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4G is here and you can get it today… or that is what some
companies would have you believe. You might have seen some of Sprint's
commercials for 4G laptop cards or their new EVO 4G smartphone, which they are
dubbing the first 4G handheld device in the world.
 The problem with this lies in the fact that the final
required specifications for the 4G protocol won't be officially published until
March 2011 in Release 10 of the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards. Although the final 4G
specs are yet to be officially published, the specifications have been released
to the public and the current version of Sprint's 4G network (WiMax) falls
short of the 4G speed requirements.
WiMax
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) was developed by the
IEEE (creators of the WiFi specifications) along with Intel and is being
marketed as the first 4G wireless protocol to be deployed. Even though Sprint
has no problem advertising it as the first 4G network, there is some dispute on
if the current form of WiMax is a true 4G service.
Although it is much faster than its 3G predecessors, WiMax
isn't expected to be a true 4G network until WiMax 2 deploys in 2012. Many
companies who were planning to use WiMax have recently switched camps and have
begun work to deploy networks based on WiMax's main competitor.
LTE
Long-Term-Evolution (LTE) is the competing wireless technology vying for the
4G crown and has been in the driver's seat since inception. The reason for this
is that LTE was developed by the mobile operators themselves.
LTE networks can almost be considered 2nd generation
CDMA/HSPA networks, as they can run off much of the same hardware as its 3G
predecessor. This is what gives Verizon a large head start in LTE deployment.
Since their current 3G network runs off CDMA, Verizon will launch their LTE
network by the end of 2010, at least a full year's head start over rival
AT&T.
The first iteration of LTE is also not a true 4G technology
but LTE Advanced, which is expected to be finalized in 2011, will meet the full
requirements of the 3GPP specifications.
Paired Spectrum vs
Unpaired Spectrum
The major difference between LTE and WiMax is that WiMax runs off of an
unpaired spectrum as opposed to a paired spectrum. In a paired spectrum, the
allocated capacity is fixed and gives incoming and outgoing data the same
bandwidth. This is suited more towards voice and video chat, as opposed to web
browsing and video streaming which requires more bandwidth for downlink than
uplink.
TD-LTE
Since most spectrum holders in the U.S. and Europe own paired spectrum, they
were already on board with LTE. However, many of the cell networks in China,
India, and Russia work off unpaired spectrums and were leaning towards
implementing WiMax. This is where TD-LTE, an unpaired version of LTE, comes in.
TD-LTE was built specifically for those areas and to keep WiMax from gaining
too large a market share.
3G vs 4G Speed Test
Average 3G access speeds are 1 megabit-per-second. Initial 4G speeds fall
between 6 and 7 megabits-per-second. Eventual speeds are expected to reach 10
megabits-per-second, making it 10x faster than 3G.
DSL Killer?
One interesting aspect of the 4G networks is that for the first time, wireless
networks will be faster than DSL connections. When 4G coverage comes to your
area, there will be virtually no reason to continue a DSL subscription. The
first 4G devices to hit the market were laptop cards and as the backend network
matures, speeds will increase to a point where DSL is much slower than 4G.
Couple that with the fact that DSL is relegated to your house, while you can
take your 4G device anywhere and still be connected.
It will be interesting to see how companies like Verizon,
who have DSL services and will be offering 4G routers, market the different
devices without cannibalizing their own sales. The only deal breaker here would
be if there are bandwidth caps on 4G service plans with no option for unlimited
data, which is very possible. Another possible option for companies like Verizon
is to sell DSL very cheaply and charge an arm and a leg for unlimited 4G
access.
Speed Isn't Free
One downside to these new networks is that they are expensive to build, and
you can bet that the extra cost will be passed down to the customer. Since
Sprint is the only carrier who has launched a "4G" service so far, they are the
only example we have to go by. Sprint charges users an extra $10 a month for
access to the new 4G network.
Are you willing to pay an extra fee for faster mobile web
browsing or is your cell phone bill high enough already?
More Info:
4G Wireless Technology: A Look at What's Ahead
True 4G Specs to be Released in March 2011 - 3GPP
LTE or not, WiMax 2 set to roll out in 2012
Verizon 4G LTE Roadmap Leaked?
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