2G, 3G, 4G and 5G - simply explained

When talking about mobile internet on a tablet or smartphone, the terms 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G are often used. We'll tell you what it is and what standard your smartphone uses.

2G, 3G, 4G, 5G: These are the abbreviations

The abbreviations 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G are the different mobile radio standards.

• The G stands for generation and thus denotes the second, third, fourth and fifth generation.
• The difference between 2G, 3G and 4G lies mainly in the speed of data transmission. This is important on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets with SIM cards in order to surf the Internet as quickly as possible.
• 2G, 3G and 4G currently exist in Germany, but not all three types are represented in every region. A smartphone always chooses the best possible network, but not every smartphone supports 2G, 3G and 4G. Currently, many mobile operators also offer a 4G connection only with certain contracts.
• 5G is scheduled to launch at the end of 2019. While 4G will continue to be optimized for private use, 5G should also be used for completely different purposes. Higher speeds are particularly interesting for industry. Among other things, autonomous driving requires high bandwidths and a stable connection in order to evaluate data in real time without having to install a powerful computer in every car.
• The first 5G-compatible smartphones are already on the market. As the expansion is very expensive and new locations are waiting for approval for a comparatively long time, the even faster internet will only be available in some major German cities at the beginning.
• While 5G is being expanded, the old 3G will soon be taken off the grid. The first mobile operators could pull the plug from 2021. Read more about the end of 3G here.

Explanation of terms: 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G

• 2G: This mobile radio standard was introduced in Germany in 1992 and is still mainly used for telephony to this day. Mobile data is transmitted via GPRS with a maximum of 53.6 kbit / s or via Edge (E) with up to 220 kbit / s. According to today's standards, this is very slow and is sufficient for applications such as WhatsApp, but it takes a complex website or even a video to load forever.
• 3G: In 2000, the third cellular standard (3G) called UMTS was developed. This enables speeds of up to 384 kbit / s. 2006 followed HSDPA, later HSDPA +, which are also referred to as 3.5G. This even enables transmissions of up to 7.2 Mbit / s and 42 Mbit / s.
• 4G: 4G is the latest cellular standard for smartphones. In theory, a download speed of 1000 Mbit / s is possible. This means that even very large data can be downloaded within seconds. In practice, however, you will be happy if you get a connection with around 50 Mbit / s, but the values ​​increase from year to year. LTE is continuously being expanded in Germany.
• 5G: While 4G continues to be optimized for private users and is completely sufficient, industry in particular should benefit from 5G. Speeds of up to 10 Gbps are promised, i.e. 10 times faster than 4G.

Shop recommendation for Apple iPhone 7 32GB

€ 209.97

To the shop

€ 369.00

To the shop

€ 370.65

To the shop

Offered by BestCheck.de | Prices include VAT plus shipping

Compare other offers