Second generation is the generalization used to describe the advent of digital mobile communication for cellular mobile systems

Second generation mobility involves a variety of technology platforms as well as frequency bands. The issues regarding 2G deployment are as follows : Capacity Spectrum utilization Infrastructure changes Subscriber unit upgrades Subscriber upgrade penetration rates

The fundamental binding issue with 2G is the utilization of digital radio technology for transporting the information ontent. It is important to note that while 2G systems utilized digital techniques to enhance their capacity over analog, its primary service was voice communication. At the time 2G systems were being deployed, 9.6 Kbps was more than sufficient for existing data services, usually mobile fax. A separate mobile data system was deployed in the United States called Cellular Data Packet Data ( CDPD ), which was supposed to meet the mobile data requirement. In essence, 2G systems were deployed to improve the voice traffic unoughput compared to an existing analog system. Digital radio technology was deployed in cellular systems using different modulatioan formats with the attempt to increase the quality and capacity of the existing cellular systems. As a quick point of referene in an analog cellular system, the voice communication is digitized within the cell site it self for transport over the fixed facilities to the MTSO. The voice representation an information transfer utilized in Advance Mobile Phone Service ( AMPS ) cellular was analog and it is this part in the communication link that digital transition is focusing on. The digital effort is meant to take advantage of many featured and techniques that are not obtainable for analog cellular communication. Several competing digital techniques are being deployed in the cellular arena. The digital techniques for cellular communication fall into two primary categories : AMPS and the TACS spectrum. For markets employing the TACS spectrum allocation, the Global System for Mobile Communications ( GSM ) is the preferred digital modulation technique. However, for AMPS markets, the choice is between Time Division Multiple Access ( TDMA ) and Code Division Multiple Access ( CDMA ) radio access platsforms. In addition to the AMPS / TACS spectrum decision, the IDEN radio access platform is available and it operates in the specialized mobile radio ( SMR ) band, which is neither cellular or PCS. With the introduction of the PCS lincenses, three fundamental competing technologies exist, which are CDMA, GSM, and TDMA. Which technology platform is best depends on the the application desired, and at present, each platform has its pros and cons, including if it is a regulator requirement to utilize on particular platform or not. Table 3-1 represent some of the different technology platforms in the cellular, SMR, and PCS bands.

PCS was described at the time the frequency bands were made available as the next generation of wireless communications. PCS by default has similarities and differences with its counterparts in the cellular band. The similarities between PCS and cellular lie in the mobility of the user of the service. The differences between PCS and cellular fall into the applications and spectrum available for PCS and cellular fall into the applications and spectrum available for PCS operators to provide to the subscribers. The PCS spectrum in the United States was made available through an action process set up by the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ). The license breakdown is shown in Figure 3-1 The geographic boundaries for PCS licenses are different that those imposed on cellular operators in the United States. Specifically, PCS lincenses are defined as MTAs and BTAs. The MTA has several BTAs within ist geograohic region. A total of 93 MTAs and 487 BTAs are defined in the United State. Therefore, a total of 186 MTA lincenses were awarded for the construction of a PCS network, and each license has a total of 30 MHz of spectrum to utilize. In addition, a total of 1,948 BTA lincenses were awarded in the United States. Of the BTA lincenses, the C band has 30 MHz of spectrum, while the D, E, and F blocks will only have 10 MHz avaible. Currently, PCS operators do not have a standard to utilize for picking a technology platform for their networks. The choice of PCS standards is daunting and each has its advantages anda disadvantages. The current philosophy in the United States is to let the market decide which standard or standards is the best. This is significantly different than that used for cellular where every operator has one set interface for the analog system from which to operate