Abstract
In duration of two decades, the technology improvement from the second generation to the fourth generation is a clear indication of technological growth. Characterized by higher speed and higher amounts of data exchange, the fourth generation has redefined the wireless cellular connectivity from the third and second generation that mostly concentrated on voice transmission to a network capable of streaming live. With a downloading speed of two hundred megabytes per second, the network is very fast.
The fourth generation network gives the user two methods of network switching which is not only an improvement of the third generation, but also gives the speed advantage since the message switching is faster than the packet switching in the third generation. Although the fourth generation network is not fully functional in the whole world, the gradual development of the network will take time but the advantages are worth the wait.
Introduction
A wireless cellular network is a cordless communication system that connects various cells by the use of a transmitter. These transmitters are located in fixed areas of strategic positioning in order to send the cellular signal over a longer distance and wider coverage. The difference in frequencies between various cells is the main idea behind the ability to distinguish differences, cells to avoid interference between different cells in the same locality. Wireless cellular networks have advanced in the recent past from lower level 1G network to the updated version of 4G. In this paper, we are going to consider into details the outstanding features of the 4G network that makes it stand out among the rest and the technology that is involved (Song & Zhuang, 13).
Wireless Cellular networks
Unlike in the past, with the usage of cords in the transmission of frequencies, where a single cord transmitted a single frequency, the wireless network allows the transmission of a number of frequencies through multiple connections using different cells. In the present world, the use of cords of network transmission was in the past with the discovery of faster and more efficient cordless means that prove to be of higher productivity than the previous generation. The upgrading of the cellular networks comes along with added technological advantages since the consequent network, developed is an improvement of the technology in use. Higher speeds of connectivity and higher capacity of the wireless networks characterizes the improvement in that sector.
The 4G network is not as developed as the 3G network. This is because of the fact that many people are now using the 3G network. The exposure to the 4G network is in the initial stages to the installation being functional in few countries. This network is, however, quite promising with the promise of improving the performances of mobile phones to almost the same level as that of gadgets like the laptops. Phones will now stream live and with higher qualities ensuring that the videos contain a high degree of clarity. This is possible through the high data exchange in the fourth generation network. In a few years, the fourth generation technology will be in broad supply more than the current situation in many countries looking forward to the adoption of the technology.
The wireless networks began with the 1G network, which stood for the first generation network and the improvement over the years brought about the 4G technology that stands for the fourth generation network (Rumney 19). Not only is the technology applied to phones, but two laptops too in accessing a network with the use of wireless modems. This is an improvement from the 3G network, whose main characteristic revolved around the use of voice services. The fourth generation is strong enough to sustain video conferencing, which just goes ahead to show the level of advancement in the level of technology. The technology comes with services that provide programs for playing games with better features than the usual games in our possession.
According to the Heart (22), the amount of data transmission is almost four times the rate in the previous third generation transmission. The fourth generation is able to transmit at the speed of between two and twelve megabytes per second. The rate of data transmission varies between countries with others recording a data exchange of up to forty megabytes per second.
This is more than twice the rates at other places. The manufacturers however, expect higher transmission rates from the fourth generation with the maximum rates expected to be at three hundred megabytes per second. This shows that all the countries using the fourth generation network were not able to even utilize the full ability of the network with most countries recording the maximum performance being below a quarter.
The rate at which the network uploads contents are also a feature to utilize. With the maximum upload rate being at half a gigabyte per second, the network is capable of uploading contents of massive sizes within a very short amount of time. The difference in ability makes the fourth generation network downplay the abilities of the third generation network. The fourth generation provides multiple options in most scenarios.
In switching technique, the third generation gave a single option of packet switching, but the use of fourth generation comes with an additional system with the name message switching. This shows that the fourth generation can transmit data in both groups known as packets and as independent data. In the previous generation, the transmission only occurred in packets, but with the addition of the message switching, also referred to as the network for storage and forwarding, many people prefer using the message switching due to more reliability.
The systematic arrangement of the network in use in the generation is the main reason behind the high speed. The speed in transmission in the generation ensures efficient communication in both long distances and short distances. The wireless network in the fourth generation maximizes on the local area network and the wide area network. The components within the generation ensure an organization that is able to give access to communication in both networks. The fourth generation, therefore gives the user a wider range of usage with the allowance of the two networks.
The majority of the people use the wireless network by downloading things from the internet or streaming. In both the fourth generation network is more efficient with high clarity of the streaming videos and shorter duration in buffering. The pictures are clearer since the amount of data exchange has a massive allowance.
The capability of the fourth generation network in terms of downloading is astounding. The third generation had a peak rate of one hundred megabytes per second. It was the expectation that the fourth generation world has a better rate of around two hundred megabytes per second. However, the fourth generation came up with a downloading rate of ten times the speed of the third generation. This speed is fast enough for individual use and use as a group or a company (Sugumaran, 23).
Conclusion
Scientific inventions on daily lives keep improving the lives of human beings. The change in technology from the use of connections using wires to the first generation of the wireless networks has given rise to better wireless connectivity with better qualities. The improvement over the years lead to what we now call the fourth generation technology.
In technology, an increase in speed shows an increase in the level of technology. With the invention of the fourth generation network, the capability of the devices that can connect to the internet is magnified to greater heights. Smart phones are in a position to maximize on the technology to achieve the capabilities similar to those of computers.
It has however not been possible to tell the full potential of the network. This is because the speed and capabilities of the use of the fourth generation seem to vary from one place to the other. The highest speed recorded by a user is at forty megabytes per second, which is quite low. The recorded value stands at five hundred megabytes per second. The full capabilities of the network are hidden within the network and only with time of usage will we get to know what the network is capable of as we continue getting exposure to the network.
References
- Heart, “Smart Phone Advertising” in the Future of Advertising Is Here. 2014.
- Rumney, “LTE and the evolution to 4G wireless” in design and measurement challenges. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley. 2013.
- Song & W. Zhuang, “ Interworking of wireless LANs and cellular networks”. New York, NY: Springer. 2012.
- Sugumaran, “Intelligent information technologies” in concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. 2008.