Difference between 3G and 4G Technology

Wireless technology has been evolving at an amazing rate in the past decade. It was only a couple of decades ago when we were only able to communicate with landlines, and now we have smartphones and wireless internet connections. 3G and 4G are two of the most popular mobile networks in the world. They are both wireless technologies for mobile devices, but there are some differences between them. In this article, we will be discussing the difference between 3G and 4G technology.

What is 3G Technology?

3G stands for third-generation technology. It has been around since the 2000s and was a significant upgrade from the previous 2G technology. 3G has a theoretical download speed of up to 42 megabits per second (Mbps) but actually provides a maximum download speed of 21 Mbps. The upload speed is much slower, with a theoretical maximum of 5.76 Mbps, but an average of 3 Mbps.

One of the most significant benefits of 3G technology is the ability to make video calls. It is also more secure than previous versions, and this makes it popular in the business world.

Let’s look at some examples of 3G code in Android:

TelephonyManager telephonyManager = (TelephonyManager) this.getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
String networkType = "";
int networkTypeInt = telephonyManager.getNetworkType();

switch (networkTypeInt) {
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_GPRS:
        networkType = "GPRS";
        break;
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_EDGE:
        networkType = "EDGE";
        break;
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_UMTS:
        networkType = "UMTS";
        break;
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSDPA:
        networkType = "HSDPA";
        break;
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSUPA:
        networkType = "HSUPA";
        break;
    case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSPA:
        networkType = "HSPA";
        break;
}

textView.setText(networkType);

As you can see from the code above, we are using the TelephonyManager class to get the network type. There are different types of networks, and depending on the type of network, we can do different things. For example, if the network type is HSDPA, it means we can download data at a faster speed than if the network type was GPRS.

What is 4G Technology?

4G stands for fourth-generation technology. It was introduced in 2008 and is an improvement on the previous 3G technology. 4G has a theoretical download speed of up to 100 Mbps and an upload speed of up to 50 Mbps. This means you can download large files quickly and stream videos without buffering.

One of the most significant benefits of 4G technology is the ability to make high-quality video calls. It is also more secure than previous versions, and this makes it popular in the business world.

Let’s look at some examples of 4G code in Android:

ConnectivityManager connectivityManager = (ConnectivityManager) getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
NetworkInfo networkInfo = connectivityManager.getActiveNetworkInfo();

if (networkInfo.getType() == ConnectivityManager.TYPE_MOBILE) {
    TelephonyManager telephonyManager = (TelephonyManager) getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
    String networkType = "";

    switch (telephonyManager.getNetworkType()) {
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_GPRS:
            networkType = "GPRS";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_EDGE:
            networkType = "EDGE";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_UMTS:
            networkType = "UMTS";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSDPA:
            networkType = "HSDPA";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSUPA:
            networkType = "HSUPA";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_HSPA:
            networkType = "HSPA";
            break;
        case TelephonyManager.NETWORK_TYPE_LTE: 
            networkType = "LTE";
            break;
    }

    textView.setText(networkType);
}

As you can see from the code above, we are using the ConnectivityManager class to get information about the active network. We can then use the TelephonyManager class to get the network type, just like in the 3G example. However, with 4G, we have an extra network type called LTE. LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution, and it is a type of 4G network that provides even faster download and upload speeds.

Difference between 3G and 4G Technology

Now that we have looked at both 3G and 4G technology, let’s compare the differences between the two.

Speed

One of the most significant differences between 3G and 4G technology is speed. 4G provides much faster download and upload speeds, which makes it popular for streaming videos, downloading large files, and online gaming.

Bandwidth

4G also has much more bandwidth than 3G. This means that more devices can connect to the network without experiencing a significant decrease in speed. In other words, 4G can handle more traffic than 3G.

Security

Both 3G and 4G are more secure than previous wireless technologies. However, 4G is more secure because it uses more advanced encryption techniques.

Availability

One of the biggest advantages of 3G technology is that it is available in more places than 4G. 4G is still a relatively new technology and is not available in some remote areas. 3G, on the other hand, is available in most areas.

Cost

4G can be more expensive than 3G, depending on the provider and your service plan. However, in some cases, the cost of 4G may be worth it, especially if you need fast download and upload speeds.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 3G and 4G are two popular wireless technologies that have their differences. If you need fast download and upload speeds or more bandwidth, 4G is a better choice. However, if you live in an area where 4G is not yet available, 3G can still provide a reliable wireless connection. Regardless of which technology you choose, both 3G and 4G are more secure and reliable than their predecessors, making them essential technologies for modern mobile devices.