From the beginnings of 2G to the innovations of 5G and beyond, we explore how these generations shape the way we connect and communicate in our ever-evolving digital world, within the realm of Internet of Things (IoT) deployments.
2G Networks
2G is the second generation of mobile communications. This is also widely known as the first GSM network and is still available in many countries. The 2G network is focused primarily on calling (voice) and SMS messaging.
Adding GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) made it possible to also send data packages based on IP messages at a transmission speed of 9.6 Kbps. At that rate it would take 3 full days to download an HD movie!
Within the 2G network, only one communication technique can be used at a time (using voice and data simultaneously is not possible). Many operators around the world are dismantling or have already dismantled the 2G network to deploy the frequencies for newer mobile generations.
3G Networks
The 3G network is also known as UMTS. This generation was still focused on calling but offered a faster data connection. Many new technologies were added to this standard, thereby increasing the speed of 3G.
For example, the original 3G had a transmission speed of 384 Kbps in both the uplink and downlink. Later came HSDPA, which increased the downlink speed to 14.4 Mbps and then HSDPA+, which increased the downlink speed further, to 28.8 Mbps.
At the fastest rate available, the same HD movie mentioned above will take 2 minutes to download over HSDPA+.
Most networks have already begun removing 3G services so that these frequencies can be deployed in 4G and 5G networks. This will mean that IoT devices currently using 3G will have to switch to other available network generations.
4G Networks
4G is based on advanced LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology and provides a secure IP-based solution for new telecommunication services such as IP telephony and mobile internet.
With theoretical speeds of up to 100Mbps, an HD video could be downloaded in 25 seconds at the maximum transfer rate! With 4G there should be no problem using applications for streaming large amounts of data, such as video.
4G is also ‘backwards compatible’ with 2G and 3G technologies, so if you have a 4G device you can generally use 2G/3G where 4G is not available (and where 2G / 3G is still available). 4G is focused on data and not voice, as per the previous generations.
Calling is possible on the 4G network but only with VoLTE (Voice-over-LTE), a form of Voice over IP. If you make a call over a 4G device, the device will switch to the 2G / 3G network to initiate the call and switch back once the call is over. You can try this with your mobile phone and have a look at the icon near your signal indicator that shows the generation of network you are connected to before, during and after the call.
5G Networks
5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks and the technology is still in development. However, most leading economies are already achieving full 5G coverage nationwide as of early 2023. The technology, unlike previous technologies, is more focused on developing new use cases to bring other applications to the mobile world, which is not possible with current networks.
The theoretical transfer speed of full 5G is 20Gbps. To use the HD video example again, the HD video could be downloaded in 0.1 seconds at full data transfer rate. This is much quicker than the 3 days it would take over a 2G network!
5G abandons backwards compatibility with 2G and 3G and focuses entirely on 4G and 5G support only.
Summary
Connectivity has moved on incredibly and data speeds have allowed the formation of the Internet of Things. As technology speeds improve and, overall, connectivity platforms develop, the internet of things will only continue to grow.
This article was written by our team of IoT experts here at Fidelity Group. We support a wide range of business sectors with our outstanding IoT solution, which includes our market-leading software management platform, vM2M. If you would like to speak to one of our experts to find out how we can help your business, please Click here or call us today on 0800 840 6800.
