Superbat Blog

What is 3G, 4G LTE and 5G VoLTE?

3G, 4G, 4G LTE and 5G VoLTE are frequently used terms associated with smartphones, but what does it all mean?  First, let’s clarify what the “G” stands for.  It simply represents which “Generation” the technology is on.  1G used analog technology in the ‘80’s; 2G used digital in the ‘90’s; and everything after that relies on signals that move from phone tower to phone tower over radio signals.

LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, and it is associated with the 4G and 5G wireless communications standard designed to provide higher speeds than the 3G networks for mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and wireless hotspots.

As if these designations were not complicated enough, there is the newest, VoLTE, which is the acronym for Voice over Long Term Evolution. And it is a service only provided over 4G and 5G LTE devices that are compatible to VoLTE. With VoLTE, voice is sent over “packet switching”; and call quality, volume, and data speed are improved considerably.

Which products and services they impact?

The technology refers to and requires upgrades to both the smart mobile device’s processor and the phone carriers’ networks.

Versions of 3G-5G LTE are usually one part of wireless data plan or cloud management service. Carriers will typically sell this data service with smartphones and other mobile communication devices as part of a bundle (as is the case with Verizon and AT&T).  Sellers will also provide the hardware alone in partnership with data carriers (with companies like SonicWall and Cradle point).

The move to 5G LTE technology doesn’t only affect quality and speed of voice and data, however; it makes it possible to move large amounts of data across the network in order to remotely control functions, such as self-driving cars and large industrial machines.  Also, rather than be designed just for smartphone usage, expands service to Internet-of-things (IoT) devices, such as Smart home appliances.

How they affect internet speed?

Technical writers claim that 4G devices and service speed commitments are unreliable when compared to the 3G and straight 4G products, but when you reach the 4G LTE, there is a significant increase in speed.  This has the most notable impact on the upload speeds of photos and video.

Generally, it’s cited that 4G is up to 10 times faster than 3G and 5G is anywhere from 10 to a possibly overstated 100 times faster than 4G.  Other variables that impact speed include:

• How many other users are sharing your network at any given time;

• Whether your device is stationary or moving;

• How close your device is to a phone tower;

• How clear the pathway is between the phone tower and your device;

• How many phone towers are present in your location (e.g. this is why people in rural areas struggle so much with reliable wireless service)

• How compatible your phone’s processor is to the network(s) in your location.

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