3G Timeline

So when will mobile multimedia actually arrive?!! Here's your inside track on when and where we will see 3G.

Whenever a new service is introduced, there are a number of stages before it becomes established. 3G service developments will include standardization, infrastructure development, network trials, contracts placed, network roll out, availability of terminals, application development, and so on.

These stages for 3G are shown below:

Date	Milestone
Throughout 1999	3G radio interface standardization took place, and initial 3G live technical demonstrations of infrastructure and concept terminals shown
2000	Continuing standardization with network architectures, terminal requirements and detailed standards
May 2000	The formal approval of the IMT-2000 Recommendations will be made at the ITU Radio communication Assembly in early May
2000	3G licenses for phase 1 spectrum are awarded by governments around Europe and Asia
2000	WRC 2000 Spectrum Review of 3G Phase 2 spectrum.
2001	3G trials and integration commence 2001 3G launched in Japan (by NTT DoCoMo and others)
Summer of 2001	First commercial deployment of 3G services become available in Europe
Start of 2002	Basic 3G capable terminals begin to be available in commercial quantities
Throughout 2002	Network operators launch 3G services commercially and roll out 3G.-Vertical market and executive 3G early adopters begin using 3G regularly for nonvoice mobile communications
2002/3	New 3G specific applications, greater network capacity solutions, more capable terminals become available, fuelling 3G usage
2004	3G will have arrived commercially and reached critical mass in both corporate and consumer sectors.
2005	3G Phase 2 spectrum expected to be available, subject to WRC 2000 decisions.

SOURCE MOBILE LIFESTREAMS