Technology

The Real 4G Coming Soon: Mobile Devices 500 Times Faster Than 3G

U.N. Approves Standars for True 4G Technology 500 Times Faster Than 3G

Even though many providers have been claiming 4G capability, newly approved technology is considered the real deal. (Image: Gizmodo)

GENEVA (The Blaze/AP) — Mobile technology approved by the United Nations is being called the next generation, but with how much faster the improved mobile devices will be, it’s almost like skipping a few generations. Experts compare the new technology to switching from dial-up Internet to fiber-optic cables.

Experts say the technology approved Thursday will make devices 500 times faster than 3G smartphones and eliminate the wait time between the tap of a finger and the appearance of a Web page.

You‘re probably wondering why it’s not being called faster than 4G smartphones. This is because, as IT Wire reports, even though wireless providers have already been bragging about 4G capability, according to ITU standards, it was really still 3G technology.

The technology will be used immediately for planning changes to equipment but it could take two years to show up on consumers smartphone, tablets and other devices because of the time it takes to get to production, International Telecommunication Union spokesman Sanjay Acharya said Thursday.

“This means absolutely no time to get a page open,” said Francois Rancy, head of the agency’s radiocommunication bureau.

The technology hasn’t been available until now because the U.N. must first approve of the international standards for its use.

The IMT-Advanced system uses radio-frequency spectrum much more efficiently, and devices built with it will need less bandwidth to access the Internet, stream videos and transfer data. That means those devices could deliver blazing fast messages, video chats and even high-definition TV.

The new standards for what some call “true” 4G, or fourth generation of mobile wireless standards, were approved by the ITU Radiocommunication Assembly at its meeting this week in Geneva. ITU set the requirements for 4G service in 2009.

In December 2010, ITU said some current technologies such as LTE and WiMax could be billed as forerunners to 4G, even though they don’t meet the requirements of the IMT-Advanced system.

The 2G, 3G and 4G families of standards have been set by the International Telecommunication Union to define the services and download speed provided by networks.

The current 3G mobile technology, known as International Mobile Telecommunications, has been widely used since 2000.

IT Wire foresees that with so many in the industry calling their technology 4G, that further confusion will stem when they begin calling what is truly 4G technology, according to ITU, 5G.

Rancy said the new IMT-Advanced systems will deliver “a much higher quality and a much higher bit rate, typically of the order of 100 megabits per second.”

A bit is a measure of data, so the new technology would allow devices to obtain data fast enough that most TV shows could be downloaded within about 20 seconds, and CDs within about a minute.

“This is a huge leap,” Rancy said. “This is what people are really asking for now.”

Comments (46)

  • ShyMan
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:09pm

    Wow. The un? Really?

    Can someone ask them if it’s okay…if they wouldn’t care…
    …if they don’t mind if we just do our own thing for a while?

    If it’s not too much trouble, I mean.

    I’d hate to step on their toes.

    Pretty please.

    Report Post » ShyMan  
  • Bruce01
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 11:13am

    So let me get this straight,…The UN has to approve the 4G technology…how about letting the free market determine which is best. I remember the confussion there was in this country over Beta or VHS AHHHHHH! What do I choose? Thankfully the UN has stepped in to solve this problem so I don’t have to think any longer. I so trust the UN to make the right choice since no money is being exchanged to make the right decession… Trust factor…Zero!

    Report Post »  
  • BobtheMoron
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 9:43am

    Not too concerned about 4G as we will be back to NO G in a year or two. Economy collapses, civil society continues to collapse and the totalitarian government will shut down all communication. Then civil war. All will be prefaced by a large reduction in the population due to food shortages and an end to most medical aid. If you are not prepared to live away from the cities you and your family will likely die. http://www.survival123.net

    Report Post » BobtheMoron  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 9:21am

    The internet needs to go satellite. The reason why there is any regulation of the net is based on the fact that ISP’s use public airways to facilitate the internet to phones and home computers in many cases.

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
  • Shakira Law
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 11:52pm

    Well we have the 3G (aka billion), now we will have the 4G (the trillion) Obama is now 4G but wait…

    Obama is on the 4G talking with AT&T…

    Obama: Can you make a 5G?
    AT&T: Well sure Mr. President. Can you spend a quadrillion?
    Obama: I just did! “Michelle pass me the pistachios”!

    Report Post » Shakira Law  
  • swiftouch
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:44pm

    Any techy who reads, knows that the “4g” carriers have been advertising wasn’t even 4g. Now what are the carriers going to do now that they’ve jumped the gun. Soon you’ll see 4gMAX, Peak4g, and 4gClimax so carriers can distinguish their bull!@#$ 4g from the real 4g. The problem is, wireless has always sucked. And most likely always will until better than 4g technology is invented….and approved by the UN. Why it has to be approved by the UN. We little people will never understand.

    Report Post »  
  • NC
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:35pm

    Just call me old school. No data plan on our phones, and text messages are blocked.

    Got a great voice for hollering’

    NC

    Report Post » NC  
  • hersey10
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:54pm

    I’ve ONLY read the first sentence so far , WTF does the United Nations have to do with my 4G speed?

    Report Post » hersey10  
    • spinwizard
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:45pm

      think global, comrade.

      Report Post » spinwizard  
    • exfarmer98
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 1:20pm

      The ITU (International Telecommunications Union), Is an organization that has roots back in the 1865, ITU is a coalition that gives recommendation for overall standards starting in 1992. For each generation of cellular phone since 1992, there are recommendations for what the phone should have. The EIA (Electronic Industries Alliance) and the TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association) adopt ITU recommendations to allow for standardization for the global market. In short the ITU was created by the UN

      Report Post »  
  • semper vigilans
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:27pm

    Sooo…. I will be able to hit my monthly bandwidth limit and start on my overage charges in 5 minutes instead of a few hours… AWESOME!

    Report Post »  
    • kifeb221993
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:50pm

      plaese watch

      Report Post »  
    • gmoneytx
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:09pm

      Lmao!!!

      Report Post » gmoneytx  
    • dpmeek71
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:31pm

      @Kifeb221993

      You suck! The stealth Romney ad has nothing to do with the story and I want 2 minutes of mylife back from your lame post. I’m definitly not supporting him if his supporters are messing around like that.

      Report Post »  
  • AnAmerican111
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:59pm

    Why is the UNITED NATIONS involved in any of this?
    ….the U.N. is nothing but an organization of criminals that hate America but will take our money!….
    …geez!…sounds a lot like OBUMA!

    Report Post »  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:54pm

    It’ll never reach my location. :)

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • BannedByHuffpo
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:35pm

    Useless facebook updates 500 times faster!! Wow, I can’t wait!

    Report Post » BannedByHuffpo  
    • ShyLow
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:47pm

      When it’s fast enough to make your cell-phone a good modem/router….people will be ditching their home internet and cable,bringing down the cost or putting out-of business land-line operations and creating more internet media outlets like Glenns…you’ll be able to live in a van down by the river,and be able to watch almost anything you want,on a tv with wifi…using your cell phone as a router

      Report Post » ShyLow  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:58pm

      When’s the last time you saw new media or communication devices bring down the cost of anything? As soon as the cost comes down a little they come up with something bigger and better that costs more and you gotta have it. Remember your first cell phone bill? It was about $30 a month. Now what is it?

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • copatriots
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:59pm

      @ SHYLOW

      If only you had said “I could learn to play guitar while living in a van down by the river”, I would have sworn you were Nancy Pelosi. j/k ; )

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4tbM_Bncv8

      Report Post »  
    • eagle2715
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:55pm

      Gonzo,

      when Dial up came out it was $30-$40 a month….then when cable came out dial up went to about 10, now you can get dial up for free if you can even find it….I pay $42 a month with taxes for a 30MB/sec fiber connection…Without accounting for inflation, thats getting 1200x the speed for the same price…… New tech always brings down the cost of old tech….

      Your cell phone comparison is akin to saying cars are more expensive today because a ‘68 mustang was about $6,000, and now they are $25,000, and your getting the same thing…… Nonsense…

      Report Post » eagle2715  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:32pm

    Why do we need the UN to “approve”? Screw the UN.

    Report Post »  
  • AnAppealToGod
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:27pm

    Our young kids, teenagers and some young adults have cell phones for brains. A smart person will go into hand therapy for all the arthritis problems that are starting to pop up from overuse of phones. That person will make a lot of $$$. Or even Smartphone addiction therapists.

    Report Post » AnAppealToGod  
  • Telcoman
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:17pm

    This is in my area of work, we help build out the back-haul for the wireless networks. In the planning going from the G3 to 4G it was called LTE (Long Term Evolution) actually covers anything above 3G. As far as speed, it will always depend on the Available Bandwidth. And the more BW we supply the masses, the more they gobble it up! Nature hates a vacuum so Bandwidth will always be in demand.

    Report Post » Telcoman  
    • Your Name Here
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 5:38am

      I also work in telecom. Remember when cellular A and B was it?
      The licenses were given out in a lottery but you had to pay $5,000 to get in the lottery.
      After the huge popularity of wireless the FCC decided they were missing out so rather than just adding another band, the C band, they decided to add C through F and to auction them instead of having a lottery.
      Now carriers had to spend millions of dollars just to get the license and then they still had to build the system for more millions. Lots of carriers went belly up because they thought they’d make as much money as the original A & B carriers but they didn’t calculate the massive costs compared to the relatively lower cost of the original carriers and then we started seeing the bigger carriers buying up the failing ones.
      When the digital revolution hit Qualcom hit it big with their spread spectrum format. The problem is that they get a percentage of everything that has to do with spread spectrum so the LTE format has no relation to it and when 3G is turned down so are all those royalty payments and the costs will go down while the speeds will go up.

      Report Post » Your Name Here  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:17pm

    .
    Ya’ll I know I asked this earlier, but C’mon Man does that “Blonde” in the Which Food is Worse ad; give you the Creeps holding the Avocado with her Boob‘s and Grinning at that Banana make ya’ll just a little uncomfortable?

    I mean I’m in to all kinds of crazy stuff, but the way she Grin’s at that Banana, makes me nervous…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • BetterDays
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:21pm

      Take the phone out of you pocket monkey, and step away from the fruit stand.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:41pm

      It’s better than the $40 Survival Seed container. If I have to wait for corn to grow before I can eat…I’ll shoot something.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:06pm

    Whatever, my nation is going upside down faster than 500G but please continue to distract me with pointless articles about “things”.

    Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:22pm

      This is NOT pointless…

      The takeaway for me in this article is, the United Nations is serving to BLOCK and HINDER innovation…
      Per this article, the technology has not been available before now, because the United Nations had to approve it…
      REALLY??
      Really, America, why are we subjugating ourselves to any other government? Let alone a one-world order govt called the “un” ? ? ? ?

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:01pm

      Think of all the possibilities BetterDays! Why, Anthony Weiner can now spread his junk all over the world 5 times faster!

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:06pm

    .
    Does this mean if I put my phone on vibrate and stick in my pocket, I’ll have to start calling “it” darling?……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:09pm

      Newt’s wife has to share a phone.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • olsparkee
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:59pm

    Yawn.

    Unless the web is sped up itself, the link speed is quickly(no pun intended) becoming pointless.

    Report Post » olsparkee  
  • cessna152
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:59pm

    I am a techno geek and this really does not excite me. When I am at home, work, Church I connect up to WIFI and notice very little difference in how fast web pages open. My WIFI at home is 25/15 and unless I am downloading from the market I honestly don’t see too much of a difference.
    I guess for video chat this is pretty cool. However, beware if you are on 2GB data plan you can burn through it pretty fast.

    Report Post » cessna152  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:56pm

    15 years ago, we would not have imagined an iPad. The technology will be amazing in 10-20 years.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:05pm

      It‘s a laptop that doesn’t fold up Anon. You need to go back further than 15 years for it to be amazing.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:55pm

    Hooray, Hooray! Get in line now lemmings!

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Robert-CA
    Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:51pm

    wow 4G !!!!!!!!!!!
    & then there was 5G 6G 7G it will never stop :)

    Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 2:59pm

      Exactly, it‘s a nerd dick measuring contest to see who has the most G’s.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • BetterDays
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:09pm

      Follow the money, I’ve a friend working in “R&D” for At&t, he says they have 10G’s easy right now, but the “wigs” only release it 1G to “ max the cash”. Follow the money.

      Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:14pm

      Meanwhile, AT&T just increased their prices as their service continues to suck. I‘d be happy with 1G if I could actually have a call that doesn’t end in “Call Failed”.

      Report Post »  
    • BetterDays
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:19pm

      @Copatriots
      No shite! Went x country with AT&t and was able to use my phone three whole times, nice to know there service still ain’t service. I have T mobile now, better.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:43pm

      You guys use your phones to make phone calls? How primitive of you.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Shasta
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 4:58pm

      And then the carriers will give us 5G, and two years later the real 5G will be announced.

      Report Post » Shasta  
    • Shasta
      Posted on January 19, 2012 at 5:04pm

      @BetterDays, you say 10G is easy. Wow. Do any of the carriers have anything close to a network that could handle a large number of such devices without throttling down in one way or the other. Fascinating stuff though.

      Report Post » Shasta  

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