Suppose that is already in the summer of 2001. What is needed to access the UMTS system? Despite the system not yet be fully developed, it is possible to have an idea of the requirements needed to operate the new system:
"Having a mobile phone or another terminal that supports UMTS
-Sign with an operator that supports the UMTS service
Having the mobile-configured to access the UMTS service
-Know how to receive / transmit information using the specific model of mobile
-Last but not least, that this is not too expensive
At first glance it may seem easy, but there are still a number of issues and questions for which there are still no answers.
WAP versus UMTS: Find the differences
The WAP is a system that allows Internet access from a mobile. However, access is quite limited since the WAP-equipped mobile can access only pages written in WML, a language that, for now, only allows text and data. This means that pages written in HTML, the language used on the World Wide Web can not be accessed via WAP, being dependent on its users' own content development.
The UMTS will bring multiple advantages over WAP. The data transfer rate in a normal GSM phone is 9 kilobits per second. The UMTS will allow access of 144 kilobits per second to 2 megabits can atingir. Besides all the information and services available on the Internet can be accessed in a mobile UMTS, enabling "downloads" of images, music and more. As well as other functions.
Not everything is rosy .....
Despite all the enthusiasm in connection with the UMTS technology is still under development and tests and not yet fully approved. Within Europe, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom, Holland and Spain were the first countries that adopted the UMTS protocol. Globally, Japan is the first country to launch this system in 2001, and to observe as decorrere experiment.
Moreover, it will still need the mobile network operators are motivated financially to launch this new service, for which large investments needed, and that there is a sufficient number of consumers that investment becomes viable.
Although not yet be defined the fate of today's cell phones when they arise UMTS, it is more likely that users wishing to access the new service have to buy new phones compatible with UMTS, in the same way as when WAP appeared. And WAP technology itself can make attendance at UMTS, when their data transfer capabilities will increase over GPRS.
At the same time, the old disputes between Europe and the United States reattached over what technology should be used in third generation mobile. The U.S. intends to use the CDMA2000 protocol and accuse the EU of encouraging manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson, in adopting the UMTS protocol. What may mean that, if no agreement is reached, the technologies used by each of the parties are different, like what happens today.
Finally, there will be a convergence between telecommunications operators, technology, information and content, so that all the potentialities of the system may be utilized.
Despite all the doubts, the association UMTS-Forum, which includes manufacturers and telecom operators and others, estimated that at the end of this decade about 2 billion users are using this new technology.
