Since the arrival of fourth generation – 4G mobile services in the UK in 2012, Everything Everywhere, which is now known as just EE, has been a major provider. The company aims to provide 4G to 98% of the UK by 2014.
Almost all the UK mobile network service providers now offer 4G mobile services as today’s mobile phone market has been taken over by 4G mobile services.
This means that 3G mobile services is gradually dying out as mobile phone users are now upgrading to a much faster 4G mobile services.
What is 4G?
4G is the new wireless internet data connection for the latest smartphones and tablets. It stands for 4th Generation and is a step up in terms of speed and reliability to 3G.
So what is 4G mobile services all about?
4G mobile services is all about high-speed internet services which is almost as fast as the home broadband. It’s all about getting a high-speed connectivity that will enable you to do so much on your mobile phone.
With 4G mobile services, you can browse faster than ever before, you can watch super quality HD video streaming on your mobile phone with no problem. It will simply make your smartphone to be smarter than before.
3G vs 4G
3G is the default internet data connection that smartphones use to connect to the internet. 4G is the new version of 3G and is faster, more reliable, and lets you do things that you thought you had to do on Wi-Fi. There are already loads of phones available that can connect to 4G networks too.
#1). Video Streaming
If you are the type of mobile phone user that like to watch video stream live on your mobile phone, then 4G is there for you. 4G is particularly good for video streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Vimeo.
Thanks to the super fast download speeds, streaming videos using apps, and even through web browsers, is far better. Videos will start much faster as they won’t have to load for as long, and they also won’t stop half way through anymore because 4G is a more constant and reliable connection than 3G. 4G also means you can stream better quality videos for a sharper viewing experience, and still keep the image smooth and clear.
#2). Music, Online Radio
It’s an undeniable fact that most of the mobile phone users like to listen to internet radio on their smartphone. There are some really good internet radio apps such as 8Tracks and TuneIn Radio that are serving this purpose.
In short, any internet radio app will run much better on 4G. Instead of having to wait for a station to load, they’ll load in a second or two, meaning switching radio stations won’t take as long. The feed will also stream smoothly, without the gaps or stuttering you often get on 3G.
#3). Mapping And Routing
Street map apps such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, Bing Maps and others will work well on super fast 4G mobile network. The network delivers updates almost instantly so that you wouldn’t have to worry about getting to your destination in the nick of time.
If you have just got off the tube and have no idea where you need to go, 4G is your savior. Because the internet connection is faster than 3G, new maps will update practically instantaneously. Using 3G, you might have walked in the wrong direction for some time before the app was able to update and give an accurate location.
#4). Email Attachments And Photo Sharing
Almost all the smartphone users want instant connection to such essential services as Gmail, Outlook, Instagram, Facebook and others. Sending a huge attachment full of your holiday snaps to your family? Or maybe you’re uploading the album to Facebook for everyone to see.
With 3G, large email attachments could take minutes to send, and if you are posting a collection of photos to Facebook, that spinning icon might stay on the screen for ages. With 4G you won’t have to wait – big emails will send straight away, and photos uploaded to sites like Instagram and Facebook will appear instantly.
#5). Apps
With 4G, you can download apps in a matter of seconds from Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Windows Store, BlackBerry® World etc. Perhaps you want to search for a flight on your lunch break – just download an app like Skyscanner in seconds.
You don’t have to wait to be near a Wi-Fi connection with 4G. Maybe you’re waiting at the airport, and want a game to pass the time. Download games in seconds, and it’ll be there for your flight. If you want something, with 4G you can get it right away.
#6). Video Sharing
Sending a picture to a friend, or even a short video, but in a hurry? With 3G, that upload bar can take a while to complete, and if all you are trying to do is send a good high resolution shot of the car you are about to buy to your dad for a second opinion… you will want 4G. It will upload and send the photo up to 5 times faster.
#7). Internet Voice And Video Calls
Video calling and messaging apps such as Skype, Viber, FaceTime and others can be easily used on 4G mobile network. At the moment, most people venture indoors to find a Wi-Fi connection in order to get a decent video call going as 3G isn’t quite powerful enough.
When you are using 4G, because both the download and the upload rate is up to 5 times faster, you can take a video call anywhere to show off the dress you are thinking of buying, the bar you are in, or just to say hi.
#8). Tethering And Mobile Hotspots
Tethering is the feature in many smartphones that lets you share the internet connection of your smartphone with Wi-Fi enabled devices. So, if you are out with your laptop and just need to get online, you can tether.
While 3G can do this, it’s nothing compared to tethering with 4G. With 4G, the speed on your phone whilst tethered to your laptop is good enough that you could use both at the same time, perhaps streaming a movie on your laptop while checking out Facebook on your phone.
4G is actually so fast that you can tether three, four, five or more devices, and still have them all running YouTube videos or whatever else you want to do. So, if you are out with friends and you all want to get online, just tether using 4G.
