What is the difference between 3G and 4G?

Posted in android

New 4G phones and tablets coming out - the Motorola Atrix 4G, Droid Bionic and LG's Revolution. So, the next generation of mobile networks (4G) is coming but do you know what the difference is?

Why do we care about 4G when we have 3G?

4G stands for the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It's the successor to the older 3G and 2G standards. The major improvements 4G provides are both speed and security. 4G is still in its infancy and only a handful of countries support 4G but like 3G before, 4G will come to fruition.

4G Overview

The 4G network provides network speeds as fast as your home broadband (or even surpass it!).
4G download rates up to 100 Mbps and uplink speeds of at least 50 Mbps during peak periods.
4G provides a secure all-IP based solution which avoids the weaknesses of the 3G model (KASUMI cipher crypto).

4G was designed as a mobile broadband solution for smartphones, laptops and mobile devices. In fact the next generation of tablet computers (which everyone is raving about) will run on 4G networks. Apples next iPhone will run on the new 4G network, probably sometime in 2011. As Android continues to grow, Android tablets will rely on the 4G network for a faster user experience.

4G could eventually replace the traditional desktop PC internet experience as the mobile and table markets continue to grow.

Which counties can you use 4G?

4G is currently only available in some parts of the US, Russia and Sweden. However, plans to introduce 4G globally are underway. The UK will probably see 4G in 2012 but like the broadband roll out, it'll probably be late!