The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australia’s consumer rights watchdog, recently took Apple to task over the marketing of their latest iPad model as “Wi-Fi + 4G”. Apple responded with an agreement to refund units for those who felt mislead, and will take other steps to ensure clear communication of expectations. But this case raises the question – what exactly is 4G, how is it different from Long Term Evolution (LTE), and do I need to care?
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What is 4G?
In short, 4G is the shorthand for the 4th generation of mobile communication. 1G is considered to be digital mobile communications, which landed in Australia around 1998, replacing the old analogue mobile system. 2G was a clear distinction, offering Multimedia messaging (text messaging is considered something of a 1G innovation) and a lo-fi internet connection, allowing for a few info services like weather, sports scores and the like.
3G is recognized as the full integration of mobile data speeds that can be classified as ‘broadband’, or anywhere from 550kbps and up. There’s a missing link between 2G and 3G, sometimes called 2.5G, sometimes shorthanded to GPRS or WAP, which were both protocols that allowed somewhat sub-broadband data speeds. But we’re getting off track.
3G has been the standard for about 5 years now. In that time, standards have risen to increase the speed of transfer (HSPA+ and other minor improvements), but everyone has been a little hesitant to pull the trigger and declare something as 4G. That’s because the leap from 1G to 2G was a significant seachange. The leap from 2G to 3G was also significant. But the leap from 3G to 4G isn’t really changing the game, it’s just making faster what’s already available. 3G to 4G is more evolutionary, than revolutionary.
So What is LTE?
You know how the iPad isn’t calling itself the the iPad 3? There’s a bit of a trend all over the techno-entertainment industrial complex to avoid sequential numbering in sequels. So movie sequels might have a new name, rather than the same name with a “3” after it. It’s a way to distract from the fact that you’re being asked to pay again for something tried and tested, rather than something new. Well, this tendency can be seen in the use of “Long Term Evolution” as a shorthand for 4G. There’s a genuine reason behind it (ie. two different standards organizations battling for supremacy), but really, this is something of a marketing sleight of hand. LTE is a way of saying “Let’s get away from all this numbering nonsense, and look at the long game”. In that, the use of the term is relatively honest. But to the layman, 4G and LTE are roughly the same thing.
Strictly speaking, 4G is classified as speeds of 1Gbps. LTE is classified as 300Mbps. Seeing as how no-one, anywhere in the world, can get speeds even a fraction close to this is what makes the whole issue so confusing. Heck, even countries that live in the digital future like Japan and South Korea can only experience speeds like that on fixed fibre-optic feeds. The fact is, 4G by its technical definition doesn’t exist, but seeing as how no-one is getting it, anyone can kind of claim to already have it.
Should I care?
Apple’s defense was along the lines of “Look, 4G and LTE are terms that barely make sense given the current state of technology. Telstra’s quote-unquote 4G network may not be compatible with our device, but since their 3G service is faster than what’s being labeled as 4G in some of our other markets, we don’t think we’re being any more misleading than the entire market”. That argument holds some water. Telstra’s NextG service (they used NextG to distinguish themselves from other, inferior 3G networks in Australia), is really quite excellent, capable of speeds ranging from 550kbps to 20Mbps, with averages around 5-8Mbps. That’s a lot faster than the average experienced by customers on Optus’ and Vodafone’s networks. That's faster than many fixed line ADSL2+ connections.
The chip used in the new iPad uses a radio spectrum standard that, according to the current mess, can be classified 4G. But it’s not the one Telstra uses for their expanding 4G network. So no, your new iPad will never directly work on a Telstra 4G network. But it may one day work on the 4G network being built by Optus, which will be compatible. Apple chose the standard they did because it’s used by big networks in the US and Europe, and also by some networks across Asia. Australia is, per capita, the largest iDevice market in the world- which counts for good press, and little else when you represent 5% of a company’s overall customer base.
In conclusion – Apple will refund you if you really feel you were mislead. But for the record – using Telstra’s NextG network, or even the still-quite serviceable Optus and Vodafone networks, will still give you a pretty damn good experience for mobile browsing.
And it’s worth considering that the Wi-Fi only model has always outsold the model with a data plan, even though the data plan model can be paid off in monthly installments on a contract. AND that Telstra will be offering a Pocket Wi-Fi solution that will, essentially, allow you to use your “4G” connection with your new iPad everywhere you go (that’swithin5kilometeresofthecapitalcityCBDs,thecurrentrangeofTelstra’s4Gnetwork).
BIG BREATH
So no. You shouldn’t care.