WiMax ≠ 4G, LTE ≠ 4G, 4G just does not exist
Despite the large 4G letters on billboard skirts with advertising skirts (namely, one of the Ukrainian WiMax operators attracts attention), neither WiMax nor LTE is “fourth-generation technology”, and the goal of the note is to conduct a small “educational program” on this subject .
First, let's determine what 3G and 4G are.
What we know of as 3G is described in International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) - specifications approved by the International Telecommunication Union (hereinafter ITU), and the radio interfaces included in the “third generation” are described in ITU-R M. 1457, the first edition of which was agreed back in 1999.
Initially, the recommendation described five technologies that relate to 3G, but in 2007 the list was supplemented by the IEEE802.16 standard [1] , therefore WiMax became the third generation of mobile communications.
But what about 4G? The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plans to release IMT-Advanced specifications , which will describe the next generation of mobile communications. In the fall of 2009, ITU announced that six technologies were being considered as candidates for IMT-Advanced. It is expected that these technologies will be approved as real 4G in October 2010 [2] . By this time, none of the existing technologies belong to the fourth generation.
Perhaps WiMax and LTE are candidates for 4G, and the approval of IMT-Advanced is just a formality? The official 4G candidates are the five options for 3GPP LTE Release 10 (and subsequent releases, better known as LTE-Advanced ) and IEEE 802.16m, better known as WiMAX Release 2 . However, Release 2 of the WiMax standard is expected only at the end of 2011 [3] (according to the WiMax Forum organization, it is directly developing this communication standard), 3GPP are also in no hurry to approve Rel.10 until the IMT-Advanced requirements are approved. Existing networks, such as WiMax (Intellecom and Freshtel in Ukraine, Yota in the Russian Federation, Sprint in the USA), and LTE (TeliaSonera in Sweden and Norway) are not (and are not candidates) 4G, despite the use of 4G in advertising services and products.
To summarize, 4G does not exist at the moment, and the beautiful 4G inscriptions in advertising services should be taken solely as part of the brand of individual operators.
[1] ITU Radiocommunication Assembly approves new developments for its 3G standards
[2] IMT-Advanced (4G) Mobile wireless broadband on the anvil
[3] WiMAX (TM) Ecosystem Backs IEEE 802.16m for IMT-Advanced and Future Proof Roadmap
Also good Provider comment:
Despite the marketing statements of individual vendors and operators, none of the existing technologies is 4G technology yet. It simply does not exist. Technologies claiming to be called 4G technologies, or IMT Advanced, must be approved by the International Telecommunication Union, the main telecommunication standardization body in the world. To do this, in early November, documentation was submitted for its consideration, describing the standards of LTE Advanced and IEEE 802.16m. The main goal of LTE Advanced developers is to achieve bandwidth up to 1 Gb / s. Judging by the comprehensive support of LTE Advanced in the mobile communications industry, it is now clear that it will become a key 4G technology.
(c) Peter Zechetner , Ericsson Ukraine, from the interval Kommersant
My translation and adaptation of my own Ukrainian-language article ;) - here more people will read it, and the benefits will be more noticeable
First, let's determine what 3G and 4G are. What we know of as 3G is described in International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) - specifications approved by the International Telecommunication Union (hereinafter ITU), and the radio interfaces included in the “third generation” are described in ITU-R M. 1457, the first edition of which was agreed back in 1999.
Initially, the recommendation described five technologies that relate to 3G, but in 2007 the list was supplemented by the IEEE802.16 standard [1] , therefore WiMax became the third generation of mobile communications.
But what about 4G? The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plans to release IMT-Advanced specifications , which will describe the next generation of mobile communications. In the fall of 2009, ITU announced that six technologies were being considered as candidates for IMT-Advanced. It is expected that these technologies will be approved as real 4G in October 2010 [2] . By this time, none of the existing technologies belong to the fourth generation.
Perhaps WiMax and LTE are candidates for 4G, and the approval of IMT-Advanced is just a formality? The official 4G candidates are the five options for 3GPP LTE Release 10 (and subsequent releases, better known as LTE-Advanced ) and IEEE 802.16m, better known as WiMAX Release 2 . However, Release 2 of the WiMax standard is expected only at the end of 2011 [3] (according to the WiMax Forum organization, it is directly developing this communication standard), 3GPP are also in no hurry to approve Rel.10 until the IMT-Advanced requirements are approved. Existing networks, such as WiMax (Intellecom and Freshtel in Ukraine, Yota in the Russian Federation, Sprint in the USA), and LTE (TeliaSonera in Sweden and Norway) are not (and are not candidates) 4G, despite the use of 4G in advertising services and products.
To summarize, 4G does not exist at the moment, and the beautiful 4G inscriptions in advertising services should be taken solely as part of the brand of individual operators.
[1] ITU Radiocommunication Assembly approves new developments for its 3G standards
[2] IMT-Advanced (4G) Mobile wireless broadband on the anvil
[3] WiMAX (TM) Ecosystem Backs IEEE 802.16m for IMT-Advanced and Future Proof Roadmap
Also good Provider comment:
Despite the marketing statements of individual vendors and operators, none of the existing technologies is 4G technology yet. It simply does not exist. Technologies claiming to be called 4G technologies, or IMT Advanced, must be approved by the International Telecommunication Union, the main telecommunication standardization body in the world. To do this, in early November, documentation was submitted for its consideration, describing the standards of LTE Advanced and IEEE 802.16m. The main goal of LTE Advanced developers is to achieve bandwidth up to 1 Gb / s. Judging by the comprehensive support of LTE Advanced in the mobile communications industry, it is now clear that it will become a key 4G technology.
(c) Peter Zechetner , Ericsson Ukraine, from the interval Kommersant
My translation and adaptation of my own Ukrainian-language article ;) - here more people will read it, and the benefits will be more noticeable