Okay, take a deep breath and exhale. Ready? Here we go:
The United Nations has this rather obscure agency called the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) who, together with several other international bodies, are best qualified to determine what is 4G and what isn’t. What is 4G must adhere to the standards of IMT-Advanced. Unfortunately, all the 4G hype we’ve read about so far is baloney. “Completely marketing” in the words of one analyst.
Understanding the Real 4G Standards
Real 4G, according to the standards of IMT-Advanced as decreed by the ITU, won’t be viable until a decade or more. By viable, we’re talking about gigabit-per-second wireless LAN speed and 100Mbps mobile applications. These standards are incredibly high and are designed to ensure that 4G technology provides a significant leap over previous generations in terms of speed, reliability, and overall performance.
According to the ITU, the only 4G networks that meet its criteria are LTE-Advanced and WiMax Release 2, both of which aren’t being hyped or scheduled to be rolled out soon. In fact, they’re under development and will remain so for some years. As for the AT&T-Verizon mashup touting the newfangled LTE and Sprint’s WiMax ambitions—nah, it’s not true 4G.
The Current State of 4G Technology
So, what are we using now if it’s not true 4G? The current networks branded as 4G by various carriers are actually more accurately described as 3.5G or 3.9G. These networks, such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and WiMax, do offer significant improvements over 3G networks, including faster data speeds and better connectivity. However, they do not meet the stringent requirements set by the ITU for true 4G.
For example, LTE, which is widely marketed as 4G, offers peak download speeds of up to 100Mbps under ideal conditions. While this is impressive, it falls short of the gigabit-per-second speeds required by IMT-Advanced standards. Similarly, WiMax, another technology often labeled as 4G, provides faster speeds than 3G but still does not reach the benchmarks set for true 4G.
Future Prospects and Developments
The future of 4G technology lies in the development and eventual deployment of LTE-Advanced and WiMax Release 2. These technologies promise to deliver the high speeds and performance levels that meet the ITU’s criteria for 4G. LTE-Advanced, for instance, aims to provide download speeds of up to 1Gbps for stationary users and 100Mbps for mobile users. WiMax Release 2 also targets similar performance levels, ensuring that users can enjoy seamless, high-speed connectivity regardless of their location.
However, the development and rollout of these technologies are still several years away. Researchers and engineers are working tirelessly to overcome the technical challenges and infrastructure requirements needed to make true 4G a reality. In the meantime, consumers can continue to enjoy the benefits of current LTE and WiMax networks, which still offer substantial improvements over older 3G technologies.
So yeah, this might come off as a downer but at least there’s more to look forward to in the future, right? The journey to true 4G is a marathon, not a sprint. While the current networks may not meet the strictest definitions of 4G, they still represent a significant step forward in mobile technology. As we look ahead, the promise of LTE-Advanced and WiMax Release 2 offers exciting possibilities for faster, more reliable wireless communication.
Via Gizmodo
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