What Is UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System)? Meaning, Working, Importance, and Applications

Universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) refers to the third generation (3G) mobile network built on the global GSM standard, compatible with data transfer up to 2 megabits per second. This article explains the working of UMTS and discusses its top applications in 2022.

What Is UMTS?

Universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) is defined as the third-generation (3G) mobile network built on the global GSM standard, compatible with data transfer up to 2 Megabits per second. 

UMTS is popularly known as a third-generation (3G) cellular network. It was seen as a better cellular technology for data transfer than its predecessor, the GSM technology, which used GPRS and EDGE data services, primarily due to its speed of transfer and operation. It is a pioneering wireless radio technology associated with third-generation (3G) cellular networks. AT&T first deployed it in North America in the early 2000s, and its use spread globally over the next few years.

Today, UMTS is used interchangeably with 3G. Unlike global system for mobile communications (GSM) – which was widely used before the deployment of UMTS – UMTS offers faster data transfer, improved cellular capabilities, greater range/bandwidth, and better radio spectrum efficiency.

This ensures a better method of transferring data and a better customer experience. Although UMTS uses code division multiple access (CDMA) technology, it has a broader bandwidth than other CDMA systems, e.g., CDMA2000. So, it is sometimes referred to as wideband CDMA or WCDMA.

CDMA is a channel access network that allows multiple transmitters to transmit information over a single communication channel simultaneously. Wideband CDMA was effective in the transfer of ‘data packets’ over the air from one user to the other, unlike GSM, which worked using a mix of frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and time division multiple access (TDMA) as its communication services. 

The frequency spectrum is broken down into smaller channels in GSM communication and then distributed based on time slots. This was not convenient for simultaneously transferring large amounts of information. Hence, big corporations sought a better technology, so UMTS was born.

Despite Its increased functionality, UMTS was not created to serve as a replacement for the GSM system but to act as a complementary technology. This ensures that one can use both network technologies in the same devices if they were made to access either network. Due to the need for better wireless connectivity of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, UMTS has been widely applied due to its lesser cost, better customer experience, wide bandwidth, reliability, speed, and ease of application. UMTS also introduced more cellular capabilities like video streaming and mobile television, but significantly, a higher data transfer rate.

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How Does UMTS Work? 

A mobile network of the UMTS can be divided into three major parts – user equipment, the access network, and the core network. These parts are linked and work together to transfer data through the UMTS mobile network.

1. The user equipment

The user equipment is divided into the mobile station, which is the device itself and the SIM card, which describes the U-SIM or universal subscriber identity module. The mobile station cannot transmit signals without the U-SIM. The U-SIM performs three main functions, which include: 

• Holding of a subscriber’s identity
• Performing authentication algorithms 
• Storing authentication and encryption keys

2. The access network

The access network consists of towers to which the mobile station connects. These towers are known as Node B, intermediates between the mobile station and the rest of the mobile network. There can be one or more Node Bs depending on the size of the network. 

Another essential component of the access network is the radio network controller (RNC). This is where the intelligence of the access network lies. It processes the data gotten from Node B connected to it. The Node B and RNC composite structure is known as UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN).

The interface between the mobile station and the Node B is based on the air Wideband CDMA technology (WCDMA). When Node B receives information from the Radio Network Controller, it spreads it by multiplying it with the CDMA code, modulates it, and then sends the information to the mobile station. If the data comes from the mobile station, it must undergo despreading and demodulation at Node B before it gets to the RNC. 

Node B also handles error correction between the station and RNC. The RNC also acts as an admission controller. For instance, if a mobile station (e.g., a phone) wants to transmit through a voice call, and a particular Node B is congested with other connected devices, the RNC gives it a new CDMA code to connect it to an available Node B. 

Also, since UMTS also sends information in the form of packets of data, like voice calls over Skype, the RNC regulates the bit rate and speed of transmission to ensure hitch-free transmission as this is a real-time activity. If the application is not a real-time activity – such as downloading a file – if a particular Node B is congested, the RNC reduces the bit rate of other devices that do not require real-time feedback.

3. The core network

This is the backbone network. It consists of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and packet-switched (PS) domain. The circuit-switched domain is the part of the network responsible for voice calls, while the packet-switched domain is responsible for carrying the packet data. The packet-switched domain takes care of the internet services. The CS and PS domains consist of various databases that hold information necessary for running the system.

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Importance of UMTS in IoT and Networking 

IoT devices are web-enabled devices that can detect and transmit data. IoT devices have sensors and actuators that help monitor and report a task the device was created for. IoT devices in a business organization or home are often connected to a shared cloud computing environment. 

For example, a vending machine (an asset) can be connected to the cloud. This would help achieve and check for various processes such as inventory management, customer analytics, transaction management, operations management, software management, and digital advertisement. 

To connect any device such as the vending machine to the cloud, a global SIM is required to ensure connectivity. This SIM must be capable of accessing the mobile network to enable easy data transfer from the asset to the cloud. Although one could use other mobile networks to transmit data between IoT devices, the UMTS is preferred due to certain advantages over other network systems.

These advantages include:

1. Energy-efficient data transfers

Compared to the other mobile networks, such as the 4G and 5G networks, the UMTS does not require as many2² base stations to achieve transmission speed. Since the 4G and 5G networks need dozens more mobile base stations than the UMTS, the overall energy output is larger, increasing the energy bill. 2G networks do not have the required speed to achieve the necessary quality of transmission globally. So the UMTS or 3G mobile network is considered best when energy consumption is a priority.

2. Better battery life for IoT devices

It has always been a debate if devices that operate using the 3G system have longer battery life than those using newer network technologies like 4G and 5G. The devices that run on UMTS often have a longer battery span than their counterparts. Significant battery power is used each time to compensate for the speed at which data is transmitted between devices using a higher network. 

Also, when these IoT devices are mobile, they require a considerable amount of battery power affecting the device’s running time. One easy way to reduce the power required would be to use a power-efficient network – like the UMTS.

3. High-speed information exchange

Unlike the 2G system with limited uplink and downlink speeds of 9.6kbps and 53.6kbps for GSM and GPRS, respectively, the UMTS boasts data rates as high as 384 kilobytes per second which is about 40 times faster than GSM and significantly faster than that of GPRS. Recently, cellular carriers have improved their data rates with the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), evolved HSPA (HSPA+), and advanced HSPA.

4. Delivery of small packets of information to a destination

UMTS ensures that one can send data packets over an extended period without losing bandwidth. Unlike the GSM, which only supports the carrier switched path or voice calls, there is no need to establish a dedicated link to transmit data. Sending data packets is usually helpful when the information transferred is not time-sensitive.

5. Purpose-built for cell phones and industrial modems

UMTS was made with the mindset of improving data sharing between mobile devices. This influenced the switch from GSM services to UMTS and increased connectivity. Further, as a mobile network, UMTS is suitable for industrial modems. Due to the global use of the U-SIM, there is increased ease of use and widespread availability.

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Top 7 Applications Of UMTS 

The success of the UMTS network influenced its use case in various capacities. It brought innovations such as sharing files like videos and music over the internet in real-time. It has a wide application in the Internet of Things (IoT) and revolutionalized the mobile entertainment industry. Since UMTS is JAVA compatible, gaming was also introduced on a different scale on mobile devices. Some of the top applications of UMTS include:

1. Streaming and downloading of videos and audio

With the use of UMTS-enhanced devices, videos could now be downloaded or streamed online using a mobile device. This was not possible with the GSM or GPRS system. The introduction of mobile television and online streaming platforms became prominent as the use of UMTS expanded. Some companies that blossomed from this innovation include: 

• YouTube: Platforms like YouTube boomed as it became easier for users to upload, download or stream video content over the internet with a data rate that was cheap, convenient and fast.
• Social media (or Web 2.0) companies: Companies like Facebook and Twitter that were text-based incorporated video feeds in their programs where users could watch videos while browsing through the platform.

2. Internet of Things (IoT)

There will soon be more IoT devices than humans, and UMTS is used to connect these devices to public or private clouds. The use of IoT cuts across several industries, including health, banking and finance, agriculture, manufacturing of home appliances, supply chain, etc. It is used to automate processes and transfer data packets over destinations, thereby saving time and money, improving communications between electronic devices, and providing a means of accessing information from anywhere, at any time, on any device.

In homes today, many appliances use UMTS to transfer data to make our lives easier. These are known as “smart appliances” and cut across regular home appliances like air conditioners, lighting, security, and environmental control. 

Thermostats can sense the temperature of the room and regulate themselves. Smart sprinklers work by monitoring the moisture content of the soil and spraying water over lawns and gardens when the moisture content of the soil falls below a certain threshold. Smoke alarms measure the amount of smoke in the air and go off if it exceeds a certain degree.

In healthcare, wearables such as smartwatches serve as devices to check heart rate, blood pressure, and calories. IoTs are also deployed as diagnostic devices that help facilitate early diagnosis and disease prevention.

In business, one could use it to check inventory, automate orders, and carry out transactions. You could set some devices like vending machines to order a refill when they get to a particular stock level. For these functions to run efficiently, these devices need to connect to the cloud, and they can only do this with the help of a mobile network like UMTS.

3. Mobile e-commerce

The rise of UMTS transformed several things, including the way people buy and sell. With widespread superior connectivity, people could create e-commerce stores online where they sell goods and services to their customers. 

This also increased the number of customers they could gain at any time. Customers could send feedback on the products after use, and they could access short video clips that demonstrated the use of the products even before they purchased them. Customer-centric companies such as Amazon and customer-to-customer auction companies like eBay were among the first to leverage this. B2B e-commerce platforms like Ali Express and Alibaba also use UMTS to enhance buying and selling online.

4. Fast internet and intranet

Unlike the 2G system, UMTS provided the internet with speed due to the broader bandwidth and its system of transmission. One could carry out online transactions with fewer glitches with the fast internet. Files were easier to download and share, you could analyze IoT devices in real-time, etc. The introduction of cellular carriers like high-speed packet access (HSPA), Evolved HSPA (HSPA+), and advanced HSPA+ made the UMTS devices significantly faster than their GSM or GPRS counterparts.

5. Mobile entertainment (gaming)

There has been an evolution in the gaming industry in recent years, specifically games on mobile phones. Due to the packet-switched carrier of UMTS, you can download games on mobile phones where you can play them. Online games also became prominent as UMTS enabled players from various world regions to connect on one platform to play games. 

This has increased the market value of various companies in the gaming niche as they now create games that can be played on mobile phones and are accessible anywhere in the world.

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6. Emails and multimedia messages

Emails became more commonly used as the speed of the internet increased. With the introduction of high-speed UMTS internet, messages could be sent and received in seconds. This revolutionized communication has even made it possible for individuals to work remotely, provided that attention is given to email security. Multimedia messages such as pictures, videos, and audio can also be sent through the internet using UMTS mobile network.

7. Video conferences

Platforms such as Skype became popular with the UMTS network because of their video conferencing feature. Video calls could be made and received from anywhere in the world. Industries and news channels like CNN, BBC, and Aljazeera used video conferencing to communicate with their correspondents in different parts of the world. 

Businesses also use video conferencing to conduct virtual meetings remotely on platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, all thanks to UMTS and other network innovations building on it. 

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Takeaway

Even as we move towards 4G, VoLTE, 5G, and eventually, 6G connectivity, it is essential to remember that UMTS is a crucial milestone in the evolution of mobile and computing networks. It allows for superior speeds than 2G, and, in many ways, is responsible for the smartphone revolution that we are witnessing today. UMTS is an essential building block for IoT implementation and will help developers build a wide range of affordable and accessible IoT devices.

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