The "G" obviously stands for "Generation". 1G was analog, 2G was digital. 2G catered for mostly voice and text communication. With the advent of technologies like GPRS and EDGE (informally known as 2.5G and 2.75G respectively), the concept of 'mobile internet' was born. This was taken to the next level with 3G, which minimum consistent internet speeds of 144 Kbps, although the actual speed can go as high as 2 Mbps.
4G is supposed to be even faster. New generations usually bring new base technologies, more network capacity for more data per user, and the potential for better voice quality.
Internet Speed
The main difference between these 'generations' is their speed. A 3G network can give you speeds anywhere from 144 Kbps to 3.1 Mbps, depending on the carrier. It averages at around 0.5 to 1.5 Mbps. 4G, on the other hand varies. There are so many variants, including HSPA+21/42, WiMAX, and LTE. A 4G connection can potentially provide a data throughput of 100-300 Mbps, but it typically averages 2-12 is real life.
It all depends on the carrier. Carriers with more available radio spectrum for 3/4G and LTE can typically run faster networks than carriers with less spectrum, for instance. Although 4G has been defined, it hasn't been completely achieved. Some people consider LTE to be the only true 4G network, whereas some believe we're not there yet. Carriers are, however, trying to achieve true 4G standards and are fully advertising 4G.
Network coverage
Network coverage is a major issue when it comes to 3/4G networks. In the US. Verizon provides nationwide LTE coverage, but elsewhere in the world, carriers are still struggling to cover a majority of the areas with 3G and 4G networks. Buying a 4G phone in an area that doesn't even have 3G signals doesn't make much sense.
Many towns and cities around the world do not currently have a 3/4G network. In the UK, there are vast areas of some counties which don’t have a 3G reach. However, more masts are being built which aims to increase the number of tablets, smartphones and laptops that can connect to 3G. The reach of 4G is also minimal and some countries don’t have it yet. This is bound to change, especially as the world continues to crave a faster internet speed than what it has at the moment.
4G is supposed to be even faster. New generations usually bring new base technologies, more network capacity for more data per user, and the potential for better voice quality.
Internet Speed
The main difference between these 'generations' is their speed. A 3G network can give you speeds anywhere from 144 Kbps to 3.1 Mbps, depending on the carrier. It averages at around 0.5 to 1.5 Mbps. 4G, on the other hand varies. There are so many variants, including HSPA+21/42, WiMAX, and LTE. A 4G connection can potentially provide a data throughput of 100-300 Mbps, but it typically averages 2-12 is real life.
It all depends on the carrier. Carriers with more available radio spectrum for 3/4G and LTE can typically run faster networks than carriers with less spectrum, for instance. Although 4G has been defined, it hasn't been completely achieved. Some people consider LTE to be the only true 4G network, whereas some believe we're not there yet. Carriers are, however, trying to achieve true 4G standards and are fully advertising 4G.
Network coverage
Network coverage is a major issue when it comes to 3/4G networks. In the US. Verizon provides nationwide LTE coverage, but elsewhere in the world, carriers are still struggling to cover a majority of the areas with 3G and 4G networks. Buying a 4G phone in an area that doesn't even have 3G signals doesn't make much sense.
Many towns and cities around the world do not currently have a 3/4G network. In the UK, there are vast areas of some counties which don’t have a 3G reach. However, more masts are being built which aims to increase the number of tablets, smartphones and laptops that can connect to 3G. The reach of 4G is also minimal and some countries don’t have it yet. This is bound to change, especially as the world continues to crave a faster internet speed than what it has at the moment.
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