Importance of WCDMA

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is basically a third generation (3G) mobile technology system. It is a wireless technology that promises high data speed for various mobile and portable wireless devices available on the market today. In general, it can support the transmission of images, voice, data and video at speeds up to 2 Mbps (for local area access) and 384 Kbps (for wide area access). Technically, the input signals are digitized and encoded. They are then transmitted over a wide range of frequencies. Compared to narrowband CDMA (which uses a 200 KHz carrier width), the WCDMA system uses a 5 MHz carrier width.

In WCDMA networks, the CDMA air interface is combined with the GSM network. The standard of this system evolved to ensure interoperability between different 3G networks. Within this network, there are two possible modes of operation: (1) TDD: Uplink and downlink transmissions are carried out on the same frequency for different time slots. Therefore, the time slots are divided into receiving part and transmitting part. (2) FDD: Uplink and downlink transmissions are carried out in different frequency bands. Since different regions allocate frequencies differently, the ability to use both TDD and FDD allows for optimal use of the available broadcast spectrum. This system also has built-in support for better future technologies (capacity and coverage improvement) such as transmitters and antennas. Interfrequency and transfer to other systems (ie GSM) is also very convenient.

WCDMA networks are based on the radio access technique and one of the main technologies of the 3G mobile system. However, the full implementation of this system is limited due to its complexity and versatility. For example, the general system is configured from complex algorithms. Different users can transmit data simultaneously, and users can receive it at different times. Compared to 2G technology, this system is 10 times more computing intensive. Therefore, as this system is gaining popularity, it is useful to know what the future may hold in mobile development and data transmission technologies.