An Intensive Survey of 3G Mobile Phone Technologies and Applications in Japan

In this paper, we review current innovative technologies and applications of 3G mobile phones in Japan. Mobile phones are the backbone of mobile communications and have experienced explosive growth. Mobile phones have matured across three generations, based on the communication system between mobile terminals and base stations. 3G mobiles provide a next-generation mobile phone service that aims to offer high-speed data communication using high transmission efficiency in higher frequency bands. This offers a groundbreaking way to use mobile phones. Mobile phone service became ubiquitously available throughout Japan as 3G mobile phones offer major advantages for interactive video traffic. Applications of mobile phones have become diversified and driven by many services, including music distribution, GPS autoroute guidance, electronic money, stock transactions, digital interactive TV, and telemedicine. The proportion of 3G mobile phones overtook that of 2G mobile phones at the end of March 2006.