We must start paying the bill for our mobile telephones

The  big question is how we are going to meet the demands of increasing data  communication, at the same time as we have to limit our electricity  consumption, says Efrain Zenteno, researcher at Gävle University.

Our demands are greater and greater

We  live in a time when demands on data communication are increasing. We  have become used to talking for hours and even watching video films on  our mobiles. This results in an enormous need for data traffic using  wireless communication. Together with this is a seemingly contradictory  demand that causes a lot of stress in the world today - the need to  reduce our use of electricity.

"Both are needed,  but we must start paying the bill for our mobiles. We have to develop  more effective techniques and make it possible to use green  electricity", says Efrain Zenteno.

Cheaper and cheaper

We  also want cheaper and cheaper technology; better TV at a much lower  price, faster and cheaper mobile telephony. It has also become a matter  of equality since so many more people today have access to wireless  communication.

- In many places it is seen to be a  human right , on the same level as free speech. The idea is to have very  cheap technology which can be used by everybody.

- The problem is that such cheap technology has a tendency to be imperfect; it can mean bad images/bad coverage etc.

Small ”alterations”

-  We can now show that there are several techniques that would allow for  the use of small, cheap, powerful computers and that alter those flaws  generated by cheap software.

Computers have become so much cheaper and more powerful, they double their capacity periodically.

- This will help others to develop systems that are much cheaper and at the same time much more effective.

Satellites

The study is not limited to mobile communication, the theory matches several techniques.

Therefore, satellite techniques have been studied in exactly the same way as wireless mobile communication.

In  the case of satellites it is a question of how one can increase the  life span of the satellite and decrease their energy consumption; also  how one increases the number of TV channels in satellites. Satellites  are interesting technically because they are very specialized.

Satellites  do not use much energy either because they operate with a digital  signal that is not so energy-intensive. The mobile wireless traffic on  the other hand must transfer an analogue signal to the transmitter  antennas and that is energy-intensive.

- It is  extremely expensive to launch and run satellites. Everything that can be  done to maximise their life span and application would be really  profitable.

- Satellites have no energy resources other than those they had with them; they must exist with what they have on board.

A worldwide field of research

This  is a worldwide field of research where researchers try to reach the  same goals. The whole time research reports reveal small steps towards  more mature systems.

“My contribution is such a little step in that direction.”

Efrain Zenteno

Efrain comes from Arequipa, a city in the south part of Peru that borders onto Chile.

“It is much warmer than here, even though Areuipa lies 2,400 metres over sea level.”

Many  years ago he came to Gävle University as an exchange student. The  university he studied at in Peru had a partnership with Gävle University  at that time. It was 2006 and he took a Masters Degree in Electronics.

“My brother had studied in Canada, but I am the first in our family to have travelled so far.”

Sweden is not such a common destination for students in Peru.

“It  has been a fantastic experience for me to study at Gävle University,  but even to get an insight into how society works here in Sweden.”

He  feels that Sweden has come far in its development. And that everyone is  given a chance to contribute to the expansion of the country; an  example that many areas of the world should try and imitate.

“Sweden  is always in the forefront as far as the will to embrace and take on  board new technology, even compared with the U.S.A. This is one of the  biggest reasons why Sweden has reached such a leading position as far as  technological development is concerned.

I think  you were first with 4G, and you have such competent engineers who at the  same time are good at bringing the technology to an interested public.

In  the future I would like to continue to develop and spread my research. I  will look for places where there is that possibility.”

Efrain  Zenteno defended his thesis "Digital Compensation Techniques for  Transmitters in Wireless Communications Networks" at KTH on the 15th of  June.

For more information, please contact:
Efrain Zenteno, researcher in electronics at Gävle University
Tel: 026 - 645078, 073-4615867, 073-4807023
Email: efnzeo@hig.se or  zenteno@kth.se

Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo: Ove Wall