Differences Between 2G, 3G, 4G, HSPA, LTE, EVDO, GPRS & EDGE

You should know that each successor to the mobile network technology has one numeric number followed by the alphabet ‘G’. This is of the form ‘vG’. So,
2G means 2nd generation,3Gmeans 3rd generation,4Gmeans 4th generation and so on.
Each generation is more advanced than the previous standard. Which is obvious, isn’t it? Currently, 4G is the latest standard but many big organizations have already started their work on the upcoming 5G wireless technology.
GSM Network vs. CDMA NetworkGSM and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) are the two most popular radio standards used in the mobile world. Both technologies offer similar features but CDMA is more popular in the U.S. than the rest of the world. Most of the European and Asian countries use GSM networks.
Some people might tell you that CDMA is better than the GSM or vice-versa but it is not true.
operators moved to the CDMA technology when GSM technology was in a nascent stage but now that GSM technology has caught up with CDMA, the U.S. operators don’t feel the need to shift to GSM technologies.
Most of thetelecom companies in the rest of the world utilize the GSM technologyfor rolling out their networks, and they also don’t feel the need to migrate to CDMA technology.So, when you go out in the market for buying a new phone, you will see that the available GSM phone models are much more in number than the CDMA models.
You know the reason behind this.Now, let’s discuss each generation of network in detail along with its associated network standards:
1. 2G –2G is the first digital mobile network technology.
1G was analog technology and was very inefficient. 2G brought support for SMS and mobile internet. GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) uses GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technology for internet access, while the CDMA technology uses RTT (RadioTransmission Technology) for providing 2G internet access.
2. 3G –It is the first mobile network technologyto provide access to high-speed broadband like internet. Live video streaming, video chatting was first made possible by the 3G network technologies. GSM networks use WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service),HSPA(High Speed Packet Access), and HSPA+ technologies for rolling out 3G networks. TheCDMA networks on the other hand, useEvDO(Evolution-Data Optimized) technology for deploying 3G networks.
3. 4G –It is the latest generation of mobile wireless technology and offers the best data speed. It is made for providing mobile broadband access and can be used for data intensive applications like watching high-definition TV on mobile, cloud computing etc. 4G network is currently deployed usingLTE(Long Term Evolution) and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technologies. As per the ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union-Radio Communication Sector), any network having a peak download rate of 100 Mbps for high mobility and up to 1 Gbps for stationary wireless access will be termed as a 4G network. LTE, LTE-A (LTE Advanced), WiMAX Rel 1, and WiMAX Rel 2 are some of the popular 4G network standards. 4G networks are based on neither GSM nor CDMA technology, but are instead based on OFDMA,SC-FDMAThat’s why the basic 4G networks can’t make voice calls and a new standard called VoLTEis being deployed to make that possible.
The following table lists down the speed ratings of each of these network technologies.Differences Between 2G3G 4G HSPA LTE EVDO GPRS EDGE Generation Standard RadioMaximum Theoretical Download Speed Maximum Theoretical Upload Speed2G GPRS GSM Up to 80 Kbps (Class 10) Up to 20 Kbps2G EDGE GSM Up to 236.8 Kbps Up to 59.2 Kbps2G 1xRTT CDMA Up to 0.3 Mbps Up to 0.15 Mbps3G UMTS (WCDMA) GSM Up to 384 Kbps Up to 384 Kbps3G HSPA GSM Upto 14.4 Mbps Up to 5.76 Mbps3G HSPA+ GSM Upto 42 Mbps Up to 11.5 Mbps3G EvDO Rev. A CDMA Up to 3.1 Mbps Up to 1.8 Mbps3G EvDO Rev. B CDMA Up to 4.9xN MbpsN: number 1.25 MHz carriers Up to 1.8xN Mbps4G LTE OFDMA Up to 100 Mbps (Cat3) Up to 50 Mbps (Cat4)4G LTE-A OFDMA, SC-FDMA Up to 1 Gbps Up to 500 Mbps4G WiMAX Rel. 1 OFDMA Up to 30-40 MbpsUp to 17 Mbps4G WiMAX Rel. 2 OFDMA Up to 1 Gbps Up to 376 MbpsAll of the above-mentioned speeds are theoretical values derived for different standards for ideal scenarios.
Nothing is ideal in real world. Furthermore, connectionthrottling by the operator, network congestion, and quality of service also affect the actual speed that the user gets.‘B’ is not the same as ‘b’This is a common mistake made by many non-technical people while mentioning the speed of their internet connection.For network configurations,‘B’ is known as byte and ‘b’ is known as bit.1 byte (B) = 8 bits (b)ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and modem manufacturers specify the speed inbps (bits/second), whereas the internet download managers and other file sharing programs denote the speed in Bps (bytes/sec).
For S.I. system:1 Mega = 1,000,000But forWindows computer system(binary):1 mega = 2^20= 1,048,576.That’s why:A download speed of 1 Mbps = 1024 Kbps= (1024/8) KBps = 128 KBps
Now, that you know what to expect from each network technology, there is one morething that should be kept in mind while selecting a phone for international roaming.Different frequency bands are used for deploying these mobile networks across different parts of the world. So, a 4G phone launched for the U.S. market might not be able to latch onto other countries 4G networks.That’s why it is always wise totake alook atthe frequencies supported by the phone and your network operator before making a buying decision.