Difference Between 3G and 4G (With Table)

3G, 4G, and 5G are all the generations of mobile telecommunication technology. These technologies mainly indicate the internet or data transfer rate in mobiles. These rates vary with time as developers are always working on providing users with a faster and more stable network.

3G vs 4G

The main difference between 3G and 4G is that 3G is the third generation. On the other hand, 4G is the fourth generation of mobile networks. As the speed and stability of the internet and network are being developed daily, the generations are changing rapidly. The 3G internet connection was launched in 2008, but not after so long, 4G came to the market. 4G was launched right after one year of 3G.

As the name depicts, 3G is the third generation of mobile technology. It is the updated version of 2G, 2.5G, GPRS, and 2.75G networks. The main goal was to provide a better and faster network. It can provide both types of data (voice and non-voice) at the speed of three megabytes(Mb) per second.

4G is the fourth generation and a modified version of 3G. 4G has advanced features such as flexibility, scalability, and security in various networks. It also provides customized multimedia, data, and voice services at a very high data rate (up to 500 Mbps). 4G also gives a better download speed, high voice quality, and uninterrupted video calls. It has a higher bandwidth as well as a faster speed than 3G.

Comparison Table Between 3G and 4G

What is 3G?

3G is an advanced version of a 2G network that provides higher network speed than 2G and has many more advantages. 3G can provide a stable network connection for voice and non-voice data types, including calls, web browsing, videos, and email audio. 3G is widely used in IoT as it can work indoors and outdoors. 3G-type networks provide more bandwidth, security, and reliability. 

The main advantage of 3G is that users can access the internet from anywhere. It works as wireless broadband and is good for data-intensive applications. As mentioned, it can be used to access non-voice data; users will get uninterrupted video streaming on their devices. It is faster than the previous versions of mobile technology. 

However, there are some requirements to use the 3G network on mobile phones, as the device must be compatible with a 3G connection. It would be reliable if users tried to use the latest models of mobile phones. 3G helps you download faster and stream live videos and video conferences. 

It is much better than 2G. It is quite effective and widespread over the previous technology. Signal strength is much better and varies depending on the device users use. The main point to remember is that as technology develops rapidly, it will not be the fastest network for a very long time.

What is 4G?

The fourth generation of mobile technology is known as 4G. It is the mid-stage of mobile telecommunications previous 3G (third-generation network) and is the predecessor of 5G (fifth-generation network).

It is the modified and developed version of 3G. It is built upon the previous network technologies such as 3G, 2G, Wireless LAN (WLAN), short-range systems, and fixed wire systems into a single coherent and functional network.

ITU (International Telecommunication Union) defined the 4G technology and its main features, including standards, transmission technology, and data speeds. The two main technologies in 4G are WiMAX and Long-term Evolution(LTE). IEEE introduced WiMAX. LTE is the current development of cellular communication. Both are antenna applications that provide reception with performance. 

There are many different advanced features available in 4G. These features are developed and faster than 3G. Some main features of 4G are – it supports interactive and uninterrupted video streaming, multimedia, voice and video conferences, and other services.

It also provides high speed with a high capacity, global mobility, scalable mobile networks, and call admission control techniques at a very low cost. 4G is also a seamless switching and various services based on requirements.

Main Differences Between 3G and 4G

1. 4G is an advanced stage and the fourth generation of mobile networks, whereas 3G is the previous and an older version of 4G. 4G is faster than 3G internet and has a higher frequency bandwidth than 3G. The frequency band of 3G is 1.9-2.5 GHz, but 4G has a higher frequency band of 2-8 GHz.
2.  The data rate of 4G (up to 20 Mbps or more)  is faster than 3G (up to 2 Mbps). 
3. 3G has access to the Wideband CDMA, and 4G has access to multicarrier CDMA or OFDM (Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing).
4. The 3G technology performs error correction using the turbo codes. On the other hand, 4G technology performs error correction using concatenated codes.
5. The switching techniques for 3G & 4G are different. The switching technique in 3G is packet switching, but 4G can use both message switching and packet switching techniques.

Conclusion

To summarize everything mentioned earlier, 4G has better, faster, and more secure technology features than 3G. The features of 3G were developed in the advanced version of 4G. Rapidly increasing technology generations provide mobile phone users with a faster, uninterrupted internet connection for video streaming, video calls, and many more.  

With the help of the 4G technology, people get to use video conferencing with more than one person more easily, and it also gives a chance to stream live videos online without interruption or delay, safer and faster web browsing also. Online features get handier with the help of this fourth-generation mobile network (4G).

Users get minimum signal disruptions, and downloads are done faster than ever. The speed of 4G is many times more than those previous versions (such as 2G and 3G), and this application could be very useful in rural areas with no access to high-speed, cabled, and broadband connections.

References

1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7136173/
2. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8932896/