The Difference Between 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G

Why is 5G so freaking fast?

Photo by Hadis Malekie on Unsplash

I recently analyzed what radio waves are, what types they are divided into, and what they can do. Here is the short version:

• Radio waves are a common way for devices to communicate with each other.
• Like waves on water, radio waves have a certain length, depending on the oscillation frequency.
• Long waves can go around large obstacles.
• Short waves can be reflected off and through obstacles, but this ability depends on the transmitter's power. The weaker the transmitter, the harder it is for the waves to penetrate.

Now let’s look at how radio waves can achieve high-speed data transmission for mobile phones, computers, and other equipment.

2G is reliable but slow

You probably remember when phones used 2G — “second generation communications”. It operates at 900 and 1800 megahertz frequencies, with a wavelength of 33 centimeters. Such waves can propagate up to 100 kilometers in line of sight.

Communication of the second generation was organized as follows: the towers were placed at the maximum distance from each other to cover as much area as possible in this way. Voice transmission in such networks works well…