Abstract :
Third generation cellular (3G) will permit us to access many current wire-line type services from anywhere, at any time, from one wireless terminal. The coming third-generation (3G) cellular technology is set to move well beyond the primarily voice-oriented devices in use at present. It will also combine high-speed data access with Internet protocol (IP)-based services. With a data delivery capability at a maximum rate of 2 Mbits/s, 3G systems will open the door to true Internet access and enable the delivery of video and other data along with voice over wireless links. 3G mobile handsets will be packed with a wide variety of digital, analog, and RF circuitry into a compact footprint and with a large display. However, portable products are getting ever smaller. Phones weighing less than 100 grams and less than 100 cm3 in size are becoming the norm. The challenge for cellular phone manufacturers and IC designers is thus to find a way to squeeze in the additional computing functionality needed to bring a bevy of new functions to users as promised by 3G, while keeping in mind the need to drive power consumption to new lows and keeping the form factor at least as small as it is at present. The challenges are huge, as future handsets must be multi-tasked and data centric. They also must be multi-mode, with higher levels of integrated intelligence, have extra processing power, larger memories and lower power consumption levels
Keywords :
Internet; cellular radio; consumer electronics; integrated circuit packaging; integrated memory circuits; technological forecasting; telephone sets; 100 g; 2 Mbit/s; 3G cellular technology; 3G communication; 3G mobile handsets; IC designers; IC packaging; Internet access; Internet protocol-based services; RF circuitry; analog circuitry; cellular phone manufacturers; computing functionality; data delivery capability; digital circuitry; display size; form factor; high-speed data access; integrated intelligence; memory size; multi-mode handsets; multi-tasked data centric handsets; portable product size; portable product weight; power consumption; power consumption levels; processing power; product footprint; third generation cellular; third-generation cellular technology; video data delivery; voice-oriented devices; wire-line type service access; wireless links; wireless terminal; Access protocols; Cellular phones; Computer aided manufacturing; Displays; Energy consumption; Integrated circuit packaging; Mobile handsets; Radio frequency; Telephone sets; Web and internet services;
