This technology was originally developed by Allied forces during World War II, primarily as a method to prevent the Nazis from jamming radio signals. In contrast, GSM phones are fairly easy to unlock and transfer between networks.
GSM phones can even work in countries with compatible GSM networks and offer wider international roaming. Meantime, LTE has become ubiquitous. The standard boasts enhanced voice quality and functions as the base of high-speed, 4G data networks. In this case, LTE does have the edge over the competition in terms of overall speed and quality.
The next step to offer further improvements is 5G , which is rolling out now. For U. Today, all carriers support voice over 4G and are in the process of installing 5G, which is intended as a single global standard called 5G-NR.
If you are still using a 2G or 3G phone, consider upgrading and replacing it with a 4G or 5G phone. These are two separate, older radio systems that were used at one point in cellular phones.
In the US, these are both considered to be older technologies. We are getting close to the time when both of them are rendered obsolete. Each generation that passes is able to support more users, and each one has better data transfer qualities. Generally speaking, each new generation is better than the one which came before it. The first generation to come out, in the s, was for analog cellular phones.
The second was the 2G digital system that rose to prominence in the s. During the s, this technological split continued. Devices with both of these technologies offered faster data speeds, but they were still no longer compatible with each other.
In , the 4G LTE network first became available. However, most phones that had been made up to that point, and even some after that, still were reliant on 2G and 3G networks. Multiple cellular service providers have started using it, with more to come in the next few years. This will bring about a single global standard that is being called 5G-NR.
However, 2G and 3G networks are still being used. What this means is that for the moment at least, the split between these two forms of technology that traces its rivalry back to the s is going to continue. For now, though, the split continues to be a factor in the telecommunications industry here in the US. Verizon has turned off their 2G and 3G networks, getting a jump start on the process. T-Mobile plans to do the same at the end of this year.
GSM is used by most of the rest of the world. LTE is a new standard that's come into vogue over the last few years. The highest adoption of LTE can be found in South Korea, where it commands the majority of the market. So far it's used primarily for data, but standards have been drawn up for using LTE as a replacement to traditional cellular networks.
This standard uses a SIM card, so users can switch networks by replacing the SIM if the phone is compatible with the new network. With that said, at this time phones that use LTE generally use it only for data, but not for voice.
That will change as carriers like Verizon move to LTE-only networks, but this process could take many years. While it has the potential to be a global standard, there are some obstacles in the way. Outside of South Korea there's no market where LTE's reach is more than a quarter of the services available. South Korea in general, and Verizon Wireless in the US, are exceptions to the rule; in most markets, even carriers that offer LTE only offer it in a slim selection of the total area they cover.
And then there's the problem of spectrum. The same is true of LTE. You need to check that the compatibility of your phone matches the frequency band supported by your carrier. You won't be able to use an LTE phone on other networks with the same standard, but a different frequency band. It's unclear at this point if this standard will ever become "global" in the same way as GSM, which settled on a core of four frequencies across the world that are supported by most GSM phones.
And before you know it, the next global communication standard -- 5G -- will be upon us. First, neither GSM or CDMA is technically better; they ultimately provide the same service and the quality of a network depends on the carrier, not the cellular standard used.
Third, you need to check what bands your chosen phone supports carefully. Finally, LTE is being rolled out as a global standard. The technology also suffers from limited adoption because it's relatively new. Hopefully this has cleared up any questions you had. Cellular services are undergoing constant evolution and the standards commonly supported by phones can change from year to year.
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