Representing the third and fourth generations of mobile technology respectively, 3G and 4G networks have many differences. Most notably, their rates of data transfer and signal quality are highly divergent. However, the implementation of 4G networks has faced many hurdles. Unlike 3G, 4G technology is not fully defined by governing bodies in charge of wireless technology.
- In reality, 4G networks do not exist as of the end of 2009. The system often referred to as "4G" is simply an advanced form of 3G, called 3.9G by the ITU. The official name designated by the organization for the technology is "3G Long-Term Evolution."
- 3G and 4G networks offer divergent levels of data transfer from sources to a device. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 3G provides 14 megabits per second (Mbit/s) download and 5.8 Mbit/s upload. This is compared to the projected minimum 100 Mbit/s transfer speed of 4G.
- According to the ITU, 3.9G networks use a form of antenna system known as spatial multiplexing. Using the smart antenna features from 3G technology, 3.9G deploys a number of these antenna both to transmit and to receive, allowing for a better signal.
- The first major milestone in the development of the 4G network occurred in February 2007. A Japanese company known as NTT DoCoMo achieved transmission rates of 5 gigabytes a second. Comparatively, 3G networks were launched in 2001 with little advancement beyond expanded service areas.
- The ITU standardized 3G networks for use with both circuit- and packet-based networks, meaning the data is transferred both through wired and wireless networks. 4G is set up to use the packet technology only, being the first generation of technology to be completely wireless.
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