The difference between 3G and 4G

Excellent explanation about what is 3G and 4G, speed of the download  and different generation of wireless technologies by Craig Mathias.


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Calin

Calin is a network engineer, with more than 20 years of experience in designing, installing, troubleshooting, and maintaining large enterprise WAN and LAN networks.

21 thoughts on “The difference between 3G and 4G”

  1. Really interesting, but I do not agree about EDGE being 3G.
    From my knowledge GPRS is 2G and EDGE is 2.5G

  2. Hi Liviu! I know the same but look here:

    “2.5G provides some of the benefits of 3G (e.g. it is packet-switched) and can use some of the existing 2G infrastructure in GSM and CDMA networks. GPRS is a 2.5G technology used by GSM operators. Some protocols, such as EDGE for GSM and CDMA2000 1x-RTT for CDMA, can qualify as “3G” services (because they have a data rate of above 144 kbit/s), but are considered by most to be 2.5G services (or 2.75G which sounds even more sophisticated) because they are several times slower than “true” 3G services.”
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2.5G

    I believe that based on this topic you can start a never ending discussion (e.g. Windows vs. Linux :) )

    Thanks for comment!

  3. In my opinon the big difference is as follows:

    The 3 G used in WCDMA
    up to 5 Mhz as bandwhith whith only one frequency ( Indeed we have 2
    one for Uplink sense and the other is for the Downlink one)
    But the 3 g is
    interferences and noise sensitive meaning lowering capacity si our system

    is affected by noises
    The 4 G on LTE uses several sub carriers for some reasons like a way to fight some selectve interfrences affecting some frequencies we can cancel temporarily in one hand and in oher other

    we can also by serial to parallel change of the data before IFFT modulation to enlarge the duration of the symbol in order to prevent Intersymbol interferences

    The subcarriers ‘s choice is made deliberatly by time symbol as separation for the same goal

  4. What a wonderful explanation of the generational evolution of cell phone technologies! Who would have thought a few years ago that VoIP would fold into 4G? Thanks for this great presentation!

  5. Now the better question is, if everything will be IP based, will it be using the shrinking addresses of IPv4 or will we see an overhaul/implementation of IPv6 in the stack?

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