Mobile Devices - Wireless and Cellular Data Connections

Question 1

What are the mobile generations?

Answer 1

2G
2.5G
Edge 2.75G
3G
4G
5G

Question 2

What are the characteristics of 2G?

Answer 2

Second generation (2G) networks were the first to offer digital data services. 2G data speeds are slow and mainly used for text messaging, not internet connectivity.

Question 3

What speed is 2.5G?

Answer 3

Up to 144 Kbps

Question 4

What are the characteristics of EDGE and what speeds can they achieve?

Answer 4

EDGE (also called 2.75G) networks are an intermediary between 2G and 3G networks. EDGE is the first cellular technology to be truly internet compatible. EDGE supports speeds of 400–1,000 Kbps.

Question 5

What are the characteristics of 3G and what speeds can they achieve?

Answer 5

3G offers simultaneous voice and data. Minimum speeds for stationary users are quoted at 2 Mbps or higher.

Question 6

What two extensions enhance 3G networks?

Answer 6

HSPA+ - Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) is also called smart antenna. It uses multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO). It significantly increases data throughput and link range without additional bandwidth or increased transmit power.

LTE - Long Term Evolution (LTE) increases downlink/uplink speeds to 100/50 Mbps, while LTE-Advanced increases downlink/uplink speeds to 1Gbps/500Mbps.

Question 7

What are the characteristics of 4G and what speeds can they achieve?

Answer 7

4G is available with minimum speeds around 3–8 Mbps and over 100 Mbps possible.

Characteristics:
1. Uses MIMO.
2. Is not compatible with 3G; 4G requires a complete retrofit on the part of service providers and new equipment for the consumer.
3. Utilizes Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). WiMAX delivers high-speed internet service (up to 1 Gbps for stationary users) to large geographical areas.

Question 8

What are the characteristics of 5G and speeds can they achieve?

Answer 8

5G can achieve speeds twenty times faster than 4G with peak speeds of 20 Gb per second.

Characteristics:
1. Uses MIMO.
2. Includes lower frequencies than previous generations, down to 600 MHz.
3. Uses LTE for wireless connections.

Question 9

What is a hotspot?

Answer 9

A hotspot is a physical location where you can obtain wireless internet access using a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a router connected to an internet service provider.

Question 10

What is tethering?

Answer 10

Tethering is connecting one device to another to share the internet connection of the phone or tablet with other devices like laptops. You can tether devices over wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, or by physical connection using a cable, e.g., USB.

Question 11

What is airplane mode?

Answer 11

Airplane mode is a setting that suspends the device’s radio-frequency signal transmitting functions and disables telephone, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. This setting is available on many smart phones, portable computers, and other electronic devices.

Question 12

What is a VPN?

Answer 12

A mobile VPN provides mobile devices with wired or wireless access to network resources and software applications on their home network.

Question 13

What is Bluetooth?

Answer 13

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that connects multiple devices and avoids problems of synchronization. You can use it to exchange data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, and for building personal area networks (PANs).

Question 14

What is NFC?

Answer 14

Near Field Communication.

An NFC connection offers low-speed communication to bootstrap two electronic devices in near space of 4 cm or less. NFC can emulate keycards, electronic identity documents, or memory cards.

Question 15

What are miniUSB and microUSB connections?

Answer 15

A mini-USB connector is a small USB cable connector that is often used by handheld electronic devices like mobile phones, MP3 players, and digital cameras.

– On mobile phones it is used for both USB data connectivity and charging.
– The new connector, called micro-USB, is smaller than the mini-USB connector and allows for even thinner device designs

Question 16

What is the lightning connector?

Answer 16

Lightning is a proprietary computer bus and power connector created by Apple. It replaces the previous 30-pin dock connector. You use it to connect Apple mobile devices like iPhones, iPads and iPods to host computers, external monitors, cameras, USB battery chargers, and other peripherals.

Question 17

What is an Infrared port?

Answer 17

An IR port is a port on a mobile device that enables devices to exchange data without using cables.

Question 18

What is a metered connection?

Answer 18

A metered internet connection uses a wired or wireless adapter to limit the amount of data a computer can receive per day or month, depending on the plan.

Question 19

What is throttling and what does it help with?

Answer 19

Slows down or stops a metered connection when you reach a certain data limit. Throttling helps prevent you from going over the limit and being charged for extra data usage.

Question 20

What are cellular location services?

Answer 20

Cellular Location Services allow apps to track the device’s approximate position. They may use GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth data, QR codes, or RFID technology. You have the option to allow or disallow apps from using location tracking.

Question 21

What are things to keep in mind regarding cellular location services?

Answer 21

– Some apps with services such as ridesharing, directions, and delivery depend on this tracking to function.
– When you choose to disallow them from tracking you, their services might be very limited.
– You can personalize services to your needs by choosing which apps track your location and which don’t.
– You can also set the permission to allow tracking only while an app is open. Once you close it, the service can’t track the device.
– Some apps may track location for advertisement, entertainment, or security purposes.

Question 22

What is GPS?

Answer 22

Global Positioning System.

GPS is a navigation system made of several satellites, a receiver, and algorithms to determine position and/or travel paths using location, velocity, and time data.

Question 23

How does GPS work?

Answer 23

– The receiver measures the distance to each satellite by the amount of time it takes to receive a sent signal.
– After receiving the results from several satellites, it determines the position and displays it electronically.
– It can also determine the path taken since it started tracking and the path that should be taken depending on the desired destination.

Question 24

What is Preferred Roaming List?

Answer 24

PRL is a database in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless devices. The information is used during the system selection and acquisition process.

Question 25

How does the Preferred Roaming List work?

Answer 25

­– In the case of cellphones, it’s built and provided by the carrier to connect the phone to the tower.
– It dictates which radio bands, sub-bands, and service provider IDs the phone will search for. Then, it connect to the right tower.
– Without a correct and valid PRL, the phone can’t roam outside the home network and may not be able to connect at all inside the network.
– The database is made of an acquisition table listing the radio frequencies to search for in certain areas.
– It has a system table to tell the phone which towers allow connection and the best order.
– It doesn’t mean the phone will always connect to the strongest tower available.
– When you’re in an area with weak, but steady signal from your carrier, the PRL will connect you to your carrier signal instead of connecting to a stronger signal on a different carrier.

Question 26

What does GSM stand for?

Answer 26

Global System for Mobiles

Question 27

What does CDMA stand for?

Answer 27

Code Division Multiple Access

Question 28

What do GSM and CDMA have in common?

Answer 28

– They are older radio systems also known as 2G and 3G.
– Being replaced by 4G and 5G
– May experience poor call quality as 2G and 3G are being phased out.
– Both have multiple access standards that allow multiple calls to go through a single tower.

Question 29

What differences are there in GSM and CDMA?

Answer 29

– GSM has SIM cards, CDMA does not
– Changing phones with CDMA means contacting carrier and deactivating old phone and activating new one. Phone number linked to handset.
– Switching GSM phones means taking SIM card from old phone and puttiing in new phone. Phone number linked to SIM card.