Even if you’re not paying much attention to the fast-moving mobile world, you’ve probably seen some mention of 4G — and you’re likely to see a lot more in the coming week, as Mobile World Congress 2011 (MWC) gets underway in Barcelona.
Representing the next generation in mobile technology, 4G promises faster speed and better coverage. But it also represents a confusing mish-mash of competing standards and marketing speak — there is no single 4G technology. Wireless carriers and handset makers are busy jockeying for position, trying to prove why their breed of 4G is better than the rest. A slew of 4G phones is set to be launched at MWC.
We’ve sifted through the buzz words sea of acronyms to distill the facts about 4G into a single FAQ. If you have more questions, let us know — and watch for our full week of MWC coverage.
1. What is 4G, and why should I care?
In theory, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular communications, a successor to current cellular networks known as 3G (third generation). In practice, 4G is a combination of marketing speak and future tech. Most of the systems billed as “4G” could be more accurately called 3.5G, or 3.75G. But the plan is for these systems to upgrade to full 4G in the future.
The promise of 4G is two-fold. Cellular data speeds will be faster — 10x faster than current 3G speeds. And the technology can help solve the “last mile” dilemma (the difficult final leg of connecting customers to a network) that prevents rural areas from getting service. 4G data can move faster, and it can get to more people.
2. So how many flavors of 4G are there, and what are the advantages of each?
Currently, ad vertised 4G is really...
