4G data network

technology

Also known as: fourth-generation data network

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Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

4G, or "fourth generation," is a wireless standard designed for mobile devices, enabling high-definition video streaming and faster data transfer speeds than previous generations. Theoretical download speeds can reach up to 150 Mbps.1

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a key technology in this progression. While initially falling short of true 4G standards, advanced LTE networks have evolved to meet 4G requirements. LTE improved upon 3G by introducing new radio access networks (EUTRAN) and an evolved packet core (EPC), leading to higher data rates, lower latency, and improved packet data handling. Further developments like LTE Advanced (LTE-A) and LTE Advanced Pro (LTE-AP) have increased speeds through techniques such as carrier aggregation and enhanced antenna systems.2

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mobile telephone
Development of cellular systems
…led to the development of 4G technology. In 2008 the ITU set forward a list of requirements for what it called IMT-Advanced, or 4G; these requirements included data rates of 1 gigabit per second for a stationary user and 100 megabits per second for a moving user. The ITU in…
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…led to the development of 4G technology. In 2008 the ITU set forward a list of requirements for what it called IMT-Advanced, or 4G; these requirements included data rates of 1 gigabit per second for a stationary user and 100 megabits per second for a moving user. The ITU in…
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WiMax
Part of fourth generation (4G) wireless-communication technology, WiMax far surpassed the 30-metre (100-foot) wireless range of a conventional Wi-Fi local area network (LAN), offering a metropolitan area network with a signal radius of about 50 km (30 miles). In the early 2000s, WiMax proponents hoped to establish a global…
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Part of fourth generation (4G) wireless-communication technology, WiMax far surpassed the 30-metre (100-foot) wireless range of a conventional Wi-Fi local area network (LAN), offering a metropolitan area network with a signal radius of about 50 km (30 miles). In the early 2000s, WiMax proponents hoped to establish a global…
Read More