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What are the differences between 4G and LTE networks and which is faster?

What are the differences between 4G and LTE networks and which is faster?

While it is true, telephones have surpassed themselves at high speed and with it the communication systems. In the beginning these began to be used with a purpose, “always be connected”, so they only served to make calls and send text messages. But as time went by they incorporated a new tool, such as a calculator, an alarm, a camera and so on, until they became almost an accessory and a fundamental element in us.

With the arrival of the digital era, new telecommunications were born, As is the case with 2G technology (GPRS), it made it easier for people to navigate. At the time it was a great feat, as it handled a maximum speed of 54 KB / s, something that was considered fast at the time. After this came 3G that made it much easier to be connected to the internet, it had a speed of 2 MB / s. Today we have 4G and soon a 5G.

They totally changed the meaning we had of these devices, since we all currently use smart equipment and depend on this and the type of connection to explore with our data. In this article below we will detail a little more of these networks. We will also give you a brief explanation of the standard for LTE communications, since many tend to confuse this terminology.

What is the 4G mobile connection and what characteristics does it have?

conexión móvil 4G

Mainly you should know that this acronym is called “ Fourth generation ” and refers to a type of internet connection. It is a descendant of 2G and 3G . The main advantage that this has over those mentioned above is that it reaches much faster speeds, almost 20 times faster, approximately 100 MB in motion and up to 1 GB at rest . It is based on the “ IP Protocol “, which means that it is a system and a network that works by connecting cable and wireless networks.

Keep in mind that 4G does not work alone. Well, for this bandwidth increase you have to act with LTE technology, which thanks to its range can reach 300 Mbps. With this improvement you will no longer imagine uploading a photo to Instagram or Facebook quickly, since today, it is a reality to be able to perform any type of activity, from surfing the internet, making video calls, researching and much more without inconvenience.

Among its features we can point out:

  • Service compatibility with IMT and fixed networks.
  • Compatibility with the IPv6 protocol.
  • High quality of services mobile.
  • Roaming worldwide.
  • Speeds of 100 Mb / s for high mobility and 1 Gb / s for low mobility.

What is the LTE connection and what features does it have?

conexión LTE

The acronym LTE responds to the English term “ Long Term Evolution ” which is Spanish means “Long Term Evolution”. This is about broadband technology for the transmission of data that gives access to the internet on mobile devices. That is, it is a standard connection that is used for uploading and downloading network data.

This has been a controversial issue and it is because of the fact that many people tend to use it as a synonym for 4G, placing it 4GLTE. Even many companies share it, one of them is Vodafone . But the truth is that they are not the same. Although, you could say that LTE is a technology integrated to 4G, but let’s understand that it works with LTE Advance that reaches 1 GB / s of speed.

It was born to meet the needs that users required by having a more efficient connection that allowed them to perform optimal searches. In turn to create an easier and low-cost standard and to safeguard the competitiveness that 3G can generate in the future.

In a nutshell, LTE is an evolution of the GSM / UMTS standards, one of the technologies most used by 4G, this help that the latter generates faster. Therefore, the term should not be confused, since 4G is the fourth generation of networks in itself and LTE is a complementary technology.

Among its features are:

  • Grant high bit rates with low latency and compatibility with other 3GPP technologies.
  • Use an IP-based protocol, which gives easier development.
  • It is an improvement of the old mobile network technology CDMA and GSM.
  • The LTE network has a band of Flexible frequency between 1.4MHz and 2.6GHz.
  • You can work in many different frequency bands.

Main differences between 4G and LTE networks

As we have commented throughout this article, many think that they are the same, taking advantage of the fact that both use a protocol that emerged from the advance of 3G when presenting higher speeds.

Let’s talk about this. One of the discrepancies between these is the speed, for example, the LTE offers a speed of approximately 170 Mbps, this because it can vary depending on the antennas. The 4G grants a higher, since it reaches 1 Gbps. It should be noted that many classify LTE as a fourth generation technology, but the truth is that it is not. However, it is in its LTE-Advanced version.

To explain it in a simpler way let’s see an example. Imagine you want to download your favorite movie, these usually have a considerable weight, approximately 800 MB. With a device that has LTE technology it would take 30 seconds or so . But if you have 4G or LTE – Advanced would be just 10 seconds, at the most. Of course, it all depends on the country where you are. There is the difference between these two.

The next next 5G technology What advantages will we have?

tecnologia 5G

We are all in the expectation that developments can bring this technology, beyond speed. If we start to analyze, all the previous ones have increased their resources, but surely you have imagined how amazing it would be to have an even faster, it would be like flying on the internet. What has been commented on in various News portals have certainly given a lot to think about, because if it’s as they say, it will have a promising future.

To know a little more about it we will name some advantages that could improve your user experience. We must first mention that companies are currently designing their prototypes, so could be fully operational by next year. It’s getting closer!

A complete revolution

One of the advantages is that this will be an independent network, that is, it will not be supported to existing network systems. So, this is a new technological ecosystem that goes beyond what we now know.

A smarter network

As mentioned earlier this promises. It will become a much faster network with less latency. It is estimated that this will generate speeds up to 40 times more than its successor, between 15 and 20 Gbs per second, just imagine downloading a movie with it, it will take a couple of seconds. The best thing is that it will consume less battery, a very favorable and necessary point for the devices.

More connected devices

You can realize the fact of having several devices connected with a direct and instant link to the internet. With this you will not have problems when talking or surfing the web, on the contrary you will have a direct response, since you will have a high capacity for sending information, maximum speed and minimum latency.

Stable connection

Surely many times you had problems because you were in a place where there was almost no signal or because you were near an appliance that took away coverage from it. With this you will not have these inconveniences, the signal will arrive with much more strength and clarity.