3G vs 4G

(SA)
3G and 4G are standards for mobile communication. Standards specify how the airwaves must be used for
transmitting information (voice and data). 3G (or 3rd Generation) was launched in Japan in 2001. As recently as mid-
2010, the networks for most wireless carriers in the U.S. were 3G. 3G networks were a significant improvement over
2G networks, offering higher speeds for data transfer. The improvement that 4G offers over 3G is often less
pronounced. Analysts use the analogy of standard vs  Hi-Def TV to describe the difference between 3G and 4G.
Comparison chart

Improve this chart 3G 4G

Data Throughput: Up to 3.1mbps Practically speaking, 3 to 5 mbps

but potential estimated at a range
of 100 to 300 mbps.

Peak Upload Rate: 50 Mbit/s 500 Mbit/s

Peak Download 100 Mbit/s 1 Gbit/s

Rate:

Switching packet switching packet switching, message

Technique: switching

Network Wide Area Cell Based Integration of wireless LAN and

Architecture: Wide area.

Services And CDMA 2000, UMTS, EDGE etc Wimax2 and LTE-Advance
Applications:

Forward error 3G uses Turbo codes for error Concatenated codes are used for
correction (FEC): correction. error corrections in 4G.

Frequency Band: 1.8 – 2.5GHz 2 – 8GHz

4G Speed vs. 3G
How much faster is 4G compared to 3G? Unfortunately for consumers, the answer to this question is more nuanced
than one would like. The speed of a 3G network depends upon how it is implemented. In the US, by 2010 Sprint and
Verizon (both CDMA networks) had reached the limits of how fast they could make their 3G networks. Upgrading to
4G networks allowed them to offer data transmission speeds up to four times faster than their 3G networks.
However, the 3G networks of GSM carriers AT&T and T-Mobile were designed such that there was room to upgrade
3G speeds. As of mid-2010, it is anticipated that when AT&T and T-Mobile upgrade their 3G networks, their speeds
will become comparable to 4G from Sprint and Verizon.
Speed Test Results
Results from a speed test comparing Sprint's 4G and 3G networks (using a Samsung Epic 4G phone) and AT&T's 3G
network (using a Dell Streak) show that Sprint 4G is considerably faster than both Sprint 3G and AT&T 3G. These test
results were posted in October 2010.
Design Principle and Applications
Both 2G and 3G networks were designed primarily for voice communications rather than data. On the other hand,
4G is designed especially for data transmission rather than voice. So 4G offers faster access to data using mobile
phones. For example, streaming video works better with 4G, with less stuttering and a higher resolution. Similarly,
video conferencing and multi-player online games work better with the faster data transmission offered by 4G.
Relevance
MIT engineer Keith Winstein wrote an illuminating blog post about how the speed you ultimately experience on your
mobile phone depends much more on other factors than 3G or 4G. In theory, newer technologies offer performance
improvements. However, 3G and 4G refer to the communication protocol between the mobile handset and the cell
phone tower. So it's only one piece of the puzzle. The throughput rate and browsing speed also depend upon factors
such as:
how many cell phone towers are in the vicinity
how many users are sharing these towers
the bandwidth available to to these cellphone towers to connect to the Internet or the carrier's network.
Marketing 3G or 4G is easier for wireless carriers than promising (and providing) a minimum throughput rate for
data transfer.