This alliance between AT&T and NTT DoCoMo is a sign that the wireless data market is heating up. Even if they haven’t yet moved into the world of wireless technology, CIOs should be aware of what is happening and preparing a wireless plan.
GSM (Global Systems for Mobile Communication): Commonly considered the European standard for voice communications, GSM is used to send information across wireless networks by digitizing and compressing the data before if is sent. It is based on TDMA (see TDMA).
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access): A technology used to send information across a wireless network in contrast to GSM. CDMA uses mathematical code to differentiate between transmissions that travel on the same signal. U. S. carriers like Sprint and Verizon use CDMA to transmit data across networks.
The Third Generation of Wireless Communications (3G): 3G is often referred to as the next generation (we are in the 2nd generation of wireless communications). 3G networks promise faster, better wireless data experiences on mobile devices (phones, handhelds). 3G hopes to bring a multimedia experience to wireless users, but 3G networks need a lot more bandwidth than the current wireless networks. NTT DoCoMo plans to provide the first 3G networks in Japan, and AT&T hopes to roll one out (with NTT
