Difference Between UMTS and WCDMA

Edited by Diffzy | Updated on: April 30, 2023

       

Difference Between UMTS and WCDMA

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Introduction

Other than the standard calling and messaging functionality of earlier 2G networks, the third generation of mobile network technology has added a tonne of additional features. In addition, they bring a variety of new terms with them that could be perplexing. These two technologies are WCDMA and UMTS. The primary distinction between UMTS and WCDMA is that the latter is one of the air interfaces that it uses to interact with the actual device, while the former is a cellular technology.

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, or UMTS, replaces the more established GSM networks. Although most installations only give maximum data rates of 7Mbps, it dramatically boosts data speeds up to 45Mbps when HSPA+ is engaged. In addition to WCDMA, The third generation of mobile network technologies offer several new characteristics. In addition to the standard 2G network management and calling features, there are many more. Furthermore, it comes with several new terms, which is bewildering. The UMTS and WCDMA technologies are the major topics of this essay. However, there are other air interfaces, such as TD-SCDMA, UTRA-TDD HCR, and WLAN, which is the air interface that mobile networks utilize the most. These three air interfaces operate differently despite performing the same task facilitating data transfer over the air from a mobile device to the base station.

UMTS vs WCDMA

The technology used by UMTS and WCDMA differs significantly. WCDMA employs radio technology, whereas UMTS uses cellular technology. All networks have UMTS localized in the 3G network area. WCDMA functions effectively and offers the communication system benefits of network flexibility. Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service is referred to as UMTS. No matter where in the globe they are, it provides a consistent service set to users of computers, phones, and mobile devices. It is the worldwide standard for mobile users and is approved by significant standard makers and groups.

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access is the abbreviation for WCDMA. It is a third-generation standard that provides large capacity and high-speed service using the FDD technique and the DS-CDMA channel access method. It is one of the most utilized UMTS variations available. The widespread adoption of WCDMA has given it the same status as UMTS. Most individuals genuinely mean the same thing when they use either phrase. There should be no concern that you could be using the wrong word because both are commonly used interchangeably.

Difference Between UMTS And WCDMA in Tabular Form

Parameters Of Comparison UMTS WCDMA
Technology MobileNetworkTechnology radio engineering
Communicating Tools It can't be used by itself. Primarily used in all phones; however, GSM or UMTS are occasionally paired with it.
Tools for Communication It is not possible to utilize communication devices with just UMTS. Most phones use WCDMA, and occasionally GSM or UMTS is included in the mix.
Area Protected Although the coverage area is less, it increases when paired with WCDMA. For WCDMA, the coverage area is more significant.
Basic  Channel GSM CDMA
Efficiency Faster slower than UMTS since it operates at the speed of GSM
Support Since support for UMTS phones depends on access networks, they are not accessible. UMTS and WCDMA so cooperate inside the system. We may state that a WCDMA phone supports both GSM and WCDMA if it has a sim slot and a UMTS arena.
Signals The signals are challenging to handle and occasionally may take alternative courses. Even when it is done, this makes communication challenging. Because of this, UMTS is reliant on other networks. The system's efficiency is explained by the ease with which any path can handle the signal. WCDMA transfers data using radio technology. Code division channels are available as well for division.

What Is UMTS?

UMTS is a third-generation (3G) cellular network, as it is commonly known. Due to its operation and transmission speed compared to its predecessor, the GSM technology, which made use of GPRS and EDGE data services, it was thought to be a more efficient cellular technology for data transport. With third-generation (3G) cellular networks, it is a cutting-edge wireless radio technology. AT&T initially introduced it in North America in the early 2000s, and during the following several years, its use extended worldwide. As a result, UMTS and 3G are now used interchangeably. Before UMTS's rollout, the worldwide system for mobile communications (GSM), which was extensively utilized, offered quicker data transmission, more robust cellular capabilities, a more comprehensive range, and superior radio spectrum efficiency.

The third-generation UMTS mobile cellular technology for networks is typically based on the GSM standard. Compared to the standard set for CDMA 2000, which is maintained and uploaded by the 3GPP, UMTS is one of the elements of the International Telecommunication Union's IMT-2000 standard set. Mobile network operators may acquire spectral capacity and efficiency through UMTS using W-CDMA radio access technology. It describes a system for the whole network, which comprises the radio access network, the core network, and user authentication via SIM cards.

How Does UMTS Function?

The components are connected and function as a unit to transmit data over the UMTS mobile network.

The user's tools The mobile station, which is the actual device, and the SIM card, which refers to the U-SIM or universal subscriber identity module, make up the user equipment. Without the U-SIM, the mobile station is unable to broadcast signals. The three primary tasks carried out by the U-SIM are as follows:

  • keeping a subscriber's identification in reserve
  • Application of authentication algorithms
  • Holding encryption and authentication keys

The network of access The mobile station links to towers that make up the access network. As a bridge between the mobile station and the rest of the mobile web, these towers are referred to as Node B. Depending on the scale of the network, there may be one or many Node Bs. The radio network controller is yet another vital part of the access network (RNC). The access network's intelligence is located here. It processes the information obtained from the linked Node B. The UMTS terrestrial radio access network is a hybrid structure of Node B and RNC (UTRAN).

The backbone network is this one. Both a packet-switched (PS) domain and a circuit-switched (CS) domain make up this system. The portion of the network responsible for voice calls is the circuit-switched domain, whereas the packet-switched field is in charge of transporting packet data. The packet-switched environment manages the internet services. The CS and PS domains are made up of several databases that house the data required to run the system.

UMTS's Importance in IoT and Networking

  1. Power-saving data transfers
  2. Improved IoT device battery life
  3. Quick information transfer
  4. Sending out little information packets to a location
  5. Explicitly designed for mobile phones and business modems

Top UMTS Applications

The UMTS network's popularity had various effects on its potential applications. It introduced innovations, including real-time file sharing via the internet for music and video files. It revolutionized the mobile entertainment sector and has several applications in the Internet of Things (IoT). Since JAVA is compatible with UMTS, gaming was also implemented on mobile devices, although on a smaller scale. Among the most popular UMTS apps are:

Downloading and streaming music and video Videos may now be downloaded or watched online using a mobile smartphone thanks to the adoption of UMTS-enhanced devices. With the GSM or GPRS technology, this was not feasible. As UMTS usage increased, internet streaming services and mobile television were also introduced. Following are a few businesses that benefited from this innovation:

  • YouTube: As it became more straightforward for people to publish, download or stream video material over the internet with a data rate that was affordable, easy, and quick, platforms like YouTube proliferated.
  • Web 2.0 or social media companies: Text-based businesses like Facebook and Twitter added video feeds to their platforms so that consumers could view videos while navigating the site.

Mobile online shopping The development of UMTS changed several things, including how individuals purchase and trade. With broad high-speed internet, people could set up online storefronts where they could offer their consumers products and services.

Entertainment on the go (gaming) The gaming business has changed recently, mainly about games played on mobile devices. Mobile phones can download games so you can play them since UMTS is a packet-switched carrier. In addition, as gamers from different parts of the world could join on one platform to play games, online gaming also gained popularity.

What Is WCDMA?

A third-generation (3G) standard called Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) uses the frequency-division duplexing (FDD) and direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) channel access methods to deliver high-speed and high-capacity service. The most popular version of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is WCDMA (UMTS). It was created by NTT DoCoMo, a Japanese company, and served as the foundation for their Freedom of Multimedia Access (FOMA) 3G Network.WCDMA is a third-generation mobile communication system that employs CDMA technology over a frequency range that is sufficiently broad to offer compelling voice and fast multimedia capabilities. The GSM portable radio communications system is compatible with its infrastructure.

WCDMA technology upgrades or installations enabled mobile service providers to offer wireless broadband to their clients and more effectively modernize their infrastructure. Radio towers, packet data connecting technologies, and mobile devices make up this system. The WCDMA system typically employs TDD (time division duplex) and FDD (frequency division duplex) radio channels. Wide-area data services and voice channels are the primary uses of FDD radio channels.

A component of the UMTS is the WCDMA system. The Global System for Mobile communications networks throughout the world's evolving core cellular networks, which make up the 3G Partnership Program, is responsible for its development.

There are Two Modes in WCDMA

  1. Frequency Division Duplex (FDD): Uses both codes and frequencies to divide users into separate groups. One frequency is utilized for the uplink and another for the downlink.
  2. Time Division Duplex (TDD): Uses codes, frequencies, and time to divide users into uplink and downlink traffic while using the same frequency for both.WCDMA employs code division multiple access (CDMA) for its air interface even though it is intended to operate on advanced GSM core networks.

In actuality, CDMA is used by the majority of 3G networks, with time division multiple access being used by the remainder (TDMA). In reality, TDMA and CDMA are combined in WCDMA's TDD mode.

Application Of WCDMA

A 3G cellular system uses the CDMA air interface (Wideband CDMA). WCDMA is compatible with WCDMA telephones, laptops, and portable devices with WCDMA modems. In addition, WCDMA, which is consistent with UMTS and IMT-2000, enables GSM operators to offer a faster data rate than the EDGE network. As a result, many GSM carriers switched to HSPA for data, which is also based on WCDMA, while maintaining GSM for voice since WCDMA supports both voice and data while offering a slight speed boost. see IMT-2000, UMTS, and HSPA

Main Differences Between UMTS And WCDMA in Points

  • While WCDMA is compatible with 3G and 3G+ networks, UMTS is exclusively designed for 3G networks. As a result, WCDMA operates well and offers the communication system the benefits of network flexibility in the area of the 3G network where UMTS is localized in all networks.
  • UMTS relies on the system's frequency to communicate across the channels and lacks any code division requirements. Meanwhile, WCDMA uses code divisions to segment the tracks so that consumers can understand all the networks and media.
  • Communication in UMTS is challenging due to the signals' complex handling and potential for different paths in some circumstances. However, any route signals may be handled quickly, which is why WCDMA is so effective.
  • The phone supports both CDMA and GSM since UMTS relies on different networks to provide support, which means that UMTS phones are typically not as readily accessible as UMTS arena.
  • Unlike WCDMA, which offers efficiency in the system, UMTS transports data via packets. On the other hand, the WCDMA technology is more effective and does not cause problems while transmitting data.
  • WCDMA is created for 3G and 3G+ networks, whereas UMTS is developed for 3G networks alone. However, both are designed for mobile communications in the 3G network. As a result, WCDMA operates well across all networks when UMTS is confined in the 3G network zone and offers the communication system the benefits of the flexible web.
  • Given that GSM protocols outline the regulations for the European continent, UMTS was designed based on them. Since UMTS is based on the 3GPP project, a third-generation partnership project, any networks based on GSM standards may use it. UMTS is focused on the entire world, but GSM is solely focused on a particular region. WCDMA is based on GSM and provides coverage for 2G and 3G networks. Channels are divided via code division, which also facilitates system communication. Using radio communication technology, the system's channels are managed.
  • Although the coverage area is less, it increases when paired with WCDMA. For WCDMA, the coverage area is more significant.
  • It is not possible to utilize communication devices with just UMTS. Whereas Most phones use WCDMA, and occasionally GSM or UMTS is included in the mix as well.
  • Not CDMA, but GSM, is the primary channel. UMTS is being developed as an upgraded version of GSM that is open to everyone as a single protocol. At the same time, WCDMA uses CDMA as a fundamental channel to sustain communication and be effective.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that UMTS and WCDMA are both third-generation terms. The third generation of mobile network technologies offers several new characteristics. There are many more options available in addition to the conventional management and calling ones. UMTS cannot be utilized in isolation when it comes to communication equipment. On the other hand, WCDMA is mainly used in all phones. However, it is occasionally paired with GSM or UMTS. WCDMA employs radio technology, whereas UMTS uses cellular technology. All networks have UMTS localized in the 3G network area. WCDMA functions effectively and offers the communication system benefits of network flexibility.

References

  • https://www.educba.com/umts-vs-wcdma/


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"Difference Between UMTS and WCDMA." Diffzy.com, 2024. Wed. 27 Mar. 2024. <https://www.diffzy.com/article/difference-between-umts-and-wcdma-758>.



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