LIVING & ULVAC Communication Infrastructure Front Line for Diffusion of Cellular Phones Further acceleration via Development of High-performance Microwave Communication Devices Reporting from Toshiba Corporation Social Infrastructure Systems Company Microwave Solid-State Engineering Department, Komukai Complex Application field of Microwave SATCOM/VSAT Marine Radar Weather Radar Fixed Wireless Access Digital Broadcasting TTL FPU Fixed Wireless Access SNG FPU STL TSL WiMAX Fixed Wireless Access Industrial-Use Mobile Phone Data from Toshiba Corporation Social Infrastructure Systems Company VSAT: Very Small Aperture Terminal STL: Studio to Transmitter Link SATCOM: Satellite Communication TSL: Transmitter to Studio Link WiMAX: Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access FPU: Field Pickup Unit SNG: Satellite News Gathering ITS: Intelligent Transport Systems TTL: Transmitter to Transmitter Link LIVING & ULVAC 10 ULVAC ｜ No.64 More than 1.75 billion cellular phones are manufactured annually worldwide (2012 survey by Gartner, Inc.), and 94.5% of households in Japan have one or more cellular phones (2012 survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications). In particular, it would be no‥exaggeration‥to‥say‥that‥almost‥everyone‥in‥their‥twenties‥and‥almost‥all‥university‥students‥have‥a‥cellular‥phone.‥In‥addition,‥it‥may‥ be safely said that today, a cellular phone is also a must-have item for elderly people. Originally, wireless communication was achieved with wireless communication equipment that made use of short wave radio frequencies to connect two parties directly. Wireless com- Communication Infrastructure Front Line munication via cellular phones is significantly different from wireless communication of the past in that cellular phones connect two com- for Diffusion of Cellular Phones municating parties via communication stations, which are connected via a wired communication network. In other words, communication via‥cellular‥phones‥is‥achieved‥by‥combining‥the‥best‥features‥of‥two‥different‥communication‥systems:‥mobile‥“wireless‥communication”‥ Further acceleration via Development of High-performance Microwave Communication Devices and‥networked‥“wired‥communication”.‥This‥issue‥of‥LIVING‥&‥ULVAC‥deals‥with‥the‥history‥and‥communication‥infrastructure‥of‥cellular‥ phones, which have become a household item on a global scale, and focuses on the latest trends in microwave communication devices that play an essential role in that infrastructure. the limited frequency resources that are available. The fact that a large Cellular Phone Market Reaching Global Scale number of users are able to communicate with each other on cellular As the Spread of Cellular Phones Continues phones at the same time is largely due to this technology. In Japan, the diffusion rate of cellular phones has been surveyed by two different approaches. The Cabinet Office has conducted surveys High-performance Cellular Phones on households consisting of two or more family members, whereas the Contribute to Widespread Use Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has conducted The world’s first mobile communication based on the cellular surveys on all households including single-person households. The communication system was started in 1979 by Nippon Telegraph and MIC has been compiling statistics on this diffusion rate since 1993. Telephone Public Corporation (NTT; current NTT DOCOMO, INC.). According to the figures released by the MIC, the diffusion rate, which NTT provided car-phone service using the 900 MHz band. The size of was only 3.2% in 1993, reached more than 94% in just 10 years. For the radio set was 6,600 cc (slightly less than seven 1 L PET bottles). details, refer to Figure 1. Needless to say, it was impossible to hold it by hand. Accordingly, the Before cellular phones made their market debut, large zone radio set was installed in the trunk with the antenna attached to the schemes, such as the scheme for wireless communication in taxis, roof. It cost 200,000 yen as a deposit, 30,000 yen for the basic monthly were the main type of wireless communication. In large zone scheme service fee, and 10 yen for every six seconds of use. wireless communication, each communication station covers a zone In 1985, a portable terminal approximately 3,000 g in weight, a approximately 60 km in diameter. In this scheme, two users have to so-called “shoulder phone”, was developed. In 1987, the volume of a be in the same zone using the same communication service in order to radio set became 500 cc (equivalent to the volume of one 500 mL PET communicate. On the other hand, the system for cellular phone com- bottle), and its weight became 900 g. In 1989, a foreign affiliated com- munication consists of small zones approximately 6 km in diameter. pany developed a new device 220 cc in volume and 303 g in weight, The small zone is called a cell; this is where the name cellular phone amazing the world. It can be said that this device is the world’s first comes from. The cellular communication system is characterized by handheld cellular phone. Thus, a new era of tough competition for real- the fact that the same radio wave frequencies can be used again and izing smaller and lighter cellular phones was inaugurated. again without radio interference within each cell. Accordingly, this The next year, in 1990, a cellular phone 203 cc in volume and system is able to provide a large communication capacity even with 293 g in weight was released. Subsequently, competition to shave off % 96.3 100 94.4 95.0 95.6 93.2 94.5 94.5 92.2 90.0 91.3 87.6 95.0 [Data] 90 92.9 94.5 90.5 92.4 *1: Target households are general 88.0 90.2 78.5 78.2 85.1 85.3 households‥except‥single-person‥ 80 83.3 82.0 1 households and households of 67.7 78.6 Cellular Phone * foreigners (data as of March; 70 (households consisting of two according‥to‥a‥“Consumption‥Trend‥ 57.7 or more family members) 60 Survey”‥conducted‥by‥the‥Cabinet‥ 2 Cellular Phone and PHS * Office). 46.0 50 (all households including single-person households) 49.5 *2: Target households are all households Smartphone including single-person households. 40 (the same data as mentioned before) *2 Smartphones are also included (for 24.0 (all households including 1998 and earlier, the diffusion rates 30 single-person households) 29.3 are only of cellular phones; data as of the end of the year; according to 20 15.3 13.1 a‥“Communications‥Usage‥Trend‥ 10.6 7.8 Survey‥of‥Households”‥conducted‥by‥ 10 5.8 9.7 3.2 the Information and Communications 0.3 PHS (all households including single-person households) Policy Bureau, MIC). 0 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 Figure 1. Change in diffusion rate of household cellular phones ｜ 11 Frequency IEE’s classification of microwaves according to frequency and their applications 100 millionTHz γ rays 10 millionTHz Band X rays X-ray photography Band frequency Application 100 thousandTHz (GHz) High Short (Electromagnetic waves Ionizing radiation that can induce ionization) 10 thousandTHz W band 75 to 111 Radio astronomy 3000THz Ultraviolet rays V band 40 to 75 Radar and communication satellites 789THz Ka band 26 to 40 Communication satellites Visible light Sunlight 384THz K band 18 to 26 Communication satellites Near-infrared rays Satellite television broadcasting and satellite Infrared rays Ku band 12 to 18 Far-infrared rays communication 3THz Frequency Military communication, weather satellites, earth Wavelength 300GHz X band 8 to 12 observation satellites, navigation radar, surface search 100GHz Microwave communication radar,‥air‥search‥radar,‥and‥fire‥control‥radar 10GHz Satellite‥communication,‥fixed‥wireless‥systems,‥wireless‥ Satellite broadcasting C band 4 to 8 access, surface search radar, and air search radar Low Long 1GHz GPS, weather radar, Microwaves Fixed‥wireless‥systems,‥mobile‥digital‥satellite‥ cellular phones, PHS, broadcasting, ISM band (microwave ovens, wireless and television broadcasting S band 2 to 4 300MHz LAN, WIDESTAR satellite phones, amateur radio, etc.), Radio waves 100MHz navigation radar, and air search radar Non-ionizing radiation Television broadcasting, cellular phones, Inmarsat L band 0.5 to 1.5 (Definition in the Radio Act) FM broadcasting satellite phones, 800 MHz band, and air search radar 10MHz Mobile communication, analog cordless phones, and P band 0.25 to 0.5 specified‥low‥power‥radio AM broadcasting 1MHz G band 0.2 to 0.25 Military aeronautical radio (Electromagnetic waves that cannot induce ionization) 60Hz 50Hz Extremely low frequency (ELF) I band 0.2 or lower electromagnetic field IEE: The Institute of Electronics Engineers, Inc. Created‥by‥ULVAC‥based‥on‥“Radio‥Waves‥in‥Life”‥published‥by‥the‥ Association of Radio Industries and Businesses Figure 2. Outline of classification of electromagnetic waves according to frequency and frequencies of microwaves even 1 g or 1 cc continued for years, and new models were released technological innovations for the communication infrastructure kept once or twice a year. In 1999, the weight was reduced to as little as 57 its development moving forward. For example, multi-band cellular g for the second generation digital cellular phones. phones that could automatically select a vacant frequency band to use At that time, competition for developing new cellular phones from among multiple frequency bands, and multi-mode cellular phones started to make a transition from miniaturization to the development of that could be used in any communication system anywhere in the multifunction cellular phones. In 1999, NTT DOCOMO, INC. started world. the i-mode service, and consequently, cellular phones underwent an In 2007, Apple Inc. released the iPhone which inaugurated the era enormous transformation from simple voice phones to information ter- of smartphones. Subsequently, in 2010, Apple Inc. released iPad and minals that also provide a mail communication function and a browser broke new ground of tablet PCs by adding a cellular phone function.