Cellular handset evolution - convergence of high-speed data services

Summary form only given. Modem cellular handset designs are incorporating a wide variety of wireless interfaces. Wide area network (WAN) technologies are rapidly migrating from second generation voice interfaces to GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000, WCDMA, and HSDPA that offer voice along with high speed data. WLAN technology, IEEE802.11a/b/g, is finding its way into handset designs and offers an attractive interface for high speed wireless data and voice over IP (VOIP) services. Wireless personal area networks (PAN) such as Bluetooth are also finding wide adoption. On top of this, GPS now ships in millions of handsets each year, digital broadcast television holds promise for widespread adoption within a few years, UWB products are coming to market, and advanced interfaces such as 4G WANs and cognitive radios are under discussion for the future. This offers a view of how all these standards will impact wireless services and what it will mean for handset design.