Every day our life accelerates, and the information atmosphere is condensed. Today, few are satisfied that they simply stay in touch with their mobile phone, now everyone wants to be fully included in the information space. Chats, social networks, video calls - all these charms require that you have a permanent Internet connection. It is not difficult to ensure permanent access to the Network, even very inexpensive phone models have access via EDGE and GPRS. And if we talk about high-speed connection, then everything is quite difficult, since there is a choice. And this is always painful.
Primary sources
The most simple and common way to provide yourself with mobile Internet is mobile communications of GPRS, EDGE and 3G standards. The latter cannot be called simply a standard. This is a collective term that hides a whole set of standards. If the device has support for 3G, 4G, then it is able to provide its owner with access to the Internet at the highest speed. If problems arise with such a signal, the equipment will easily switch to the earlier EDGE or GPRS standard. According to the cellular operators themselves, the 3G network is ubiquitous. But in practice, everything is not so rosy. There are many problems associated with heterogeneous factors, including even the topography, natural phenomena and solar exposure. Before you think about how 3G differs from 4G, you need to understand a lot of nuances.
Versatility
3G-Internet is currently the most common option, so 99% of devices work with this standard. Previously, mobile Internet was the easiest way to empty a wallet, and now operators are ready to offer their customers various tariff plans.
If we talk about how 3G differs from 4G, then, oddly enough, speed is an important factor. The more people connect to the channel, the less will be its bandwidth. If we add to this complex problems with coverage areas, then only a third of the theoretical speed can be calculated. However, this is relevant only for areas with a high density of subscribers - for densely populated areas and cities, as well as when driving. In other conditions, speed sometimes jumps to record levels.
Other options
Before talking about how 3G differs from 4G, we should dwell on the proposals of operators working with the CDMA standard. The specifics of this technology suggests a completely different solution to the problem of channel loading and the number of users. Signal quality and availability depend, as in other cases, on a number of factors. However, these indicators are much better when using CDMA technology than when using GSM. Under ideal conditions, the maximum speed is up to 3.2 megabits per second.
It is worth noting that the 3G, 4G, CDMA routers are not as diverse as when using GSM. However, if you wish, here you can find "your" device, which will be convenient for you to operate.
LTE Networks
Before telling about how 3G differs from 4G, it is worth mentioning about LTE networks, which were launched not so long ago by several operators in Russia. All over the world this standard has been in force for several years. The problem of using these networks in Russia is that all foreign devices operate in a completely different frequency range. But Russian operators offer their customers to choose the right equipment for the user of such networks, as well as the optimal tariff plan and a favorable coverage area. Users can choose from a whole range of devices, including USB modems and Wi-Fi routers with built-in batteries, which you can put in your bag and not worry that there will be problems connecting to the Internet during the trip. There are standard routers that can be connected to the urban power network and used at home.
4G coverage area
So what is the difference between 3G and 4G? It is worth noting that both networks have well-defined coverage areas. In the second case, the problem is the low prevalence of the network, in most cases 4G can only be used in large cities. In Moscow and the Moscow Region, coverage will be fragmented. The first of the operators developing a new type of coverage was Megafon. And now he has the maximum coverage over the entire Russian territory. It is important to understand that 3G / 4G switching occurs gradually, therefore the coverage area will grow with time. On the website of each mobile operator there is always relevant information about the coverage area.
The MTS company in Moscow and the Moscow Region secured a second place in coverage, which became possible due to the active development of the network. The minimum zone for the Beeline operator, since it joined the "race" later than all.
Price
So, the difference between 3G and 4G is in the implementation approach itself, however, the price is another significant factor in the case of using both networks. The 4G speed is not limited to the mobile operator itself, but depends on how busy the network is at the moment. The user can purchase any tariff plan, while its cost will depend on the available traffic.
Equipment
Wireless 3G or 4G Internet serves as an alternative to wired Internet. This is especially true where the services of wire providers are not available. For example, if you own a summer house or apartment in a new building, then access to good high-speed Internet will not hurt you. In such a situation, the best solution would be to use a 3G or 4G router. It is useful not only for organizing the distribution of wireless Internet over Wi-Fi, but also for obtaining stable access to the Network where signal reception is uncertain. For this, an external antenna or antenna amplifier is used.
What is 3G?
3G is a wireless technology that has many advantages over previous generations. Some factors distinguish it, in particular, high-speed transmission, modern multimedia capabilities, as well as global roaming. This technology is used to connect mobile phones to the Internet or other IP networks, so that consumers have the opportunity for voice or video communications, as well as using the Internet and downloading files.
What is 4G?
If we talk about the difference between 3G and 4G, then, in fact, the main criterion will be that the latest standard uses a new frequency range, while there is no backward compatibility of technologies. 4G is focused on providing comprehensive security for all IP solutions (IP telephony, gaming services, broadband Internet access, as well as multimedia streaming).
4G and 3G
For a better understanding of the difference between these two technologies, certain points need to be considered.
The very first comparison point is speed. It is difficult to name the standard for which it is better. In the first case, as mentioned earlier, the speed is directly dependent on network coverage. 4G is 10 times faster than 3G. It all depends on the equipment used to amplify signals and transmit data.
The advent of 3G allowed users to simultaneously talk on the phone and transmit data at high speed. In the case of 4G, the transmission speed has increased significantly, in addition, consumers have the opportunity to use multimedia content directly from the Internet and play online games. The conversation and data transfer functions in both cases work simultaneously.
Transmission technology
3G uses data channels of network nodes and packets for data transmission. In 4G only packet switching is applied. If we compare the bandwidth of both networks, then there is no difference. In 4G, all calls use IP telephony, which is not available on 3G networks.
For both networks, the data transfer speed is approximately the same and is at the level of 5-20 Mbit / s.
Output
Of course, 4G is a more advanced technology, but its full implementation has not yet been completed, so users cannot appreciate all the benefits. Since support for 3G, 4G is not yet developed enough to move to a new level, all services that should be available to users are at the initial implementation stage. The networks of the latest generation still have a lot of features that have not been fully studied, and modern equipment is becoming more complicated every day, so all the advantages of the technology will become apparent only after a while, and then it will be possible to compare 3G and 4G Internet in full.