The third generation (3G) wireless communication was primarily developed to provide high-speed data connectivity to cellular phone users. The technology was conceived far back in the early stages of the internet boom, when it was thought that there was a need to establish a feature to provide the cellular phone users the facility to access data and multimedia services at a suitable rate. In many countries in the world, the required spectrum was auctioned to the different service providers for fees ranging in millions of dollars.

IMT-2000 defines 3G as a wireless communication system, which provides data rates from 144kbps to greater than 2Mbps, which depend on the speed of the cell phone. The definition has been created by International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is referred to as International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 (IMT-2000). There are ofcourse a number of technologies which could fulfill the features of the 3G system, with variations in the existing GSM 2G technology and this modification, or enhancement on 2G, is often referred to as 2.5G. This enhancement has brought in General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) in the 2G system, with CDMAone (IS95a) systems defining a number of evolutionary technologies, which are grouped and classified under CDMA2000.

Very briefly, CDMAone is a description of the entire wireless system based on TIA/EIA IS-95 (Telecommunications Industry Association / Electronic Industries Association Interim Standard - 95), which was first published in July 1993. CDMA2000 describes the family of 3G wireless communication systems, which uses Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), which is a multiple access system for digital radio to transmit voice, data and signalling data, such as, a dialed telephone number, between cellular systems and base stations.

There exists confusion as to the difference between the 3G and 2.5G systems. Though most of the CDMA2000 systems are technically modifications of the existing 2G architecture, they are being offered as 3G systems in the market. The GSM on the other hand, though capable of 3G performances, are being are being classified as 2.5G systems. The new standard was brought into the GSM 2G systems, classifying it as 2.5G, mainly to fulfill the 3G requirements, while the original 3G system uses an entirely different technology to achieve the same. This extension of the 2G system to 2,5G is called the Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA), a technology used for transmission of data and voice.

There are efforts going on to deliver more global standard advanced services out of the CDMAone technology, which is basically the GSM 2G system. This will enable the market to provide services as the market demands. The efforts of CDMA Development Group (CDG) is leading to complete capabilities of the 3G systems and is now concentrating aggressively enable fast-track development of the CDMA2000, one of them being the 3G standard.

The GPRS services provided by 2G systems is similar to that serviced by 3G, but the 3G data services are a next step up from the GPRS services that we know of. The main difference is the faster data transfer rates that are available in 3G systems, offering up to 384 kilobits per second, which is 7 times faster than the standard dial-up systems. With 3G systems, you can achieve everything that you want to do, but in a much better way, a lot faster and from anywhere. The main advantage with 3G wireless communication system is that you can have a large call volume and it provides you with the support of multimedia data applications such as video and photography.

The 3G system has brought about a good many advantage in the application of wireless communication system and some of the main features include -

The necessity of having a website has become imperative, as much as, that if a company does not have one website, it is as good as the company not existing. With the introduction of 3G systems, this has become truer, and you can gain access the internet from your 3G-enabled cell phone at anytime, from practically anywhere.