Why is it called LTE and not 4G?
Let’s dive into why LTE (Long Term Evolution) is often called something other than 4G, despite its widespread association with the fourth generation of mobile networks. If you’ve been following mobile network technologies, you might have noticed that while LTE is often referred to as 4G, technically, it doesn’t entirely meet the criteria set for a true 4G network. Let me explain this in more detail.
To understand why LTE is not officially classified as 4G, it’s important to look at the original definition of 4G. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) set strict requirements for 4G technology. These requirements included things like:
- A peak download speed of 100 Mbps for high mobility scenarios (like moving in a car) and 1 Gbps for low mobility scenarios (like stationary or walking users).
- Better efficiency and lower latency compared to previous technologies.
- Higher capacity for handling more data, enabling faster and more reliable connections for a growing number of users.
While LTE brought significant improvements over 3G in terms of speed and latency, it didn’t quite meet these criteria when it was first launched. Specifically, LTE’s download speeds did not initially reach the target 1 Gbps for stationary users, nor did it always meet the 100 Mbps requirement for users in motion. This led to a debate over whether it should be labeled as 4G.
However, LTE was still a huge step forward in terms of performance, offering faster internet speeds and more efficient use of spectrum compared to previous technologies. As a result, many people began referring to LTE as “4G” due to its significant improvements over 3G, even though it technically didn’t meet the ITU’s original 4G requirements.
Then came LTE-Advanced. LTE-Advanced was developed to meet the full 4G criteria. It introduced features like carrier aggregation, which allowed for higher speeds, and it reached the required peak download speeds of 1 Gbps in stationary scenarios. This version of LTE now truly qualified as 4G, but the term “4G LTE” became popular for both LTE and LTE-Advanced. Even though LTE by itself wasn’t technically 4G, it became widely accepted as the 4G standard because of its improvements over 3G networks.
So, to sum up, LTE started as a “pre-4G” technology that provided significant improvements over 3G but didn’t fully meet the ITU’s strict requirements for 4G. Over time, LTE-Advanced met those requirements, which is why we now see LTE and LTE-Advanced being grouped under the 4G umbrella. It’s a good example of how mobile technologies evolve, with terms and classifications adapting as new innovations are introduced.
In previous articles, we’ve explored the evolution of mobile network technologies, and this context helps in understanding why LTE and 4G are often used interchangeably, even though there are technical distinctions. This ongoing development showcases the rapid pace of innovation in mobile networks, and as we move toward 5G, these kinds of naming conventions will continue to evolve.