Have you ever looked at your phone and pondered what those letters on the top-right corner of the screen mean? They're internet symbols for mobile phones.
You must have been a long-time mobile internet user who has seen letters like G, E, and H as well as 2-character symbols like 2G, 3G, and 4G in numerous locations. For some people, these symbols have a deeper meaning than they realize.
However, this is understandable. Because our mobile devices are no longer solely for making phone calls, many of them can now connect to the internet, thanks to the same telecommunications firms that provide them with the capacity to make phone calls.
Not all internet mobile connectivities, however, are the same. In the same way that a device's ability to make and receive calls is determined by his network provider's coverage, the quality of internet for the same device is determined by the technology available in the area.
For example, one person in a rural region may receive an H+ symbol on his device while another in the city receives 4G. Anyone who knows their Evolved HSPA from their LTE will notice a significant difference in data transfer speeds, with the latter being superior.
However, in addition to H+ and 4G, there are other symbols that signify the grade of internet connectivity you are getting from your network provider. What do these mobile internet symbols actually mean?
Mobile Technologies in Retrospect
People were used to slow-loading pages on their mobile devices back when mobile internet was still in its infancy. Not only were mobile devices at the time incapable of providing a seamless internet browsing experience, but the quality of internet access was also poor.
We first encountered this with feature phones, which are noted for their physical keypads and small screens in the absence of the smart devices that we currently enjoy. To genuinely experience great mobile browsing speed at the time, you needed have lived in an extremely technologically sophisticated civilization. It's simply too slow for the rest of us who are still catching up with technology's pace.
Let's take a look at the timeline of how mobile internet came to be, starting with its earliest use, in chronological sequence.
GPRS or letter G
When your device's signal bar displays the letter G, you know you have the slowest internet speed. General Packet Radio Service is the abbreviation for General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).
Technically, however, this is not the first technology to be utilized by the industry; 1G holds that distinction.
However, despite its superiority to 1G, GPRS is still largely regarded as the slowest mobile connectivity available on today's phones, hence the reference to it as providing the slowest internet speed for the time being.
This sort of wireless communication is appropriate only for transferring text messages across a network, with data rates ranging from 56 to 114kbps.
EDGE or the letter E
Most people refer to letter E or EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) as the "2.5G" because it is in the middle of 2G and 3G.
Despite the fact that this more advanced technology is far superior to GPRS, this level of connectivity is still insufficient for a satisfactory web browsing experience.
EDGE data rates typically range from 400 kbps to 1Mbps. While it can certainly load online pages quickly, the wait time is often excruciatingly long owing to network and other background issues.
With the launch of the GSM standard-based Universal Mobile Telecommunications System or 3G, the third generation of mobile internet began to mature. Although the slowest data rate for a 3G connection may be as low as 384kbps for EDGE, an optimal 3G connection can reach 42Mbps.
The optimal speed of 3G enables for smooth browsing of the internet, as well as music and video streaming, as well as downloading and uploading.
HSPA stands for the letter H.
The upgraded 3G technology known as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), simply indicated as "H" on the mobile signal bar, improves upon the ripeness of 3G, paving the door for a good mobile web browsing experience.
While HSPA may appear to be a wonderful idea on paper, it is the later, more advanced version that makes it a far better alternative to 3G in the form of HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). An HSDPA connection can deliver a rapid download speed of 99 Mbps under ideal conditions.
WCDMA
WDCMA is a type of 3G connectivity that isn't necessarily a stand-alone technology. However, because of its widespread use, it is worth noting that this technology exists. Wide-band Code-Division Multiple Access is the abbreviation for Wide-band Code-Division Multiple Access.
H+ (or Evolved HSPA) is a type of HSPA that has evolved over time.
The industry did not stop refining mobile technology, even with the advantages of HSPA, which led to the development of a better version, Enhanced HSPA or H+.
Enhanced HSPA serves as a common replacement in many regions when the dominant mobile technology, 4G (which will be covered later), is unavailable. Uplink speeds of up to 22 megabits per second are possible, with downlink speeds of up to 42.2 megabits per second.
LTE or 4G
As I previously stated, we are now in the fourth generation of mobile technology, sometimes known as 4G or LTE (Long Term Evolution). This is especially true given how long we've been using this technology, as indicated by the arrival of 5G mobile communication.
While the fifth generation is already here, the 4G is worth paying attention to because of its greater conveniences over earlier technologies.
LTE is the epitome of rapid internet connectivity using a mobile device according to current standards. When you see 4G around your device's bar signal, you know you're on this form of connection. It's also possible that you're on this type of connection if you experience seamless internet surfing, very rapid download speeds, and uninterrupted high-quality video streaming.
5G
5G refers to the next generation of mobile internet. 5G allows for the creation of a new type of network that connects nearly everyone and everything, including machines, objects, and gadgets. 5G wireless technology is designed to provide multi-gigabit per second peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, greater stability, huge network capacity, increased availability, and a more consistent user experience to a larger number of users. Higher performance and efficiency allow for new user experiences and industry connections.
Average download rates of roughly 1 gigabit per second or higher are projected once the 5G network comes globally in the next three years, as the network is capable of handling up to 20-30 gigabits per second.
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