Editing 3G (section)

{{Short description |Third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology}}
{{Other uses|3G (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
[[File:PC modem 3G HSPA DSC 0084.JPG|thumb|A [[USB modem]] for 3G plugged into a laptop.]]
{{List of mobile phone generations}}
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'''3G''' refers to the third-generation of [[cellular network]] technology. These networks were rolled out beginning in the early 2000s and represented a significant advancement over the second-generation ([[2G]]), particularly in terms of data transfer speeds and [[mobile internet]] capabilities. The major 3G standards are [[UMTS]] (developed by [[3GPP]], succeeding [[GSM]]) and [[CDMA2000]] (developed by [[Qualcomm]], succeeding [[cdmaOne]]);<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.scss.tcd.ie/hitesh.tewari/bib_files/pcca04.pdf |title=Mobility and Session Management: UMTS vs. CDMA2000 |journal=IEEE Wireless Communications |date=August 2004}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Richard|last=Nunno|url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-239506A1.pdf|title=Migration to 3G Technology Standards: A Comparison of Selected Countries|publisher=FCC|date=September 2003}}</ref> both of these are based on the [[International Mobile Telecommunications-2000|IMT-2000]] specifications established by the [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU).

While 2G networks such as [[General Packet Radio Service|GPRS]] and [[Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]] supported limited data services, 3G introduced significantly higher-speed mobile internet and enhanced [[multimedia]] capabilities, in addition to improved [[Voice telephony|voice]] quality.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ni/3G/technology/index.html|title=All about the Technology=2011-04-04|publisher=itu.int|access-date=2019-08-17}}</ref> It provided moderate internet speeds suitable for general [[web browsing]] and multimedia content including [[video calls|video calling]] and [[Mobile television|mobile TV]],<ref name=":1" /> supporting services that provide an information transfer rate of at least 144 [[kbit/s]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2014-06-24 |title=3G CELLULAR STANDARDS WITH PATENTS |url=http://www.projectsatbangalore.com/3G-network/ |access-date=2019-08-17 |publisher=projectsatbangalore.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=2015-02-10 |title=3G vs. 4G: What's the Difference? |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/293905/3g-vs-4g-whats-the-difference |access-date=2019-08-17 |website=PC Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

Later 3G releases, often referred to as 3.5G ([[High Speed Packet Access|HSPA]]) and 3.75G ([[HSPA+]]) as well as [[EV-DO]], introduced important improvements, enabling 3G networks to offer [[mobile broadband]] access with speeds ranging from several [[Mbit/s]] up to 42 Mbit/s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-07-09 |title=HSPA - About Us |url=https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/gsm-technology/hspa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709180358/https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/gsm-technology/hspa |archive-date=9 July 2017 |access-date=2024-11-29 |publisher=GSMA}}</ref> These updates improved the reliability and speed of internet browsing, video streaming, and online gaming, enhancing the overall user experience for [[smartphone]]s and [[Mobile broadband modem|mobile modems]] in comparison to earlier 3G technologies. 3G was later succeeded by [[4G]] technology, which provided even higher data transfer rates and introduced advancements in network performance.