Open In App

What is WCDMA in Wireless Networks?

Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save
Share
Report

Prerequisite: CDMA, Difference between WCDMA and GSM

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is a type of cellular technology that was developed as a third-generation (3G) mobile communications standard. It is based on the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technologies that were developed in the 1980s, but it uses a wider frequency band and provides higher data rates than previous versions of CDMA.

WCDMA in Wireless Networks

 

WCDMA was developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a collaboration between several telecommunications standards organizations. The first version of the WCDMA standard was released in 1998, and it was later adopted by many mobile network operators around the world as a way to provide high-speed data services to their customers.

The development of WCDMA began in the late 1990s, and the first WCDMA networks were launched in Japan in 2001. There were 100s of WCDMA networks open and in total 150 operators were available with licenses for frequencies of WCDMA operations. Now WCDMA networks are deployed in Europe and Asia in the UMTS band of around 2 GHz. WCDMA is also known as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), which is the third generation (3G) mobile telecommunications standard developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). WCDMA was one of the two main 3G technologies that were standardized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), along with TD-SCDMA.

WCDMA was widely adopted as the dominant 3G technology in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and North America. It offered several benefits over the 2G (second generation) mobile networks that it replaced, including higher data rates, improved capacity, and better coverage.

WCDMA has evolved over time, and later versions of the standard (such as High-Speed Packet Access, or HSPA) have been developed to provide even higher data rates and more efficient use of the spectrum. Today, WCDMA and its successors are used by billions of people around the world as a means of accessing the internet and staying connected with others.

WCDMA was eventually superseded by more advanced 4G (fourth generation) technologies, such as LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), which offer even higher data rates and improved performance. However, WCDMA is still used in many parts of the world, especially in areas where 4G networks are not yet available or are not yet widely adopted.

Advantage:

One major advantage of WCDMA is its ability to handle large amounts of data, making it well-suited for applications such as mobile internet browsing and streaming video. It also has good coverage and reliability, as it is able to transmit signals over long distances and through physical barriers such as walls and buildings.

Disadvantage:

However, there are also some disadvantages to WCDMA. One drawback is that it requires a more complex and expensive infrastructure to support its wideband frequency bands. It is also more susceptible to interference from other sources, such as other wireless devices or electrical equipment. Additionally, WCDMA has been superseded by newer, faster mobile technologies such as 4G and 5G.

Overall, WCDMA has played an important role in the evolution of mobile telecommunications, but it has been replaced by newer technologies that offer improved performance and capacity.


Last Updated : 18 Jan, 2023
Like Article
Save Article
Previous
Next
Share your thoughts in the comments
Similar Reads