Difference Between ATT 3G Network and ATT 4G Network
AT&T 3G and AT&T 4G are mobile broadband technologies. They are used by AT&T in America which is one of the biggest Telecommunication carriers in the world. It has a good mobile broadband network across the country. It makes use of different technologies in the GSM. They are migrating to the fastest 4th Generation mobile technology LTE. LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. It is expected to be launched by Q3 2011. Presently AT&T offers HSPA+. It is the entry level 4G technology. It is far better in data rate than HSPA.
AT&T 3G Network
AT&T has around 96 million customers. Mobility is a supplementary for AT&T providing wireless coverage in United States. The customers use the UMTS/HSPA technology in which the higher data rates are possible. The bandwidth is mostly used for circuit switched voice. AT&T uses 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands for their 3G network. The recent study reveals that AT&T 3G network can deliver normal data rates around 1410 kbps downlink and 773 kbps uplink. It is the highest as compared to other competitors like T mobile and Verizon. The reliability of the network is about 94%. Those who use Apple iPhone and iPad prefer AT&T with speed of 1259 kbps downlink and 215 kbps uplink. AT&T had switched 90% of their 3G network into HSUPA at the end of the year 2009.
AT&T 4G Network
4G is the newer generation of mobile communication network. It has HSPA+ and LTE as the major technologies. There is the software upgrade system in the network. It delivers the data at the rate of 4 times faster than HSPA. LTE is being implemented in the 4G. It is expected to come up by 2011. Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson will supply the equipment for 4G network.
LTE is related to MIMO and OFDMA technologies. It aims to achieve higher data rates for 4G as specified by ITU. The bandwidth will be between 1.25MHz and 20MHz.
The highest data rates in 4G network is about 100Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink. All customers will be able to use LTE capacity as the speed will be throttled down by AT&T network. However actual speed is expected between 6 Mbps and 8 Mbps. The network advancement may increase the speed. AT&T has planned to use 10MHz=70 Mbps carrier in its LTE networks.