The Future Of Mobile Internet Is 4G Technology

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The Future Of Mobile Internet Is 4G Technology

4G in simple terms means fourth generation mobile technology, it's a name given to the International Mobile Telecommunication's advanced standards which have been set by ITU (International Telecommunications Union). What these standards mean are download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second while accessing the internet wirelessly.

According to the ITU, 4G is the next generation network which provides faster access, broadband multimedia and unified messaging services.

Even if a user is mobile at a rate of 60mph, 4G allows download speeds of up to 100Mbs which translates to downloading movies in HD in less than 30 seconds!

One might point out that there are various technologies that offer high speed internet then how would 4G be any different. For this reason certain technical standards have been specified by the ITU which should be followed by organizations that claim to offer 4G to its customers. The objectives and standards that have been defined are:


• An average data speed of 100Mbit/s while users physically move about at high speeds and 1Gbit/s while users relatively are stationary.

• A minimum data speed 100Mbit per second between any 2 points worldwide.

• Flexible channel bandwidth which is between 5 and 20MHz and can be optionally up to 40MHz.

• 1Gbit/s in downlink must be possible over the bandwidth of less than 67MHz.

• System spectral efficiency up to 3bit/s/Hz/cell in downlink and 2.25bit/s/Hz/cell for usage indoors.

• Seamless handoff across multiple networks.

• Smooth global roaming across heterogeneous networks and connectivity.

• High quality service for the support of next generation multimedia (Mobile TV, HDTV video content, high speed data, etc.)

• Interoperability with the existing wireless standards.

• An all Internet Protocol, packet switched network.

One must understand that 4G or wireless broadband have become inevitable and how it will change the internet world can be judged from the last standard derived by the ITU; data transfer through internet protocol.

Web 2.0 has brought about a revolution and user generated content forms a major part of the web. Social networking sites such as Facebook & Twitter have become cultural icons and shaped political movements. Other technologies like the IPTV have changed the concept of television all together. The problem with such applications is that of networks as to date upload speeds are a concern. This is where 4G technology comes in with its extremely high speed, the super fast 4G could completely change the concept of these interactive applications.
Another area which will significantly benefit via the 4G networks would be cloud computing as increased mobility, speed and portability that is offered by 4G can be a significant resource for such computing applications. As people shift to less capital expenditure oriented (saving data online instead of a hard disk) increased data transfer speeds will be vital for smooth operations and any delay will make cloud computing very unattractive. Cloud computing therefore transforms mobile phone sized workstations into powerful computers but only if linked to powerful network that offer 4G upload and download speeds. This coupled with mobility makes the experience personal, portable and cost effective.

It is said that the IoT (Internet of Things) is the next craze to come about. In the future physical objects, even those we use for everyday life will be connected via network. This technology is similar to today's RFID cards. With so much flow of information 4G will undoubtedly be a part of such a revolution.

The National Broadband plan of US Federal Communications Commission has envisioned how a positive change can be brought about in areas of healthcare, education, economics, energy and the environment by adopting broadband. Using 4G buyers and sellers can get closer, students can get the classroom experience outside of school and E governance can promote better service to citizens. Furthermore 4G standards also make data more secure as it emphasizes on robust security and measures to reduce data theft.

To summarize 4G is perhaps the best wireless network desired as it gives high speed internet with easy access, portability and reliability. As download and upload speed restrict daily lives - 4G has become imminent.