View Full Version : 4G is a myth (and a confusing mess)
As we are in "the season", I think this article may save you a couple Sheckles..
I do understand the why's and howfor's of rolling out technology that is not ready for prime time.
It's $$$$$$$$$.
Cavity Empty... (if you can't see the bottom,, you're in over your head..)
4G is a myth (and a confusing mess), By David Goldman, staff writer, First Published: December 1, 2010: 8:42 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- You've seen the 4G advertisements from T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, bragging about a much-better wireless network with blazing fast speeds.
Here's the secret the carriers don't advertise: 4G is a myth. Like the unicorn, it hasn't been spotted anywhere in the wild just yet -- and won't be any time in the near future.
The International Telecommunication Union, the global wireless standards-setting organization, determined last month that 4G is defined as a network capable of download speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps). That's fast enough to download an average high-definition movie in about three minutes.
None of the new networks the carriers are rolling out meet that standard.
continued...
http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/01/technology/4g_myth/index.htm?cnn=yes&hpt=C2
CombatMuffin
12-02-2010, 09:45
Thanks for the article, sir. Some friends of mine are going to be unhappy knowing they bought a racecar with no roads to drive on.
Not only is 4G not available, it is FAR from it. 4G is almost 10 times faster that the current expanded networks, according to that article. What they are selling is misleading: They could have called it 3.5G, 3G+, 3G++, anything....
....but instead, they opt to pretend they have technology they don't, and might even vanish the 4G term. Ouch.
You need a lawyer,, but they are selling 4G (large) phones,, with a lot/little PR about "their" 4g (small) networks..
I am sure that if you bring out the 10X eye loop, you will see that they do not guarantee the 4G network availability,
but when they have sole a bazillion 4G phones they will be able to afford to up-grade to a 4G network..
:munchin
IME, Sprint is especially misleading when it comes to 4G. As early as 2004, they've been saying "Our 4G network is in testing in select cities and we intend to expand it next fall." Six years later....:rolleyes:
Moreover, early reports that 4G devices and plans would cost less than 3G products and services have proven unfounded.
perdurabo
12-02-2010, 10:57
It's important to add that AT&T has HSPA+ deployed to much of its coverage areas. But unlike T-Mobile, it doesn't call its HSPA+ implementation "4G".
As far as the "next generation", I think Verizon Wireless is the closest. They flip on their first LTE transceivers (mostly in major metros and airports) on 12/5. LTE is truly next generation. It's a big step towards LTE Advanced, which should formally fall under the "4G" guidelines.
RockSolid
12-02-2010, 11:26
Another little fun factoid is Sprint mandates a extra 10$ monthly charge for 4g. No matter if you have 4g coverage in your city or not. Simply just because you have a 4g capable device. IMO the only people who will actually fulfill promises in a timely manner will be Verizon. They consistently sink the most money in there network year after year.
spherojon
12-02-2010, 16:16
It's important to add that AT&T has HSPA+ deployed to much of its coverage areas. But unlike T-Mobile, it doesn't call its HSPA+ implementation "4G".
As far as the "next generation", I think Verizon Wireless is the closest. They flip on their first LTE transceivers (mostly in major metros and airports) on 12/5. LTE is truly next generation. It's a big step towards LTE Advanced, which should formally fall under the "4G" guidelines.
AT&T Mobility has stated that they intend to upgrade to LTE as their 4G technology in 2011, but will introduce HSUPA and HSPA+ as bridge standards.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080610191131/http://www.telecoms.com/itmgcontent/tcoms/news/articles/20017502859.html
My money is still on AT&T. It will be interesting to see the data storm on the Verizon network when the Verizon iPhone comes out in 2011. Buy stock in Verizon?
As far as the "next generation", I think Verizon Wireless is the closest. They flip on their first LTE transceivers (mostly in major metros and airports) on 12/5. LTE is truly next generation. It's a big step towards LTE Advanced, which should formally fall under the "4G" guidelines.
Verizon 4G cities map (http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/verizon-lte-markets.jpg) that includes WDC and Baltimore. Very nice. The news just announced that the entire Verizon network will be upgraded by 2013.
perdurabo
12-02-2010, 17:45
It will be interesting to see the data storm on the Verizon network when the Verizon iPhone comes out in 2011. Buy stock in Verizon?
Agreed. I think Verizon will be getting a serious wake up call. AT&T put serious efforts into upgrading its network to handle the additional load.
You will almost never reach the maximum download speed of a network regardless of the device.
A good example to illustrate this is almost all modern NIC / ethernet ports are capable of 100mbs but you are almost assuredly not getting that speed even if you are paying for the highest rated internet service.
Go to speedtest.net and run the test. If you are getting download speeds anywhere near the speed you are paying for I would be surprised unless you are paying for the slowest internet connection offered by your provider.
I pay for "max speed" from my provider which claims between 50-100 mbs download, but the most I have ever gotten is 9mbs.
This article also illustrates the problem with Verison's FIOS, while the network may be extremely fast there is almost no hardware available that can handle it. Furthermore, in order to take advantage of the speeds you have to upgrade all of your hardware as communication would be interuppted if you only changed certain ports on your network.
YMMV :cool: