Last Updated on June 23, 2022 by Tech Queries Team
These days every mobile manufacturer is introducing a 5G phone, and mobile operators are also trying to get the 5G technology first. It is so much hyped that consumers are also eager to get their hands on the 5G network. But, do you know What is the Difference Between 2G 3G 4G 5G? Today we will discuss each technology starting from 1G.
I would suggest you read the article How do Phones Work, so that you can understand the concept of this article in a better way.
Table of Contents
Difference Between 2G 3G 4G 5G:
The letter G indicates Generation of Network. There are several Generations of Networks like 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and the latest 5G. The technology is improved with each generation.
What is 1G?
The First Generation (1G) was introduced in 1979 but became available to the public in 1982. It had a very low data speed of 2-4Kb/Sec. There were many drawbacks in the first generation.
Analog signals were used to transmit data. The mobiles used to have an antenna on them, and people were only able to make a call. There was no internet, and you cant even send messages through 1G phone.
Furthermore, the 1G phones were heavy in size and had limited battery life.
What is 2G?
The Second Generation (2G) was improved and introduced in 1991. 2G became very popular at its time as people were able to make calls and text others. It was possible because 2G uses digital signals to transfer data. 2G used GSM Technology.
Even mobile companies like Nokia started to make featured mobile phones with amazing features like games, torch, etc. The mobile phones used to run on Java-powered OS back then. However, the speed of the 2G network was limited up to 64 Kb/Sec.
Later GPRS technology was introduced in 2G, which enabled web browsing and email services. It was called 2.5G.
What is 3G?
Then comes the revolutionary 3G Network, which offered speed in Mbps (Megabytes).
You might also want to check out the article where we explained the difference between MBps and Mbps.
As the speed of the 3G Network was up to 3 Mb/sec, people can also access the internet. The 3G network was initially introduced in 2002 in a few countries. But, it was available in most countries by 2008.
Also, there weren’t many devices that supported the technology. Mobile manufacturers started using the Symbian OS to provide a suitable user interface for the users.
However, with the release of the Android Operating System in 2008, the 3G network has grown exponentially. More and more mobile manufacturers started using the Android OS in their mobiles leaving behind the Symbian OS. Android Phones allowed users to download several apps, and it literally turned mobile phones into mini-computers.
Moreover, since the launch of YouTube took place in 2005, people started adapting to the 3G Service, and internet users all over the world have rapidly increased. Even today, you will find some people using 3G networks.
However, with 3G, people were having difficulties in browsing internet videos, as they used to buffer a lot. Therefore, several improvements had been made to the 3G network and released as 3.5G, 3.7G, etc.
Difference Between 4G and 5G?
What is a 4G network?
The craze of 3G networks was still fresh, but a more advanced Network was introduced around 2010 called 4G. Some countries adopted the 4G network in 2012, some in 2013, and some in 2015.
4G can provide a speed of up to 100 Mbps. Moreover, with 4G, you can even watch videos at 720p Resolution without any buffering. Besides that, video calls over the internet have become much smoother.
Read more about Types of Screen Resolutions.
What is LTE and VoLTE:
Initially, 4G used LTE Technology (Long Term Evolution). Having a speed of 100 Mbps, it was great for browsing the internet. However, it used Radio Frequency to transmit voice signals. Therefore, in the earlier days of 4G, people were having connectivity issues. The calls interfered, and it took longer to connect to a person.
Therefore, mobile operators started sending voice signals through LTE itself. Hence, the improved technology is called VoLTE (Voice-over Long Term Evolution).
What is the 5G network?
The latest generation of networks is 5G, which was first introduced in 2020, but it may not be available in your country yet.
5G claims to provide internet speed up to 1 Gb, which is 10 times faster than 4G.
5G provides high-speed internet and will allow you to watch videos in high quality without buffering. The data transfer between two 5G devices will be much faster compared to 4G.
We have explained What is 5G Technology in much detail in another article.
Also, you might be surprised to hear that 6G Network is already under development, and we will update you with all its features whenever it is available.
Frequently Asked Queries:
How Fast is 5G?
The initial version of 5G is launched and it offers up to 1 Gb of speed. However, it may improve over time and will be much faster.
Is 5G Better than 4G?
Yes. In every aspect, 5G is better than 4G. 5G is 10x faster than 4G and lets you browse the internet at high speed. Moreover, the voice quality of the call will also improve, and there will be fewer connectivity issues.
Will 4G Phones Work on 5G Network?
The short answer is No. 4G mobiles will not support the 5G network. 5G provides better features, and 5G phones are more expensive than 4G. However, you can use 2G, 3G, and 4G network on 5G phones.
Conclusion:
In this article, we have learned the Difference Between 2G 3G 4G 5G. We have also discussed briefly about LTE and VoLTE networks in 4G. Also, remember that when we talk about 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, we are talking about Telecommunications through mobile networks. So, which network technology are you currently using right now, 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G? Comment below and let us know.