Everyone has heard about it over the last year, especially in the last couple months as more and more commercials hammer the terminology into the modern, casual vernacular. It is impossible these days to not come across some sort of wireless
Internet or cell phone service advertisement without the mention of 4G. And although most people just smile and nod their head when hearing about the revolutionary new mobile broadband network, many simply have no idea what 4G is. However, they are eager to learn.
Basically, that popular term that litters the subculture of the techno-savvy stands for fourth generation, as in the fourth generation of cell phone
technology. Of course, the actual term is pretty broad, incorporating a slew of precise definitions including International
Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (
IMT Advanced) as well as specific specs as to what constitutes and separates it from other digital networks. But in order to avoid complications, fourth generation will do. In fact, all cellular technology has been classified under a specific "generation." Those retro, 80s-style phones that
Gordon Gekko popularized in the hit movie "
Wall Street" can be considered 1G, since they utilized an analog signal. Once 2G hit in the 1990s, analog transferred to digital and a decade later 3G came along, beginning to incorporate faster connection speeds as well as Internet capabilities.
What makes the fourth generation so unique, however, are the actual innovative features that make its predecessors seem archaic with regards to the modern, fast-paced technological world. With peak data rates ranging around 100Mbits per second and bandwidths within 40MHz, the network provides portable devices such as smart phones and laptops the ability to download a wide array of large files from the Internet. Most of the technology is
HD compatible, so even high-res videos can be streamed with ease, something that 3G devices could not do. Plus, with regards to cell phone conversations, connections are more reliable and calls are crystal clear. Dropped calls are slowly becoming a thing of the past.
So, the next question for any interested consumer is the following: is investing in 4G devices a wise decision? Well, considering the facts that technology moves at such a fast pace, as of now it seems that the investment is sound. Talks are in place for the eventual development of 5G - heck,
Web sites have already been started to prep for its future release - but the actual innovation seems to still be a few years down the road. The real reason to upgrade and invest in the new "generation" of devices is the simple fact that not keeping up with the modern world can seriously leave repercussions on an individual's work and social life. It sounds a bit drastic and ignorant to say, but with more and more industries slowly transitioning to the digital world and more and more people utilizing
MySpace and
Facebook on a day-to-day basis, the upgrade is now essential. Keeping up with modern with this high-speed, constantly connected world is no longer a choice; it is a necessity. Therefore, investing in the newest technology and possessing a bit of knowledge about its functionality is not only a great way to stay in the loop, so to speak, but also a manner of staying prepared for wherever the future leads.
Let 4g internet and education guide you through the constant changes in the technological world. The knowledge of mobile broadband combined with clear wireless internet 4g devices guarantees to keep any consumer "in the loop" with regards to modern society.
