Which Came First 4G or LTE?
Let me explain the relationship between 4G and LTE in a simple way. This is a common question, and many people wonder about the difference between 4G and LTE, as they seem similar but are distinct in certain aspects. To make it clearer, let’s break it down.
LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, is often associated with 4G networks, but technically, LTE is not fully 4G. LTE is a technology that was developed to meet the demands for faster speeds and better network performance compared to 3G networks. However, it doesn’t meet all the criteria to be classified as true 4G according to the official standards set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
So, which came first? The answer is that LTE came before full 4G. LTE was introduced and deployed by telecom operators as a stepping stone to 4G. While LTE offers significant improvements over 3G networks, it didn’t initially meet the performance targets set by ITU for 4G, particularly in terms of download speeds. The actual 4G networks that meet the ITU’s criteria are LTE-Advanced and other technologies like WiMax 2 (though WiMax has largely been replaced by LTE).
Here’s a breakdown of the timeline and key differences:
- LTE: Launched in the late 2000s as a 3GPP standard to enhance mobile data speeds. Initially, it offered speeds around 100 Mbps (download) and 50 Mbps (upload), which was faster than 3G networks but didn’t meet the ITU’s criteria for 4G.
- 4G (officially): According to the ITU, 4G networks must provide speeds of 1 Gbps (for stationary users) and 100 Mbps (for users on the move). LTE, as initially launched, did not meet these benchmarks, but LTE-Advanced, an enhanced version of LTE, was later developed to meet these standards.
- LTE-Advanced: This is the true 4G technology that meets the ITU’s 4G criteria. LTE-Advanced can provide significantly faster speeds, up to 1 Gbps, and offers better reliability, coverage, and efficiency.
To summarize, LTE was a precursor to full 4G. It laid the foundation for faster mobile networks, but to meet the true 4G criteria, we had to wait for LTE-Advanced. If we talk about what came first, LTE was deployed before full 4G, but it was a stepping stone toward achieving the full 4G experience we enjoy today.
As we discussed previously in articles about LTE and its advancements, LTE is now the backbone of most mobile networks, and its evolution into LTE-Advanced has brought us closer to achieving the true 4G experience. So, while LTE was the first to come out, it was a step towards making 4G networks a reality.