3G Vs 4G: How New Wireless Technology Changes The Way We Envisioned The New Internet World?

There is no denying the fact that 4G is a “buzzword” these days. everybody has probably heard plenty of noise about it. In terms of the go-to mobile network standard, 4G is the current one. 

 
Needless to say, the 4G mobile network in Bangladesh has set a new standard in the way people use the mobile internet.

But that’s not all. For your information, 4G actually plays a major role in the download speed of your phone. And this is the best part of 4G.

With the enormous blessing of 4G, downloading anything from the internet at FullSpeed is not a dream anymore. 4G really makes our life easier. But there is a vital thing to consider. If you’re already aware of 4G, then you might probably be familiar with 3G also. Now, why should you use 4G instead of 3G, or what’s unique in 4G internet?

Basically, the purpose of this article is to educate you about the basic difference between them to help you understand why you should use 4G. Keep reading to know more in detail!

What is 3G and 4G?

Let me make it easy. To put it simply, 3G is a network. Similarly, 4G is a network as well. And the best part? Both of these networks connect your phone with the internet. So in this sense, both are the same. And the “G” that you see in each of these networks indicates “generation”.

Therefore, 3G stands for the third generation and 4G stands for the fourth generation. And the larger the number, better the version. So when it comes to 5G, it’s the better version than 4G and 3G of course.

Differences between 3G and 4G

So what’s the difference between 3G and 4G? Undoubtedly, you will find some in-depth technology differences between 3G and 4G. However, if you consider the user perspective, I would say it’s pretty much straightforward. Even if you ask someone about the basic difference between them, they will say, “Everything at 4G will be in Full Speed as compared to 3G” or “3G is slower when compared with 4G”.

Is 4G faster than 3G?

By now, you already knew that 4G is faster than 3G. But that’s not the ending here. The question is, how much faster is 4G as compared to 3G?

So basically, 4G is 10 times faster when compared with 3G. Yeah, you heard it right. It’s 10 times with speeds between 30 Mbps to 60 Mbps. 4G technologies that are new, for example, “Carrier Aggregation” where the smartphone connects a number of different cellular frequencies at once. This type of new technology can even offer faster speeds in a few particular areas. If your smartphone is completely suitable for this, you will surely get the maximum speed in Dhaka. And for your information, it is actually 10 times faster when compared with Teknaf.

 
Crazy, right?

However, sometimes you might experience fluctuations with the speed. But it mainly depends on two things. First of all, it depends on the actual distance between your smartphone and the network tower. The higher the distance, the lower the speed you might experience. On the other side, the closer the distance, the faster the speed you will get. So basically, things work this way. So this is the first thing that you need to take into your account if you experience any fluctuation.

There is another reason which is also responsible for this fluctuation which is the power of the radios inside the smartphone. Not too many people are familiar with it.

Which one is best for you?

Basically, it all depends on your device or smartphone. Keep one thing in your mind that, almost all the telco providers in Bangladesh, as well as many other different countries in the world, provide both networks. But ultimately, it depends on your phone’s compatibility. Therefore, if your smartphone is compatible with 4G networks, then you need not worry about activating it manually. 4G on your smartphone will be set up automatically.

On the flip side, if your smartphone is not really compatible to 4G, you will have to use 3G. So I would say 4G is always the best one for everybody as it is a lot faster than 3G. But you cannot make a choice at this point and you need to be dependent on your phone.

How would you recognize the faster speeds of 4G networks?

Basically the faster speeds of 4G could be noticeable for high intensity use. If you plan to download a big movie file from the internet, then you will surely notice the real difference between the 3G and 4G. Similarly, if you plan to download YouTube videos, you will also notice the same.

Even 4G networks work really great for Facebook or Email. Due to the popularity of the great social networking site Facebook, most people tend to spend a whole day behind it. Full Speed 4G mobile internet makes it much more accessible to get the full advantage of all the digital services.

So if you want to give it a quick try, just use FB with 3G and then switch it over to 4G. I am hopeful that you will find the actual difference between both of these networks.

Thinking about the downside of using 4G? You’ll surely be glad to learn that there is actually no real downside to using 4G. However, when you start using 4G, it takes a little of your smartphone’s battery. But in return, you’re just getting a lot of things, right? Faster download, quick browsing, watching movies, YouTube videos, and plenty of other things. So I’m curious to learn, would you still consider that downside? I don’t think so. Even personally, I would never consider that. 

 Is 4G Costly?

One thing I’ve seen that many people ask this question over and over again.

These days, almost all the operators here in Bangladesh like GP, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel provide both of these networks.

The great news is that Banglalink is certified by Ookla Speed test awards as the fastest 4G internet speed in Bangladesh for the 3rd time in a row. In 2021 Banglalink earned the top spot during Q1-Q2 with a speed score of 17.12. So this is great news for all the Banglalink users, as now they will get seamless full speed experience in all of the 4G service offerings.

And there will be no little charge for the extra speed that you’re getting. While this is true that different telco providers have a number of different 4G internet package offer for your prepaid and postpaid sim and the price or cost of those particular packages vary based on the data,  you don't have to pay any extra for the 4G.

To be very honest, you won’t find any way to select 3G or 4G to use as your network. It depends on your smartphone. Modern phones are basically designed for 4G. If you’re using an older version, you might experience 3G instead of 4G. Hope this is clear.

Which handset should I purchase to get the 4G?

Just like the previous question, this question is also asked by many people. These days, most telecom operators offer 4G devices, which will be highly compatible with the 4G services they are offering.

Apart from those devices, you also find handsets in the authorized seller which support 4G. Even the greatest and cheaper handsets have this support as well. But it’s advisable to look into the handset specification before making any purchase. 

Final Verdict

4G has introduced a new portion of our life. While this is true that 5G will succeed 4G in terms of internet speed, latency, and security, it won’t be able to replace 4G for sure. Both these networks will exist simultaneously.