analog networks still exist today. The three primary second generation digital networks are covered in the following sections.

Taken From : Enterprise Guide to Gaining Business Value from Mobile Technologies