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Can someone explain "4G".

HTCTundaBow

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2011
180
17
Ga
I keep hearing that 4G isn't really "4G", and that it's just a high speed 3G with a marketing twist.

"4G hasn't been defined, so no one is actually selling "4G". They're just selling you high speed 3G."

"Its still 3g, its just marketing term they're using
ITU Requirements and 4G wireless standards

Peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless access, according to the ITU requirements."


someone care to chime in? I thought VZW was "REAL" 4G unlike the other "4g" networks.
 
4G only stands for 4th Generation. IE This is the 4th go around of updating the network technology. Some carriers use different technologies but it is still their 4th version.

Verizon uses LTE which is considered the global standard. Basically big red put up the most cash at auction to buy one big consecutive chunk of the LTE spectrum. ATT and I think Tmobile (well someone) bought larges pieces as well but these pieces are non linear. This gives Verizon an advantage from the get go. You can watch speed tests online that show how much faster VZW actually is. Some companies use WIMAX and others use HSPA+ ( or something like that) the latter of which is used in 3g already today.

So technically Verizon is 'REAL' 4g.

Hope this sheds some light :)
 
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Clarkkent is completely wrong. RCpratt is correct.

There IS a 4g standard. The ITU (www.itu.int) is the governing body that determines mobile standards. 4g has many stipulations to be considered 4g, some of the key items are:

1. minimum 100mbps speed on a mobile (moving) connection
2. minimum 1gbps speed on a stationary (still) connection
3. data network with voice flowing over the data connection
4. lower cost per gig of data than 3g


As you can see Verizon's LTE service doesn't even meet any of those standards. We get voice and data, but not through a VoIP style connection. But there is a problem for the vendors. What do you call your service that is NOT 3g, but isn't 4g?

That's the problem. 3g is a STRICTLY defined standard. And according to the ITU Verizon's LTE isn't 3g. But it is definately NOT 4g either. So what do you call it?

So that's the delima. And as a side note, I have a friend who works in the advertising business. That friend got a cease and desist letter from the FCC and FTC for any and all advertising of current cell service (including Verizon's LTE) as *4g*. The claim was an investigation of "False Advertising via deceptive methods; specifically manipulation of standards".

The lawyers believe that T-Mobile and AT&T are going to loose, because their "4g" is really just fast 3g (it still fits the 3g standard). But since Verizon and Sprint have technologies that aren't 3g and aren't 4g, they may be allowed to continue calling theirs 4g.

This could also be the recent development of AT&T and T-Mobile's even more urgent commitment to LTE service by July 2011....

----------------------------------------------------------------------

References: ITU, Engadget article on 3g vs 4g, FTC False Advertising WIKI
 
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ATT and I think Tmobile (well someone) bought larges pieces as well but these pieces are non linear. This gives Verizon an advantage from the get go. You can watch speed tests online that show how much faster VZW actually is. Some companies use WIMAX and others use HSPA+ ( or something like that) the latter of which is used in 3g already today.

Well AT&T is trying to buy T-Mobile so... advantage might go to AT&T.
 
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The 4G on my thunderbolt is as fast as I need an internet connection, that's all I know. When I was on 3G, the speed left a bit to be desired. Improvement? Yes. A big one.

Seriously, does anyone have a need for 100 Mbps? On a phone? WTH for?

LTE goes through walls like they aren't there, also. I like that.

100mb/s is for porn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IraQfhlMwi4
 
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I fully understand. If you want to be a smart ass. 2G,3G,4G are just marketing terms to allude to newer evolutions of the network. Much the way "Pentiums" are marketed. I say VZW is true 4G because it is a completely new network from ground up instead of enhanced existing. You don't need to be an ass.


No, I am not being a smartest, and the 2g 3g and 4g standards are more than marketing terms. They are standards, just like http is a standard, and html5 is a standard.
 
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Mushroomstamp...VZW doesn't have true 4g either. Go read the ITU 4g standard before talking about things you don't understand.

Yep you are correct about the ITU, however didn't the ITU come out and state that LTE could be considered as true 4G? What is interesting me right now is that Best Buy and Cricket have just signed on with a company (and for the life of me I can't remember the companies name) that has created the tech to put the radio towers into cubes that can be mounted on light poles, from what I have read it is true 4G and will be able to have a stronger signal then what VZW is using now.

So we might be seeing Best Buy and Cricket as the first providers to use TRUE 4G tech.
 
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Yep you are correct about the ITU, however didn't the ITU come out and state that LTE could be considered as true 4G? What is interesting me right now is that Best Buy and Cricket have just signed on with a company (and for the life of me I can't remember the companies name) that has created the tech to put the radio towers into cubes that can be mounted on light poles, from what I have read it is true 4G and will be able to have a stronger signal then what VZW is using now.

So we might be seeing Best Buy and Cricket as the first providers to use TRUE 4G tech.


LTE(advanced) is the true 4g service. LTE is not.
 
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VZW is the only true 4G the others are just 3G with enhanced Backend. Sprint technically is 4G but it uses WiMaxx and is not as good as LTE (long term evolution). ATT is flat out lying to customers about having 4G. They are still using their old equipment with boosters on the backend.
ATT talking about 4G is because they're in the process of taking over T-Mobile. Thats how they got around that.

anyways, none of it is real 4G. But what do they call it....super 3G?? Nobody wants to buy that. And its terrible for marketing a super 3G.

Call it 4G and us dumb Americans will buy into it. Its fast so we dont care. Faster than most peoples home internet so whatever.
 
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