I’ve been following the controversy around the topic of “4G.” A 4G connection is faster than 3G, but that’s about all we know for sure. When the standard was formulated, it must have lacked specificity. AT&T started calling their HSPA+ service “4G.” Sprint started using wimax and called it 4G. Verizon’s service is based on LTE which seems to be more like what the 4G standards committee had in mind.
Now, AT&T and Sprint are both rolling out LTE, replacing their earlier efforts with this technology. This presents a problem. You can buy a device for a network that’s 4G, but that won’t be updated and will be replaced by LTE.
It’s an easy mistake to make. On Black Friday, I saw a great deal on a Virgin Overdrive Pro at Walmart. I’d been looking into a mifi, but $40 for a new 4G capable hotspot was too good a deal to pass up.
After I set it up and started using it, I realized my mistake. I knew that Sprint had used wimax in the past, but it hadn’t even occurred to me that Virgin (which I did know used Sprint’s network) would still be selling wimax devices as 4G. Sprint has been talking about rolling out an LTE network, so I’d assumed this device was LTE.
Am I sorry I bought it? No. Do I wish it had a type of 4G that’s growing in popularity? Oh yeah. As you’re looking at cell phones or hotspots, don’t make the mistake that I did. Make sure you know the technology you’re getting. Just remember that 4G isn’t 4G if the 4G is being replaced by another 4G.
Have you ever bought something and thought you were getting something different?
[Image via Matt Biddulph]
Mickey says
AT&T has been amazingly shady about this. They have commercials that tout the speed of their 4g LTE network, then close the commercial by bragging about having the nations largest 4G network. They know that consumers will think they’re the same thing, which is so weak…
Paul Clifford (@PodcastinChurch) says
You’re so right. I think it might backfire on them, though. Since they were using HSPA+ and calling it 4G, going to LTE meant they needed new branding. Since they chose 4G LTE, I’ve heard some people think 4G LTE is actually 4G Lite. Verizon skipped this problem and so they only have 4G so if you’re confused by AT&T’s branding, you might think that Verizon has 4G and AT&T has 4G Lite, even though they’re the same.
It seems only fair that now that they’re equal in technology, the one who said they were equal before they were might now have the perception of not being equal.
Either way, Verizon is ahead of everyone else in the true 4G/LTE race.
Paul