4G: Truth Behind The Hype
Why We Want 4G
We don't know! In fact, we don't know what 4G is but we want it anyway. It looks as if it is more sophisticated than its predecessor 3G and all the high-end mobiles boast about it. There is such a buzz in the media about it. Sprint already has it; T-Mobile and Verizon are going to get it. So immediately we jump to the conclusion that it's new, so it must be fancy, and we must buy it right away.
But Why We Still Use 3G
Wait! The truth is that you are fine with 3G for the time being. In fact, we can safely say that right through to mid-2011 you won't need 4G. That's because companies like Verizon Wireless are upgrading their wireless services to 4G but they won't launch their phones until mid-2011.
But there is no guarantee that the first models will be the best ones so you can upgrade your mobile even later since Verizon and other companies will be marketing 4G for years to come.
Who Will Use 4G?
Before we invest in 4G technology, let's find out what we can expect and what it is: 4G offers faster Internet access. So if you are one of those people who are happy to be online on your PC or if you are in any case connected to the Web all day long on your laptop then you need not bother with 4G at all.
But if you have purchased a state-of-art mobile and are hoping that it will substitute for a PC or if it is already your primary Internet access device, then read on.
What is 4G?
We don't know. Actually, no one does. There is no clear definition about it and everyone is exploiting this complete lack of knowledge to market their products. So let's try and figure out what it is, using some logic.
"G" stands for a generation of wireless technology, and obviously every generation will offer better and faster speeds and each generation is incompatible with previous generations. This means, if your phone is on a 2G system (like most phones) then you cannot use 3G on it and so on. Most 2G mobiles access the Internet at speeds slower than 200 Kbps, whereas 3G offers speeds in excess of 384 Kbps.
4G promises speeds of 5+ Mbps. This is even faster than a regular Internet connection at home! But some 3G systems are being upgraded to offer speeds that are faster than 4G, for example, T-Mobile's 3G runs at 7 Mbps and they have plans to quadruple it before long.
But 4G has other advantages since it can be used on all sorts of devices like a cam, digital photo frames and so on. It will not have the bandwidth limits that most 3G systems have and it will have more capabilities.
