Difference between 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G technology
Since Motorola introduced the first commercial mobile phone in 1983, mobile technology has come a long way. Be it technology, protocols, services offered, or speed, changes in mobile telephony have been recorded as the generation of mobile communication. Here we will discuss the basic characteristics of these generations which distinguish them from previous generations.
1G Technology
1G refers to the first generation of wireless mobile communications where analog signals were used to transmit data. It was introduced in the US in the early 1980s and was designed specifically for voice communication.
- Some features of 1G communication are -
- Speed up to 2.4 kbps
- Voice quality
- Large phones with limited battery
- No data protection
2G Technology
2G refers to the second generation of mobile telephony that first used digital signals. It was launched in Finland in 1991 and used GSM technology. The 2G network came in the form of the Semi Global Roaming System, which enabled connectivity across the globe. The 2G technology maintains adequate protection for both the sender and receiver. This digital encryption allows data to be transferred in such a way that only the intended receiver can receive and read it.
Some of the salient features of 2G communication are -
- It has data speeds up to 64 kbps.
- It is possible to send text and multimedia messages
- Better quality than 1g
When GPRS technology was introduced, it enabled web browsing, e-mail services, and faster upload/download speeds. 2G with GPRS is also called 2.5G, which is a small step for the next mobile generation.
3G Technology
The first pre-commercial 3G network was launched in 1998 by NTT DoCoMo in Japan, the third generation of mobile telephony (3G) began with the dawn of the new millennium and offered major advances over previous generations. 3G technology adds multimedia features to 2G phones by allowing video, audio, and graphics applications to be transmitted over the network. On 3G phones, you can stream video or make a video call. 3G is also known as IMT-2000.
Some of the characteristics of this generation are -
- Data speeds from 144 kbps to 2 Mbps
- High-speed web browsing
- Running web-based applications like video conferencing, multimedia e-mail, etc.
- Fast and easy transfer of audio and video files
- 3d gaming
Every coin has two sides. Here are some downsides of 3G technology -
- Expensive mobile phones
- High infrastructure costs such as license fees and mobile towers
- Trained personnel required for established infrastructure
The intermediate generation, 3.5G, simultaneously disseminated mobile telephony and data technologies and paved the way for the next generation of mobile communications.
4G Technology
Fourth generation (4G) mobile communication was introduced in 2011, keeping the trend of a new mobile generation every decade. It provides ultra-broadband Internet access for mobile devices. The high data transfer rates and even USB for Internet access make the 4G network suitable for use in wireless modems.
Its main features are -
- Speed from 1 MBPS to 100 MBPS
- Mobile web access
- High definition mobile tv
- Cloud Computing
- Ip telephony