3G USB DATA CARD - Seminar Report

ABSTRACT       

  The article presents an application & specifications of  3G USB DATA CARDS .The application is utilizing  in our laptops & desktop for fast internet surfing. The various types of data card modems and their availability are discussed in the report briefly.

In the report the advantages and some disadvantages are explained with its features and various physical and technical specifications with suitable images and charts.

Some references are taken from various sources as the concept is very new and popular but the terminology related with it is very unfamiliar to many of us.

INTRODUCTION            

3G USB DATA CARD is a terminal available for high-speed wireless network access, with which the users can access the Internet in the wireless way at home, office, outdoor sites and so on… on the go.

                                          A 3G USB DATA CARD

Whether abroad on business or on holiday, with the USB modem for laptops in your wallet you can stay in touch with family or contact your business associates whenever you need to, because keeping in touch with people can be fun or in some cases vital.

These innovative little devices have become an affordable and extremely useful addition to the laptop. In certain situations this kind of modem is better than mobile phone in sending out complex messages.

            

HOW IT WORKS?                                          

The USB DATA CARD works on the principle of a typical HSDPA CONNECTOR.

The key idea of the HSDPA concept is to increase packet data throughput with methods known already from Global System for Mobile Communication. The modulation is based on 16 QAM constellation, the different bits mapped to the 16 QAM symbols have different reliability. 

The key idea of the 3G USB DATA CARD is based on  HSDPA concept  to increase packet data throughput with methods Known already from Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/Enhanced data rates  for global evolution (EDGE) standards, including link adaptation and fast physical layer (L1) retransmission combining the physical layer retransmission handling has been discussed earlier but the inherent large delays of the existing Radio Network Controller (RNC)-based Automatic Repeat request ARQ architecture would result in unrealistic Amounts of memory on the terminal side. Thus, architectural changes are needed to arrive at feasible memory requirements as well as to bring the control for link adaptation closer to the air interface. The transport channel carrying the user data with HSDPA operation is denoted as the High-speed Downlink-shared Channel (HS-DSCH).

 HS-DSCH Modulation

As stated earlier, 16 QAM modulation was introduced in addition to Release’99 Quadrature

Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation. Even during the feasibility study phase,

8 PSK and 64 QAM were considered, but eventually these schemes were discarded for

performance and complexity reasons. 16 QAM, with the constellation example shown in

Figure 11.5, doubles the peak data rate compared to QPSK and allows up to 10-Mbps

peak data rate with 15 codes of SF 16. However, the use of higher-order modulation is

not without cost in the mobile radio environment. With Release’99 channels, only a phase

estimate is necessary for the demodulation process. Even when 16 QAM is used, amplitude

estimation is required to separate the constellation points. Further, more accurate

phase information is needed since constellation points have smaller differences in phase

domain compared to QPSK. The HS-DSCH capable terminal needs to obtain an estimate

of the relative amplitude ratio of the DSCH power level compared to the pilot power

level and this requires that Node B should not adjust the HS-DSCH power between slots

if 16 QAM is used in the frame. Otherwise, the performance is degraded as the validity

of an amplitude estimate obtained from Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) and estimated

power difference between CPICH and HS-DSCH would no longer be valid.

AVAILABILITY

Data cards are available in market at a very reasonable price everywhere.

Various companies had launched their products with different additional features like calling, messaging.

The following chart shows the list of a few data cards available in market with their prices and data speed.

                

Applications

The first and the most important application of a 3G USB DATA CARD MODEM is that it gives connectivity on the move. One can access internet, send and receive E – MAILS, connect with family and friends anywhere any time.

With a SIM inside the data card it can be used as mobile when connected with laptop/desktop to call and send sms.

A 3G USB DATA CARD can be used as a real storage device as it can hold a micro mmc card of capacity upto 8GB .It is frequently used as a data transfer device like pen drive or flash drive.

The applications of the data card are very catchy when we consider it as a plug and play device.

CONNECTIVITY

You have to plug in 3G Data Card into your laptop and can get the fastest available connection, with mobile broadband speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps.

    It’s neat, compact design makes it easy to use; you can easily swap it between laptops for use at work, home or on the move. Laptops have a PC Card slot (also known as a PCMCIA slot), or an Express Card slot. There is PCMCIA to Express Card Converter            

    For using 3G broadband, you need 3G Data card, network SIM card, software, user guide.

 ADVANTAGES

USB wireless modem is simply a device that allows you to get on the internet when you are out of your home. This is done without having to deal with any wire. Even for home usage, there are many reasons why a person might choose this over other types of connection.

One reason is because this kind of gadget is quite easy to install. Some modern USB wireless modems even come with built-in drivers. Just plug the modem in the USB port and then follow the setup instructions.

Things like LAN card, phone connection or cable system are also not required. These reduce the costs and the complexity of setting up internet connection at home. It is the benefit of using a wireless network in case you move into a new house in the future, as long as the network covers the area.

Moreover, USB wireless modem is quite affordable today. Although modems like Verizon Wireless USB760 Air Card and Option iCON 225 HSDPA are still priced more than a hundred dollar, many much cheaper models are also available.

These are the things you need to know about a USB wireless modem. There are many types out there, so you want to do your research as to which ones to buy. However although some models are just plain cheap, they may not compatible with your machine.

              

DISADVANTAGES

The 3G USB DATA CARDS have less no. of disadvantages when compared with its advantages.

Ø     Some data cards come with lock and cannot be used with other  SIM CARDS than its provider

Ø    Sometimes data cards create setting time problems for a new user.

Ø    There is no privacy maintained in USB DATA CARDS.

Ø    No authentication is required when it is used by others.

                      

Future

The sales (shipments) of data cards and USB modems crossed the one million mark (1,002,169 nos.) in the 12 months ending June 2009, according to the findings of CMR’s “India Quarterly Data Card and USB Modem Market Review, Q2 CY2009”.

CMR India, the leading IT intelligence firm attributes this to the rapid growth in travel and the need to stay in touch with customers, vendors and business partners 24/7. The communication needs of enterprises have grown to include access to e-mails and corporate applications, as well as personal communication, online transactions and entertainment, the first ever CMR India study in this segment adds.

The sharp increase in the demand for data cards/USB modems in the last four quarters has gone up from 1.76 lakh units in July-September 2008 quarter to 4.05 lakh in April-June 2009. While in the quarter ending July-September 2008 one data card/USB modem was sold for every 4 notebook computers, this number improved to 3.2 data cards/USB modems sold for every 4 notebook computers in the April-June 2009 quarter.

One-thirds of the million data cards/USB modems were sold (shipped) in the first six months – July 2008-Decemeber 2008 – while two-thirds were sold (shipped) in the second half – January-June 2009. Currently the Wireless Internet market is dominated by CDMA operators in the country. CDMA data card/USB modem shipments accounted for nearly 69% of the total market in Q2 CY2009.

The average sales value (ASV) or price of a data card/USB modem is around Rs. 3,000; going forward, with increasing demand, prices are likely to come down. This will help improve the overall penetration of wireless internet/broadband. Currently data cards/USB modems are available mostly in bundled offerings from operators. However, with increasing demand, CMR India expects more open market data cards becoming available, thus providing an opportunity to customers to choose their favorite service provider along with their preferred device.

Incumbent operators (BSNL and MTNL) are pushing 3G data cards/USB modems to increase subscribers on their recently launched 3G service networks. Private telecom operators are yet to launch 3G services in the country.

Conclusion

While preparing this report on 3G USB DATA CARD MODEM, I came to know various facts, figures and techniques related to it which is somehow a common people is not very familiar to.

In a nutshell it can be said that this data cards serves as a MAGIC STICK for the people who want the world on their finger tip and need to be ever ready for the new techniques and ideas with the internet. The days are over when you cross through a long process of getting a connection and a MODEM and then after getting the internet you have to suffer through various complications of getting slow connection, mounting data rates and the rush to the provider almost once in a week.

USB DATA CARDS are simple, hassle free ,user friendly device which is used to access the world anytime anywhere also for those people who are not very TECH AWARE .Its history and present scenario in market and in households shows that it has a very bright future too !