What is 3G?

“3G,” or “third generation,” is an industry term for a collection of international standards and technologies intended to boost efficiency and improve performance of mobile wireless networks. The International Telecommunications Union defines 3G as wireless technology with data transmission speeds of up to 144 kilobits per second or higher in vehicular traffic, 384 kilobits per second when walking, and at least 2 megabits per second indoors.

What will 3G do?

Allow for high-speed exchanges of voice, data and video on mobile wireless communication devices, such as Sprint PCS phones. The system and its equipment will accommodate videoconferencing, television streaming and global roaming.

Sprint’s plans foresee a Kansas University basketball fan in Washington, D.C., using a PCS phone to listen to Bob Davis and Max Falkenstein call a game live on the Jayhawk Radio Network from Allen Fieldhouse, or seeing a replay of Kirk Hinrich’s winning shot from a local TV station.

When will 3G arrive?

Sprint says it expects to offer nationwide high-speed wireless data sooner than competing wireless carriers will. Here’s the schedule:

Mid-2002: up to 144 kilobits per second.

2003: up to 288 kbps.

2004: up to between 3 megabits and 5 megabits per second.