What is the difference between 3G and 4G?

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks

So, can existing phones be converted to 4G or is this something that has to be built into a phone. For example, I have a Droid X, will there be an upgrade making it a 4G down the road?

4G phones do not exist yet. Now they market it that way, but they are not real yet.

Maybe this will help you?

http://www.techgoesstrong.com/why-4g-isnt-4g

 

[dejr_8]

I thought this was a good article about 3G v 4G


Phone buyer beware: 4G may not be for you

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40426959/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/

 

[bonoriffic]

Thanks

So, can existing phones be converted to 4G or is this something that has to be built into a phone. For example, I have a Droid X, will there be an upgrade making it a 4G down the road?

No existing phones can be upgraded to work on 4G at 4G speeds.

 

[bonoriffic]

4G phones do not exist yet. Now they market it that way, but they are not real yet.

Maybe this will help you?

http://www.techgoesstrong.com/why-4g-isnt-4g

4G phones exist. The article you referenced is wrong, as the ITU has changed their mind and WiMax and LTE count as 4G. This of course doesn't matter, as the ITU has no real authority over anything. Technically the "official" rules for basketball are the ones the Olympics uses with the crazy trapezoid lane. So I guess the NBA isn't playing basketball right? It all depends on whose authority you believe in, and nobody cares what the ITU has to say.

The people who actually work on 4G, such as myself, see 4G as technologies using OFDMA and similar antenna/spectrum usage.

So in short, using the ITU-R as the final authority or the industry defined terms, either way WiMAX (Sprint / Clear) and LTE (AT&T and Verizon) are 4G. And there are commercial available phones for 4G as well as modems.

 

[crazelion]

4G phones do not exist yet. Now they market it that way, but they are not real yet.

Maybe this will help you?

http://www.techgoesstrong.com/why-4g-isnt-4g

Thanks for posting this site. I book mark it for future reference.

 

[crazelion]

I'm in the Cleveland area and they have rolled out HSPA+ here and it really is great service as far as current cellular goes. You are right though about their lack of coverage. Your phone will still work just about everywhere because they are GSM and will use AT&T towers if need be but their data speeds will drop significantly if they are not in an HSPA+ area.

As for the voicemail issue on Verizon, if you have an Android phone you can use the Google Voice services voicemail as opposed to Verizon's. You will have your voicemails transcribed and texted to you (it is done via voice recognition so sometimes the results are comical) along with being emailed to you. You can also log into your Google account and listen to the actual voicemail from any computer. There is a Google Voice app for the iPhone and Windows Phone 7 but I am not sure how well they work as far as voicemail goes.

The best bet is to talk to some techie users in your area (general you) and you will usually come pretty close to a consensus on the best data speeds. Whether or not the best provider has the phone you really want is another issue but at least you'll go into the purchase with some knowledge.

I going set -up Google voice to my LG Prime now. Already have the Google app on there now.

 

[shortbun]

It's the next version of the product. After that comes 5G. Each comes with a few more bells and whistles.

This is the answer, the G stands for Generation. Some people here think it's giggabyte but the abbreviation for that is either 'gig' or 'GB.' The phone people(those who know) have given us a lot to think about. We are shopping for phones and have determined that only one out of four of us would come close to using or needing a 4G phone-yet, that's what all the phone companies are pushing. Good luck.

 

[Nolcrest]

And speaking of G's ... what the heck is that song on the radio all the kiddos listen to "Flying like a G6" ...

Pontiac makes a sporty car called G6 - but what do I know.