HowTo Wirelessly Synchronize Contacts and Calendar on BlackBerry OS 10

if you use a device running BlackBerry OS 10 and need to figure out how to sync your contacts and calendar, you’ve come to the right place. These steps will lead you through the whole process, from downloading Outlook Hotmail Connector to performing your first sync.

1. Make Sure You Have a Microsoft Email Account

This might seem obvious, but to perform a wireless sync of your contacts and calendar on BlackBerry OS 10 using Outlook Hotmail Connector, you’ll first need a Microsoft email account. If you already have an Outlook, Hotmail or Windows Live email account, you’re good to go. If not, go to Outlook.com or Windows Live and set one up. Then jump back here for the next step.

2. Download and Install Outlook Hotmail Connector

Now you need to get Outlook Hotmail Connector on your PC. There are a couple of different versions depending on your computer’s hardware. If you have a 32-bit PC, click here. If you have a 64-bit PC, then click here. Follow the download and installation instructions, then move on to the next step.

3. Add Your Microsoft Email Account to Microsoft Outlook

Now you’re ready to add your Microsoft email account to Outlook on your computer. Start by opening Outlook and clicking File in the menu bar. Now click +Add Account, then select Email account. You’ll be prompted to enter your name, the email address you’re adding and the associated password. Do so and click Next. Then click Finish.

4. Copy Your Current Contacts and Calendar Data to Your New Email Profile in Outlook

Now you can copy over your existing contacts and calendar data to your new email profile in Outlook. Just follow the instructions, verifying that the Sync Contacts & Sync Calendar toggle is set to On. And that’s it. Now the contacts and calendars on your phone and computer will automatically synchronize via wireless connection.

Read More..

How to Customize Your Windows 10 Experience

Windows 10 seems to be a winner. But, the only way to really know if a new operating system will meet the public’s needs and wants is to wait and see how they react. If they keep it when they buy a new computer, it’s a good system. 

If they put an older OS on a new computer, then it’s probably not. 

The reception of Windows 10 is positive overall. 

With Windows 10, as with all of Microsoft’s operating systems so far, there are programs, apps, and other tools that can be turned on and used. However, they’re not necessary or useful for every user, so it’s important to choose what’s right for you.

 ALSO READ: keyboard shortcuts for Windows10

According to a report about personal technology in the New York Times, many of the optional features are related to networking, system administration, and software development, but as with earlier versions of Windows, there are also options that “regular” users may wish to use. The first step is to go to the Windows Features option box and look at the different menus and screens and determine what is possible for the version of Windows you have.

The Windows Features box, when selected, will show the user a list of different applications and programs that can be enabled or disabled. If there is a checkmark in the box next to the option, the option is already on. The “Start” menu is one of the first places the technophiles suggest a new user of Windows 10 begins their search to see what they do want to turn on or off.

The Start Menu

Most people will be perfectly satisfied with the default version of the start menu. It is the same version of “Start” that they accessed with Windows 7 with a few nuggets from Windows 8.1 that proved popular. One difference is there is a Tablet mode with this version of Windows and it has been made for 2 in 1 devices and allows easy access to the start menu when the keyboard has been removed.

ALSO READ: Windows 10: tips and tricks

The folders that the user sees when they go to the start menu can also be customized. This allows the user to have the folders they use the most at a convenient location. All the user has to do is go to settings, then personalization, then start and add to or remove apps or folders, or other things that they use a lot. Perhaps it is Netflix that the user wants to have access easily and quickly. It is easy to add this program to the Start Menu.

Cortana



Windows 10 has its own personal assistant called Cortana. Setting up Cortana is easy as it will ask (in writing), very simply what you want to be called, and if you want different customization for Cortana too. If you think that Cortana is a little too Big Brother to your Winston Smith, you can leave this program off too.  If you like Cortana, you can teach her to know your voice only, or you can let any voice access her.

Update Apps
When you upgrade to Windows 10, you can upgrade many of the apps that you have already received from Windows by going to the Windows Store and following the prompts from the Downloads and Installs pages as they relate to Windows 10. This is also where a user can ensure they have all of the updates to Windows 10 installed on their computer and their system.

Microsoft Edge


Windows 10 has a new Microsoft browser called Microsoft Edge. Using Microsoft Edge will not stop you from using other browsers, but Edge will be there for you to use if you like, and if you choose, you can make it your default browser. 

Quick Action Buttons



There is now an Action Center on the desktop for different devices. This Action Center will alert users about apps and systems that might need to have upgrades or changes made for them. As part of the Action Center, there are also Quick Action buttons that allow the user to click them and go to different options that the user visits often. 

Optional Features on Windows 10
The truth is, there are dozens of features that users can turn off or turn on with any operating system. Most users won’t even know that these options exist, and if they did know of their existence, they wouldn’t mess with them. 

Examples (there are dozens of optional features):

    .NET Framework 3.5 — This is needed for people who want to run certain applications
    Active Directory Lightweight Director Services — This is used to authenticate users on a network
    Embedded Shell Launcher — Use this if you want to replace Windows 10’s Explorer.exe shell with a custom shell. 
    Hyper V — This is a virtualization tool

People very involved in technology may turn these optional features (and the dozens of other options) on or off, but some will automatically turn on if a new download requires it. Most people won’t consider changing the factory settings, but should know that they are there if needed.

Windows 10 is proving to be popular with users and is recognized as a convenient and improved operating system.

Read More..

Free Video Apps to Capture Your Creativity

All you need now are some apps to make the most of both. We’ve rounded up a handful of great apps designed for mobile videographers of all levels, from budding auteurs to friends capturing friends’ antics to families looking for fun creative outlets for their kids. The best part? You can get started with all of them without paying a penny up front.

This one has potential to keep kids – and geeky grown-ups – busy for hours on end by turning anyone who can hold a camera steady into an expert special-effects director. All you have to do is select one of the available scenes or effects – like a meteor smashing into the ground, say, or an avalanche – and then point the camera at your subject. Press record for the specified amount of time, hit the OK button afterwards, and around five seconds later you’ll have your very own professionally rendered CGI Hollywood action scene starring your friends, family and even your toys or pets. It comes with plenty of free scenes to choose from – including one in which a Star Wars BB-8 will zap the subject of your choice (the app was built by J.J. Abrams’s Bad Robot production company) – and you can purchase more scenes in packs for just a couple of bucks each.

Action Movie FX

Free with in-app purchases | iOS

Hailing from the image gurus at Instagram, Boomerang doesn’t capture true video but instead short bursts of photos that it then runs back and forth in an infinite loop, a bit like a GIF. Boomerangs can make their subjects appear to defy physics – like a drink forever pouring and un-pouring itself – or transform a friend’s casual smile into a study in muscle movement. And it’s incredibly easy to use: just point your phone at your subject and hit record. The app takes care of the rest. Another couple of taps will let you instantly share your boomerangs however you like; not just on Instagram but also Facebook, Twitter, text message or email.

Boomerang from Instagram

Free | Android, iOS

This awesomely accessible video editor is so well designed that it was recently purchased by GoPro to give its extreme-sports camera customers the power to quickly and easily edit footage on mobile devices. But you don’t need a GoPro camera to use it. You can import videos (and photos) from your device or a cloud service. Then in just a few simple steps, Splice will stitch everything together, automatically adding transitions and the music of your choice. Once all of your scenes have been put together, you can edit speed, add effects, crop out bits of the frame you don’t want, and add text or narration. It’s a quick and painless way to put together professional-looking videos from your library while on the go.

Splice

Free with in-app purchases | iOS

Give a tablet loaded with this app to an imaginative kid and you probably won’t see them again for the rest of the day. They can get started with virtually no instruction. Just open the app, point it at a scene – like a table set up with action figures or dolls – and then start tapping the onscreen shutter button, moving subjects a smidgeon at a time between shots to create a sense of movement. You can play back your progress at any point, adjusting speed and adding your own voice. It’s as simple and easy as animation gets, yet it opens the door to endless possibilities, from Lego movies to cartoons made from paper cutouts. No kids? Consider using it to document the progress of a home reno or backyard project, capture the magic of blooming flowers, or record the gathering of storm clouds.

Stop Motion Studio

Free with in-app purchases | Android, iOS, Windows Phone

Want quick Web celebrity? Triller could be the ticket. It will let you put together an (almost) MTV-worthy music video in a matter of minutes. Just pick a song from the app’s featured list of top 40 artists or one your own library, select the length you’d like your video to be, then record yourself performing it as many times and using as many filters and effects as you like. Once you’re done, the app will create a preliminary video by automatically stitching together segments from each of your takes. Unhappy with the final cut? No problem. You can easily shorten or lengthen each segment with a quick slide of your finger. When finished, you can share it with your friends or upload it to the Triller community. Then just sit back and wait (hope?) for a bit of viral fame.

Triller

Free | Android, iOS

Read More..

What is Twitter ?

Twitter is a social network and real-time communication service launched in 2006 and used by millions of people and organizations to quickly share and discover information.

The word Twitter comes from the frequent chirping sound made by birds, hence the bird used in the Twitter logo. Users can access the site via the web and mobile devices to exchange frequent bite-size updates of information called ‘tweets’ which are messages of up to 140 characters long that anyone can send or read. These messages or tweets are public by default and visible to all those who are following the tweeter. 

Twitter allows you to follow other users you are interested in so that you’ll see their updates on your home page, which is an aggregate feed of all the accounts you’re following. Users share these tweets which are micro-bits of information that can contain things like photos, videos, quotes, article links and more. Each tweet can also have replies from other people creating real-time conversations around hot topics, breaking news and interesting new content.

Twitter was able to disrupt traditional point-to-point messaging systems like email by providing this one-to-many interface for rapid content delivery and search. But Twitter has evolved from more than just a real-time communication tool into one of the world’s leading sources of social discovery and newsworthy events. This open networking environment has also led to an entire ecosystem built around the Twitter platform coined the ‘Twitterverse’ where creative people, designers, marketers and businesses can flourish together.

The History of Twitter:

Twitter originally started off as a Podcasting company called Odeo before pivoting into the microblogging service we know and love today. If it wasn’t for Apple releasing podcasts via iTunes and scaring Odeo out the water, we might of never got Twitter!

Twitter Terminology:

The key to navigating Twitter is to master the lingo. The Twitterverse has it’s own set of vocabulary you’ll be sure to see flying around in tweets.

Tweet:

A standard message on Twitter containing 140 characters or less.

Retweet:

A tweet that has been reshared to all of a users’ followers.

Hashtag

The # symbol is used to tag keywords or topics in a tweet to make it easily identifiable for search purposes.

Mention

Tweets can include replies and mentions of other users by preceding their usernames with the @ sign.

Handle

This designates your username and accompanying URL at http://twitter.com/handle.

Feed

The stream of tweets on your Twitter homepage comprised of all the accounts you follow.

Lists

Twitter provides a mechanism to list users you follow into groups or curated lists showing tweets of all the users in the list.

Direct Message

Also called a DM, this represents Twitter’s direct messaging system for private communication amongst users.

How to Get Started on Twitter

1. Signing Up

First off pick a user name for your Twitter ‘handle.’ Make it short and sweet and preferably identifiable to you or your business. Refrain from picking any silly names unless you’re starting a parody account that is. Next you’ll want to add your bio information with a little bit about who you are and your interests to help people get to know more about you and whether they’d like to follow you. You can also include your location, website link and an avatar image which is a picture that will show up on your profile and next to all your tweets. Add some styling to your page with a neat background image, cover photo and theme colors. Also, you can check out 12 of the best Twitter tutorials of all-time!

2. Follow Sources

follow-after you sign up for Twitter you’ll be given some suggestions of popular users to follow. This is the first step in using Twitter as a discovery engine so start following interesting new people and sources. Some of the users you follow may eventually end up following you back too. At first Twitter doesn't know much about you so find familiar friends and brands to follow too, and overtime Twitter will make better suggestions to suite you. You can always unfollow people too that seem to be clogging up you stream with useless posts.

3. How to Post a Tweet

How to post a tweet You can post tweets of up to 140 characters. These tweets can also have media embedded like photos, videos or rich snippets from articles. Media can make your tweets more engaging, where photos generally get twice the engagement compared to regular text posts. Twitter also has a url shortener (t.co) automatically applied to shared links.

4. Retweets

retweetA retweet is the action of sharing another tweet again. People and businesses post messages on Twitter in hopes of getting as many retweets as possible to reach out to new audiences. Retweets represent 78% of user engagement with brands, with the other 22% coming from replies.

5. Connecting and Mentions

Direct messages Twitter provides a great way to connect with other users and monitor your interactions and mentions. You can also communicate privately with others users via Direct Messages if the other person follows you. Twitter also provides you suggestions on who to follow and other options to find friends.

6. Twitter Search and Discovery

Discover See what’s happening right now tailored just for you. Use the Discover tab to keep up with tweets, activity, and another source for new people to follow, find friends and browse through interesting categories like music, sports, entertainment, humor, technology and more.

7. Twitter for Mobile

twitter mobileTwitter’s mobile website allows you to have a consistent experience using Twitter on any smartphone or tablet device.

8. Tools and Apps

hootsuiteThere a ton of great apps and tools to enhance you Twitter experience and help manage potentially multiple profiles. These tools range from Twitter clients, scheduling, analytic tools, finding people to follow, bulk follow/unfollow features, automated tasks and more.

Some of our favorite social media management tools for Twitter include:

Hootsuite – http://hootsuite.com

Buffer – http://bufferapp.com

TweetDeck – http://tweetdeck.com

SocialOomph – http://socialooph.com

Tweepi – http://tweepi.com

SocialBro – http://socialbro.com

Followerwonk – http://followerwonk.com

TweetReach – http://tweetreach.com

9. Twitter for Business

Twitter is an unbelievable resource for businesses to grow their audiences, increase traffic and generate more leads. With over 400 million tweets a day and 200 million active users, people tune into Twitter to bring them closer to the things they care about. You should look to have at least a personal profile and a separate one for your business too! Having a great business profile gives your brand credibility on social media. 

Some best practices to be awesome on Twitter include writing good tweets, sharing relevant and interesting content and sharing other people’s stuff too. Twitter also offers promotions and advertising to get your business in front of even more fans. Every business website should also have 

Twitter buttons to share links and follow buttons to build their reach. And you can make your website or blog even more viral on Twitter by adding Twitter Cards to your site that make each tweet from your content show rich media like photos, galleries, summaries, videos, apps and more.

10. So What is Twitter Really About?

Twitter is basically the best way to discover new content and keep up with your favorite topics of interest and people. Twitter lets you exchange ideas and information instantaneously bringing folks together from all across the globe unlike ever before. Some of us use Twitter just to listen, others to keep in touch with friends. Tennis pro Serena Williams uses Twitter to follow updates from her favorite band Green Day. Musician Snoop Dog comically likes to wake up in the morning with baking updates from Martha Stewart’s latest recipes.

Read More..

VMware Launches AirWatch Express to Speed Up and Simplify Mobile Device Management

 VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a global leader in cloud infrastructure and business mobility, today releasedAirWatch® Express™, a simple mobile device management (MDM) cloud solution designed to get devices up and running quickly. AirWatch Express makes it easy to configure devices with apps, email and Wi-Fi, while enabling the data encryption and security that is necessary in today’s environment. 

AirWatch Express delivers an affordable, consumer-friendly MDM built on the same platform as VMware AirWatch, the leading enterprise mobility management solution. With this simplified solution, more organizations globally can protect their company by securing their employee’s devices in just a few clicks.

“The transformative nature of mobility has cause the mobile endpoint to become the primary computing device for many businesses, and these same organizations are struggling to keep up with the device and app proliferation. The truth is managing mobile devices can be a timely and complicated process,” said Blake Brannon, vice president of Product Marketing, End-User Computing, VMware. “Without the need for technical knowledge or additional IT staff, AirWatch Express empowers organizations to support an ever increasing mobile workforce.”

Companies with smaller or no IT departments still have the same basic mobile needs as enterprises, and AirWatch Express is an affordable and intuitive solution that doesn’t require extensive set up or training to keep up with the fast pace of mobile technology. The cloud-based solution delivers an intuitive MDM experience and is available for iOS, macOS, Android and Windows 10.

AirWatch Express also takes into account the security risks associated with employees using their smartphones, tablets and laptops for work purposes. According to the 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report1, prepared by Verizon, the three most common mobile security breach incidents were a result of configuration or end user issues. AirWatch Express reduces these security risks by enabling companies to control these configurations, prevent data leakage, remotely wipe the device of work data if it’s lost or stolen, and more.

AirWatch Express is the start for an organization’s enterprise mobility program. When facing more advanced use cases, customers can simply upgrade to another AirWatch bundle to support an expanded business mobility strategy.

Read More..

Things You Didn't Know Your Android Smartphone

As smartphones have become more powerful, they've taken on more and more roles: digital camera, MP3 player, GPS navigator, flashlight and more. Add a third-party app store such as the Google Play Store to the mix and the number of ways you can use your phone grows even further.

You can take a screen shot on your Android device just by swiping your hand across the screen. Or, if you need to swiftly silence a pesky call, place your hand over the phone to mute it. To set this up, go into Settings, then choose My Device. Select Motions and Gestures and you’ll have the option to enable features such as Air gesture, Motion and Palm motion.

Use Your Device as a Hard Drive

Why carry around thumb drives when your Android device doubles as an external hard drive? Simply connect your device to a computer using its USB cable and follow these instructions here for set-up. Once you’ve done so, you can instantly start uploading and saving files onto your phone.  

Turn on Tethering

Away from home and need to access the Web from your laptop? Tethering is your best bet. It allows your computer to go online using your phone’s data. To do this on a Samsung S4, S5 or S6, first connect your Android device to your computer with its USB cable. Then go into your phone’s Settings and look under your Network connections. Select More Networks and then Tethering. Make sure USB tethering is turned on and voilà, you can now browse the internet on your laptop. It sure beats looking for a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi or having to pay for Wi-Fi at a hotel. Click here to learn more about tethering your Android phone.

Also Read: What is an Android mobile phone ?

Control Your Data

Worried about overage charges? We don’t blame you. Luckily, the latest Android devices allow you to keep a stern eye on your data usage. All you have to do is go into your Settings and select Data usage. You can set mobile data limits, see exactly how much data you use per cycle and find out which apps have been eating up most of your data. You even have the option to turn your data off (don’t worry: you can always switch it back on). Click here to learn more about controlling your data usage.

Say Cheese!

Did you know you can snap photos and selfies on your Android device without even lifting your finger to click the shutter button? Launch the camera app, select the Gear icon and then tap the Microphone icon or tap on Voice Control to enable voice-control features. Now you can take pictures via voice command, by saying words such as “cheese,” “smile” and “shoot.”

Snap a Pic While Recording

Want to take a picture while recording a video? No problem. Once you’ve begun shooting, just tap the camera icon on the screen. A still photo will be saved in your gallery while you carry on shooting your video.

Share with Your Android Friends

Thanks to near-field-communication (NFC) technology, you can share just about anything – files, videos, music, photos, apps, etc. ­– with other Android users by touching one NFC-enabled device to another. Click here to see how it’s done.

Here’s to Your Health

The latest Samsung Galaxy phones come with the S Health app, which can check your heart rate and blood pressure. Simply press your finger into the app’s sensor and it will document all your health levels. It can also help you get in shape by tracking your daily activities, meals and fitness goals. Click here to learn more about S Health.

Face Unlock

You can unlock your phone with passwords, patterns and PINs, but did you know you can also open it with your face? That’s right: your Android device can recognize your face and, upon seeing you gazing into the front-facing camera, will unlock immediately. Click here to see how it’s done.

You May Like: 10 Innovative Ways of Using a Smart phone

DIY Speakers

Need to amplify your phone’s sound in a pinch? Place your Android device, speaker-end down, into a cup or bowl. The rounded shape of the object will give your device a louder, fuller sound. Click here to learn more about making your own smartphone speakers.

Read More..

What Are All These Mobile Networks? EDGE, 3G, H+, Etc:

Nowadays, Everyone use mobile Phones Specially for Connecting to the Internate and other Service also more than use for Actually for making phone calls.

The Quality of the Internate, You receive significantly. some countries like US,UK and many more have advance Telecom Neywork better than Other countries. It is not necessarily have some quality of network coverage as Big cities.

Your Smartphone, You know the capacity of your mobile network coverage using, Right side upper part of signal bar, always show G,2G,3G,H or 4G and many more. Today What we are talking about, but you know What about those Codes mean?? so keep reading this so You’re Never confused.

2G

Lets start work from slow to fastest. 2G in G means Generation. 2G was launched in 1991 and these technology allowed Data service such as SMS and MMS. The first time Radio Signals is better than 1G, so Great Spectrum and help to Mobile phone with Market. 2G has only speed of 50 Kbps(Kilobits per seconds), these are inclosed big part in Europe and North America, now being turned off 2G network.

G

G is short for (GPRS) General Packet Radio Service. It is started in 2000, After 2G. G has unofficial name is 2.5G G has transfer Maximum Speed of 114 Kbps(Kilobit per Seconds), which make it the slow connection. G is not Suitable for Instant Messaging like Fb Chat, Whats App or Hike. Because these are Extremely Slowly.

E

E represent (EDGE) Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution. E started in 2003 and that time it has very popular becuase its support Maximum Speed of 217 Kbps(Kilobits per seconds). so speed about almost 3X Faster Than any of Predecessors. its a Faster Than G but You will Wait for any video Streaming on Youtube But the General Website they have Work done Fastly. 604 EDGE network in 213 Countries. this are Widest used Mobile Network in the World. its Unofficial Nickname is 2.75 G but E is for EDGE is suitable for this Network Coverage.

Also Read: How to protect your phone and avoid being hacked

3G

3G is actually a lot Older Than People Realize. These first 3G launched in Japan in 2001, the first network of 3G in US was version windless and went live in July 2002. Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service(UMTS) is based on the 3G and these rather than GSM,GPRS,EDGE because its Maximum speed of 384 Kbps(Kilobits per seconds), its more than Adequate for streaming Music ad Ever Video. Today you will find 3G Network coverage found in everything on mobile Television and other Internate Technology.

H

H Symbol means, That High Speed Packet Access(HSPA) Network. HSPA is based on the same technology as 3G but Replace 3G technology (UMTS). its Maximum speed is of 7.2 Mbps(Megabits per Seconds). its easily Handle Download Music, Video,Web Browsing and other Application. H is support For Long term Download as a fastly like Movie Download or  Large files. Worldwide began in 2010, But is very famous and available in Almost all Countries.

H+

H+ is Next Generation of H, Name refers(High Speed Packet Access) H+. these are greater  Download speed than the Previous version. When 6 Brought these speed 14.4 Mbps , 7 Brought increase speed 21.1 Mbps, 8 Brought increase to 42.2 Mbps, 9 took it to 84.4 Mbps. Now release 10 at Maximum Speed of 168.8 Mbps. Now important to Remember, one will rarely see these speed during Normal speed. Most people can get New technology Network Coverage Like 4G Network but this are Limited availability.

4G

Rearly or Few people see notification 4G network in Bar, Who say lucky has Access the Greatest Mobile Network! 4G !. The 4G network in the world in 2009 form online in Stockholm, other country joined but slowly for these network coverage. In UK occured in 2014 but US is the largest cities Now have the Network. In 4G use (LTE) Long Term Evolution.

• LTE has High speed, Specially Next Generation LTE-A Static to rollout.
• WiMAX Network not supported system like 2G and 3G.
• LTE has Draws less battery power on a mobile.

Now 4G is able to go Maximum speed as 1 Gigabits per seconds and these are suggest that when 5G Arrives. it also support speed upto 1 Tetabit per seconds.

it should be known that 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G etc refers to the different generations of wireless communication technology characterized by having a defined range of speed.

GPRS(General Packet Radio Service) 

GPRS is a packet-based* wireless communication service. It is a 2G technology network that support a download speed of up to 114Kbps.

Limitation of GPRS is that GPRS data cannot be sent while a voice call is in progress.

EDGE(Enhanced Data GSM Evolution) 

GPRS and EDGE are both 2G technology but EDGE is significantly faster with a download speed of up to 384Kbps. EDGE is sometimes called a 2.5G network as it also has some characteristics of a 3G network but it doesn't satisfy the specification.

3G

Introduction of 3G network made video calling and seamless streaming of video possible, with download speed of up to 3.1Mbps. 

HSDPA(High-Speed Down-link Packet Access)

It is based on the 3G network and an enhancement to 3G. Thus has a faster speed, download speed can be up to 14Mbps. HSDPA is sometimes called 3.5G.

HSPA+(Evolved High-Speed Packet Access)

HSPA+ is an evolution HSPA(HSDPA&HSUPA). It is a 4G technology that allows download at a rate of up to 168Mbps.

4G LTE(Long Term Evolution)

LTE is a 4G communication standard that supports HD video streaming, download speed as high as 299.6Mbps.

Summary

GPRS(114Kbps) < EGDE(368Kbps) < 3G(3.1Mbps) < HSDPA(14Mbps) < HSPA+(168Mbps) < 4G/LTE(299.6Mbps)

*Packet-based means data is broken into packets before being transmitted.

Difference between Voice Over LTE and 3G voice services?

LTE by design doesn't have a Circuit Switched core which means even the voice calls are routed through the packet switched networks.The challenge currently lies in the fact that LTE specifications doesn't have a mechanism to hand-over a call to CS network which in most cases is 3G network.

In real world, say for example a subscriber is driving in Area A with LTE coverage and is using VoLTE services and then he enters area B with only 3G services. In such a situation, the voice call will drop. 

There are 2 solutions to this problem :-

1. Have LTE everywhere - This will happen but will take it take sometime to have it.

2. Re-direct CS calls to 3G networks - This is the economically viable and technologically possible, intermediate solution to the above problem.

4G LTE is a packet switched technology whereas 2G and 3G are circuit switched. The difference between circuit and packet switching is that in circuit switching, a link between the two parties having the call is made and it exists as long as the duration of the call. A particular amount of bandwidth is reserved to make the call. Packet switching does not require a dedicated line to be active for a call. It allocates portions of the bandwidth to different users for a certain duration. Data is broken down into packets and these are sent with packets from other users through a shared line. This makes packet switching less reliable than circuit switching. The advantage of packet switching is that it conserves bandwidth. 

Voice traffic from cellular phones is usually carried through circuit switched lines. Packet switching is prone to increased latency as some packets may take longer to arrive. This is detrimental to voice calls which have strict limitations on latency. For example, if a person transmits "Hello", the communications system would break this down to packets and send them individually. Some packets may encounter a delay and some could get lost. It is the duty of the receiver to re-assemble the packets. With the loss and delay, all that the person at the other end can hear would be " he" and "o". With advancements in technology and better protocols, voice transmission over packet switched networks had gotten better. Skype, Google Hangouts and other VoIP services now offer better call quality. This greatly depends on the choice of transport protocol, the bandwidth of the links and the choice of the codec.

As 4G LTE uses a packet switched network to transmit data, there are two technologies that are used for voice calls,

1) CSFB or Circuit Switched Fall Back, when a user makes a voice call the mobile latches to a 3G or 2G network that is available to make the call. Data traffic is sent through the LTE network.

2) VoLTE or Voice over LTE, which is similar to VoIP and the voice traffic is packetized and sent through LTE. The operator will have to invest heavily in the network infrastructure to improve call quality on VoLTE.

Most operators who provide LTE services also have legacy services (2G or 3G) support in the area. This is why they prefer the CSFB option for voice calls.

Read More..