Most of us are familiar with the term 3G, which refers to the third generation of wireless technology standards used in the last three models of the iPhone (not to mention every other smartphone produced in recent years). But did you know that a lot of what carriers are currently touting as “4G” is actually just a souped-up version of 3G?
There’s plenty of confusion over the next generation of wireless technology, commonly referred to as “4G”. So what is it really, and what will it mean to the average consumer? Read on and let’s discover together.
“4G” isn’t an acronym, but rather refers to the speedier fourth generation of mobile wireless technology in the same way that the widely used 3G referred to the third generation. Unfortunately, the term “4G” has been hijacked by carriers eager to welcome the next generation of smartphone and tablet owners with open arms (and wallets) -- but unfortunately, what they’re currently selling is the modern equivalent of snake oil.
You’ve probably seen Sprint and Clearwire touting “4G speeds” with their WiMAX technology, as well as Verizon Wireless rolling out their “4G LTE” network across the country to much fanfare (with rival AT&T finally starting to do the same). But the reality is, neither of these technologies are technically “4G” in its purest sense.
Neither is HSPA+, a souped-up version of 3G capable of 21Mbps download speeds, even though few devices are actually equipped with radios to handle such bandwidth. T-Mobile has been the most aggressive at promoting their own brand of 4G, which is nothing more than HSPA+ -- yes, we’re afraid that cute little brunette in the ads has been lying to you.
In reality, all four of the major U.S. carriers are shamelessly promoting their services as 4G, with AT&T most audaciously releasing the latest webOS smartphone as the “HP Veer 4G” -- despite the fact that it maxes out at 14.4Mbps download, a far cry from theoretical maximum of 100Mbps that true mobile 4G is capable of, and even falling short of the 21Mbps download speed from their own HSPA+ network. (Never mind the fact that they’ve even barely started building their “4G” network as well.)
If the current incarnations of 4G are nothing more than a little white lie, the carriers would do well to learn from Hollywood’s example. Back in 1997 when the DVD format was introduced, studios and consumer electronics companies alike tripped over themselves with excitement, describing the new technology as “high definition” -- which, when compared to VHS and Betamax before it, wasn’t a total lie.
Flash-forward to the arrival of HD-DVD and Blu-ray in 2006, with both formats promising (and, to their credit, actually delivering) “true” high definition, only to be greeted by the yawns of a public who still found DVD “good enough” for them. HD-DVD fizzled out a mere two years later, and even now, Blu-ray is a hard sell to the public -- never mind with collectors fatigued at having to buy their favorite movies again and again on each new format touted as being “the best.”
The same thing is happening now within the wireless industry, with the older EDGE (aka “2G”) technology playing the role of VHS (or Betamax, take your pick) and most smartphone owners now comfortably enjoying the spoils of 3G, the “good enough” DVD of wireless. The difference is, none of the technology currently being marketed as 4G -- WiMAX, HSPA+ or LTE -- truly is, with the real “Blu-ray of wireless” still to come.
Unfortunately, today’s “4G” technologies are simply a long walk down the yellow brick road in the search for the Great Oz -- although the current LTE plans from both Verizon and AT&T are at least on the right path, since they ultimately lead to LTE Advanced, which promises to be the 4G we’ve all been waiting for.
LTE Advanced could start making its way into the world next year, but for now we’ll have to make do with the slow progress the carriers are making. Release 8 of the 3GPP standards for LTE Advanced support up to 300Mbps download speeds, but by Release 10 they’re expected to top out at a whopping 1Gbps, with peak upload speeds of 500Mbps. Who wouldn’t like to feel those speeds on their smartphone or tablet, right?
The problem is, by the time LTE Advanced is here, we’ll all have heard the term “4G” bandied about so much it may not mean much anymore. Verizon Wireless is making a big show out of its “4G LTE” network build out, but what will customers think when they finally flip the switch on the real McCoy?
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