3G is a global development of communication standards and technologies. This development will lead to your being able to access multimedia services with your mobile phone.

You may have seen terms in the news like GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, and UMTS. All of these are concepts related to development of mobile communication networks to 3G.

Although the technology behind 3G may seem complicated, the ways in which 3G will affect all of our lives are easy to imagine. Just imagine having a combined camera, videocamera, computer, stereo, and radio included in your mobile phone. Rich-media information and entertainment will be at your fingertips whenever you want anywhere there is a wireless network.

Mobile communication is moving from simple voice to rich media, where we use more of our senses to intensify our experiences.

But not all of this will happen at once. 3G is an evolution to a communications ideal that we cannot see the end of yet. We do know that mobile multimedia will hit the Japanese markets in 2001, and Europe and North America will follow soon after.

We also know that, regardless of whether you find new technologies intimidating or fascinating, 3G will bring a host of mobile services that will bring more information, more efficiency, and more joy to your life.