To understand how far we have come in the cellular network realm, we need to take a look back at when it all started in the 1980’s. This is when 1G was implemented and it did not support encryption, only reached speeds of 10 kbps, and could only make calls from a few select areas.

Today’s 3G versus 4G decision has many people upgrading their devices simply based on the belief that they will receive faster connection speeds to utilize while surfing the web or connecting via their new app. This is true, so long as you live in an area that provides a 4G network.

The “G” in 4G refers to generation and we have now entered the 4th generation in our cellular network advancements. The capabilities of a 4th generation network are greatly improved to that of 3G, but the average consumer probably won’t see the benefit of this right away. As 4G devices are being rolled out by service providers to the consumer, they are also in the process of upgrading their networks piece by piece.

This means that depending on where you are in the country, you may not have access to a 4G network on a daily basis, even though your phone is designed to use it. 4G is being deployed in highly populated and metropolitan areas first. The good news is that 4G phones are able to operate on any of the lower generation networks if that is all that is available. This is why a few other questions may seem a little more relevant when buying a new phone.

• How many towers does your service provider have in the area and what is your proximity to them in the places you are the most, such as at home or at work?
• How technically advanced is the hardware in the phone that you are looking at purchasing? Believe it or not, some of the 3G phones may outperform some of the newer 4G models simply based on hardware specifications and the coverage type in many areas.
• How many people are using the same towers that you are using?

The bottom line is that the generation of cellular network you are using is only part of what determines how fast the data appears in your hands. It is hard to determine the answer to question 3 but the answer can be loosely based on the population of the area you are in. 4G will certainly become the mainstream network type for most carriers in the United States but it may take up to a year or so for that transition to take place. Until then, several phone models will be released and revised as will the technology that provides the connections for them.

by Dillon Johnson, Remote Support Specialist for Data Network Group.