MiFi

MiFi is a line of compact wireless routers produced by Novatel Wireless that act as mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. MiFi stands for 'My Wi-Fi'. The MiFi can be connected to a mobile phone (cellular) carrier and provide internet access for up to 5 devices. The MiFi works at a distance up to 10 m (30 ft) and will provide internet or network access to any WiFi enabled peripheral device.
The first MiFi device was introduced in the U.S. in May 2009 by Novatel Wireless,^[1] and Novatel owns a registered trademark on the "MiFi" brand name in the U.S.^[2] The Novatel MiFi is also marketed as such in the Netherlands, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico.^[3][4][5][6] However, in the United Kingdom, mobile operator 3 owns the "MiFi" trademark and markets a similar device from Huawei under the name.

MiFi (and MiFi-like) devices

Novatel MiFi 2200

MiFi 2200 from Novatel Wireless for Verizon Wireless

• Limited to 5 Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, cameras, gaming devices and multimedia players; with the exception of manually editing the devices config file to allow more clients.^[8]
• May be connected to a computer via a MicroUSB connection, though doing so disables the Wi-Fi networking, converting the device into a traditional single-client modem. (However, CNET has introduced a tweak to charge the device over USB while maintaining its functionality.)
• Includes GPS unit, which is usable on some networks (Virgin) and not on others (Verizon).
• Uses 3G data network (CDMA 1xEVDO RevA).

Novatel MiFi 23xx series

Same functionality as 2200, plus:

• Accepts SD card for in-device shared media storage.^[9]
• Uses 3G data network (MiFi 2352: HSUPA/HSDPA 900/1900/2100 MHz, MiFi 2372: HSUPA/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 MHz; both support GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz).

Novatel MiFi 33xx series

Same functionality as 23xx series, plus:

• Linux-based MiFi OS with widgets:
• Messages: perform SMS-based messaging actions such as reading, writing, sending and receiving SMS messages
• Data Usage: track MiFi data usage in home and roaming networks
• GeoSearch: leverage the GPS functionality of the MiFi to display a map of the local area, search the local area, display the search results on the map
• Weather: fetch weather data for the current and defined locations
• MiFi DLNA Server: start, stop and configure the MiFi DLNA server

4G MiFi devices

MiFi 4510L from Novatel Wireless for Verizon Wireless

MiFi 4082 from Novatel Wireless for Sprint Nextel

The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show 2011 saw the introduction of two new 4G capable MiFi devices from Novatel:

• Verizon Wireless featured the 4510L model, which will connect to Verizon's new LTE 4G network, expected to support 5–12 Mbps download and 2–5 Mbit/s upload.^[10]
• Sprint featured the MiFi 4082, a WiMAX version.^[11]

Both devices maintain backward compatibility with existing 3G networks. Other features include:^[12]

• MiFiOS with widget support
• MicroSD card slot
• GPS receiver
• 4 hour battery life
• Front panel status display using E Ink technology. The front panel display shows battery, signal strength and number of connected devices. The difficulty of viewing such information was seen as a major shortcoming of earlier MiFi devices.^[11]

Non-Novatel devices

• Huawei E5830 (Series), E585, E586 with HSPA+^[13] and Chinese market E5805 using CDMA2000 and ET536 using TD-SCDMA.
• NetComm MyZone 3G24W
• Option GlobeSurfer III
• Sierra Wireless Overdrive (Note: 4G capable; available only in U.S. through Sprint)
• D-Link DIR-457/MyPocket

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Voice over LTE via Generic Access (VoLGA) A Whitepaper

Voice over LTE via Generic Access (VoLGA) PDF

The roots of 'Voice over LTE via GAN' (VoLGA) are the 3GPP Generic Access Network

(GAN) specifications which add Wi-Fi as an access technology to 3GPP based networks such

as GSM and UMTS. GAN requires dual mode mobile devices which have both a

GSM/UMTS radio interface and a Wi-Fi radio interface. Such mobile devices are available

today from a number of manufacturers including Samsung, Nokia, Sagem, LG, HTC3,

Motorola4, Sony-Ericsson and RIM (Blackberry)5. When these dual-mode devices detect the

availability of a suitable Wi-Fi network, e.g. at home or a public hotspot, they connect to the

Wi-Fi access point and register with the GSM/UMTS core network over the Wi-Fi link and

the Internet. A GAN gateway securely connects a subscriber to the infrastructure of a network

operator and voice calls and other circuit switched services such as SMS are then securely

transported between the mobile device and the Gateway over the intermediate Wi-Fi link and

Internet access network.

VoLGA re-uses this principle by replacing the Wi-Fi access with LTE.

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Understanding the Gs in Telecom Networks – 1G,2G,3G,4G,5G explained

Joe Farren, spokesman for  the trade association CTIA says “And it’s just going to get bigger and bigger, What was a cell phone is now a multifunctional lifestyle tool.”   With already more than 6 billion people having at least one mobile phone  and revenues generated crossing well over $11.3 billion mark for 2006, the telecom industry is on a roll.

Driven by competition, the telecom companies are selling themselves with network quality as their biggest differentiator. As there are no “official” definitions for 1G, 2G, 3G… they can be considered as a  segregation of similar generation mobile phone technologies, which has enough acronyms to confuse a normal cell phone user.

0G Networks - Represents the 1^st Generation of mobile telephony, where satellite phones were developed and deployed for boats mainly – but anyone could get one in one’s car in the beginning of the 90s for several thousand dollars. Networks such as Iridium, Global Star and Eutelsat were truly worldwide.

1G Network - Provided the facilities of making voice calls and sending text messages.  (NMT, AMPS, TACS) are considered to be the first analog cellular systems, which started in early 1980s. The greatest disadvantage 1G had was that it only allowed to contact within the premises of that particular nation, NO CROSS OPERATOR ROAMING FACILITIES were provided.

2G Network - Represents the 2^nd Generation of mobile telecommunications and is still  the most widespread technology in the world; also known as GSM (GSM stands for Groupe Spécial Mobile in French, renamed in Global System for Mobility). Delivered data at the slow rate of 9.6 Kbytes/sec.

2.5G Network - This mid generation was introduced mainly for involving latest bandwidth technology with addition to the existing 2G generation. This offered a higher data rate than 2G technology and enabled the delivery of basic data services like text messaging. Still the data rates were not enough to download an image or browse a website from a PDA.  2.5 G could provide data rate  upto 144 kbps. GPRS, EDGE and CDMA 2000 were 2.5 technologies.

2.75G Network (a.k.a EDGE)- To be able to watch streaming video and download mp3 files faster – that’s precisely what EDGE stands for where data packets can effectively reach 180kbps. EDGE is now widely being deployed in India.

3G Network - Represents the 3^rd Generation designed to overcome all the limitations of above technologies. In this, 3G Wide Brand Wireless Network is used to increase the clarity  giving the perfection  like that of a real conversation. GSM 3G networks are termed UMTS, or the universal mobile telecommunications service, in the United States, while wideband CDMA (WCDMA) is an effectively synonymous term for UMTS used elsewhere in the world. One of the major positive points of UMTS is its global roaming capabilities. The speed is 3 times that of a GSM, so its called a 3GSM service.

3.5G or 3G+ NETWORK:  HSDPA (3.5G) standard today offers anywhere between 7.2 and 14.4 Mbps on cell phones, Practically speaking, this would mean downloading an mp3 file would take about some seconds instead of something like 2 minutes.

4G Networks - It is mainly a marketing buzzword at the moment. Some basic 4G research is being done, but no frequencies have been allocated. The Forth Generation could be ready for implementation around 2012. The term also has become shorthand for Internet everywhere — a high-speed wireless network that gives speeds and QoS similar to fiber and will enable business applications and personalized consumer services alike.  LTE is considered as 4G technology. Harri Honkasalo, the director of IPR for Nokia Corporation, states that “4G should support at least 100 Mbps peak rates in full-mobility wide area coverage and 1Gbps in low-mobility local area coverage”. The speeds of 3G can be up to 2Mbps, which is much slower than the speeds of 4G.

5GNetworks (Real wireless world) (completed WWWW: World Wide Wireless Web)
The idea of WWWW, World Wide Wireless Web, emerged from 4G technologies. The following evolution will be based on 4G that will boost the dream  of having a REAL wireless world. Thus, 5G should make an important difference and add more services and benefit to the world over 4G; 5G should be a more intelligent technology that interconnects the entire world without limits.

Before compiling this article I had spoken to a few telecoms experts in France, and the future is blurry, to say the least. 4G LTE technology is bringing CDMA and GSM technologies closer as possible, and unification of formerly in-war standards is in order for 5G or 6G the latest, and what Verizon and AT&T are bringing in 2011 should be worth waiting.

source:internet

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GSM Signaling System

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