High-speed packet access technology through a special inbound channel - this is how HSDPA stands for. What is this and what are the advantages of this format, today only a small number of users know, but communication is quite common today. And if just a few years ago, most experts only thought about what it is and what future this format can expect, today ordinary subscribers actively use such a connection, which is distributed as a “fourth-generation connection” 4G.
Why is it needed?
The general situation in the field of third-generation networks is, to put it mildly, bleak, and this is the main reason why many providers are interested in the HSDPA connection. What this is - users do not know, but the abbreviation 4G attracts more 3G, as it is perceived as something faster and more productive.
Few people know that in the early 2000s, in European countries, CDMA and HSDPA operators paid more than $ 100 billion just to get a license to deploy a third-generation network. Thus, many mobile companies have astronomical debts, as a result of which they ultimately simply fell into the trap. After all, the whole point is that until recently, there were no 3G phones at all on the market, and therefore there was no way to get the right number of subscribers that would allow us to repay the invested funds.
HSDPA - the mobile Internet of our day
Of course, recently, active development has begun among those companies that at one time invested in 3G, as well as HSDPA. What it is? This is the output of a large number of phones that have the opportunity to use 3G as an active Internet connection with the ability to extremely quickly process various information through the network. Nowadays, almost every modern phone that has been released in the past few years is equipped with the ability to access 3G. Indeed, during the ubiquity of the Internet, it is simply unthinkable to use slow old connections, which are extremely slow.
Who is using it?
On the mobile market, devices are increasingly appearing that already, in addition to 3G, also support HSDPA technology. What is this and what are the advantages of this technology over GPRS, modern users often do not know, so many ask quite logical questions: is it worth buying such a phone and will it be more productive in terms of accessing the Internet.
Many habitually consider this technology as a transitional stage to a faster network called 4G, since this network works fine in urban conditions and can be easily used indoors.
What are its advantages?
This technology allows you to simultaneously serve a number of users through the use of multiplexing technology with time and code distribution. The main principle of HSDPA is more data, more speed. This is what makes this network one of the most optimal for handling intermittent traffic in a multi-user environment.
The following elements are at the heart of this technology:
- Adaptive coding and modulation schemes QPSK and 16 QAM.
- Specialized Relay Protocol.
- Continuously prioritize traffic to Node B using the MAC-high speed protocol.
This technology takes modern multimedia services to a whole new level, allowing subscribers to use a much faster connection. This is due to the fact that due to the extremely high values of the speed of sending information, there is a meager delay, but at the same time, the amount of data sent is growing.
How is it used?
Description and information of HSDPA reveal the main purpose of this network - is to ensure extremely efficient use of the radio frequency spectrum in the process of servicing various services, which necessitate an extremely high speed of user data exchange through downstream channels, such as Internet access, as well as file downloads.
This network was first introduced to users for the first time in the 3GPP standard of the fifth version. Theoretically, having normalized cell sizes, using this technology it is quite possible to provide a speed of about 10 Mbit / s. The extremely high speed value at such boundaries is 14.4 Mbit / s, but in fact it is almost impossible to achieve such a speed.
The subsequent development of 3GPP standards is aimed at a marginal increase in speed, as a result of which it can be expected that over time it will start to reach 20-30 Mbit / s. The MIMO function, as well as new ways to use antenna arrays, should help achieve these speeds.
Should I use it?
Now, at a practical level, speeds of up to 42 Mbit / s are being implemented, and in theory, when the 11th release of the 3GPP standard is followed, the speed will already be approximately 337 Mbit / s. Today, it is always on the UMTS HSDPA 3G network, but the speed still leaves much to be desired, although it is more than acceptable for mobile devices.
Thanks to a good speed of data exchange, high quality permanent connections, as well as virtually uninterrupted operation, this format was able to completely change the way users of various gadgets see what constitutes a third-generation connection. At the same time, some operators often have forced disabling of HSDPA, which can be quite unpleasant.
WCDMA or HSDPA?
The capacious reduction of 3G includes a huge number of technologies that are interconnected under the general name “third generation connection”. In particular, HSDPA and WCDMA are the most common today, which hide a variety of communication technologies, which are essentially of the third generation, but are completely different.
If we consider and compare these technologies, then HSDPA is more advanced, and this is not surprising, since it was developed a little later in comparison with WCDMA and allows to achieve a higher communication speed. Thus, if the latest technology provides a speed of no more than 3.6 Mbps, then in theory it can reach approximately 42 Mbps in HSDPA, although in practice such values are, of course, far from being the same. It is worth noting that the connection of this format can simply be called HSPA, representing a combination of two formats - HSUPA and HSDPA. What are HSUPA and HSDPA in this version? This is the simultaneous acceleration of outgoing and incoming connections.
What's better?
In practice, it’s difficult to choose which is better, and you can vote for WCDMA, for HSDPA Internet, depending on the situation and needs. The choice between such networks is often made by owners of 3G modems that support two formats at once, as well as the telecom operator connected to them. People can start such thoughts because of different stability or the presence of uncertain coverage. It is worth noting that sometimes there are situations when both communication standards can be used in the same apartment, while only WCDMA is used in another room. It should also be said that frequent switching can be critical if you need continuous communication, and this should also be taken into account.