Thanks to cutting edge technology, we’ve become more and more connected, communicating with one another via text, audio, images and video – all while on the move. We break down just how far we’ve come from 1G to 5G
Speed
14.4 Kps
Technology
AMPS, NMT, TACS
Key Features
Voice-only services
[/icon_timeline_item][icon_timeline_item time_title=”Generation 2G (1990 – 2000)”]
Speed
9.6/14.4 Kps
Technology
TDMA, CDMA
Key Features
Voice and data
sevices
[/icon_timeline_item][icon_timeline_feat time_title=”Generation 2.5G – 2.75G”]
Speed
171.2 Kps
20-40 Kbps
Technology
GPRS
Key Features
Voice, data, mobile Internet,
low-speed streaming services
and email services
[/icon_timeline_feat][icon_timeline_item time_title=”Generation 3G (2004 – 2005)”]
Speed
3.1 Mbps
500-700 Kbps
Technology
CDMA2000 (1XRTT, EVDO),
UMTS, EDGE
Key Features
Voice, data and multimedia
support for smartphone
apps, faster Web browsing,
video calling and TV streaming
[/icon_timeline_item][icon_timeline_item time_title=”Generation 3.5G (2006 – 2010)”]
Speed
14.4 Mbps
1-3 Mbps
Technology
HSPA
Key Features
All the services from 3G
networks with enhanced
speed and mobility
[/icon_timeline_item][icon_timeline_item time_title=”Generation 4G (2010 onward)”]
Speed
100-300 Mbps
3-5 Mbps
100 Mbps (Wi-Fi)
Technology
WiMax, LTE, WiFi
Key Features
High speed, high quality
voice over IP, HD multimedia
streaming, 3D gaming,
HD video
[/icon_timeline_item][icon_timeline_feat time_title=”Generation 5G (2019 year end)”]
Speed
1-10 Gbps
Technology
LTE advanced schemes,
OMA, NOMA
Key Features
Super fast mobile Internet,
low-latency network for
mission-critical applications,
Internet of Things, security
and surveillance, HD
multimedia streaming,
autonomous driving and
smart healthcare applications
[/icon_timeline_feat][/icon_timeline]
For all things mobile, check out the rest of this article in our upcoming special issue on the Mobile Phone (Asian Geographic No.135 Issue 2/2019 ) or you can also check out our past issues here or download a digital copy here