Cellular Communication Network

You have been using your phone for years, you make phone calls, surf the internet, and communicate with people. But you might not know the evolution of the cellular communications network.

So what is the cellular Communications network?

The cellular communications network, simply put, is a system that allows people to make calls, send text messages, and access the internet wirelessly using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. It’s called “cellular” because the network is divided into small areas called cells, and each cell has a tower or base station that transmits and receives signals.

Everything has a beginning. So for cellular communications networks, it starts with the first generation, or 1G.

First Generation (1G):

1G was first introduced in the 1980s, marking the birth of cellular telephone systems. It was one of the greatest inventions for human advancement. It allows people to communicate virtually using analog technology for voice transmission. 1G networks had limited capacity, were prone to interference, and offered basic voice services. The devices that used 1G back in the day were analog mobile phones, which were large and bulky, and the call quality could be inconsistent.

Second Generation (2G):

2G emerged with a massive improvement in the early 1990s by introducing digital voice communication with higher quality and capacity. What’s fascinating about this new generation of cellular communication networks is the introduction of SMS (Short Message Service), which allows users to send short text messages. 2G networks also provided circuit-switched data capabilities, although at relatively slow speeds. Improved security features, enhanced capacity and efficiency, international roaming, and the foundation for mobile internet access were other notable contributions of 2G. You might not know that the famous Nokia 3310 actually used 2G.

Third Generation (3G):

3G was introduced in the early 2000s. It brought significant advancements in mobile communications. They offered faster data speeds, improved voice quality, and the ability to support multimedia applications. 3G networks allowed users to browse the internet, stream videos, and make video calls, but it was still really slow. However, 3.5G emerged and showed significant improvement over 3G, offering even faster data speeds and enhanced network capacity. You might have known it as H+ back in the day because it improved network efficiency and increased data transfer rates.

Fourth Generation (4G):

4G was launched in the early 2010s. It represented a major leap forward in mobile communication. Nowadays, most devices are using 4G, or just LTE. They offered significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and improved network efficiency compared to previous generations. The main 4G technology was LTE (Long Term Evolution), which provided data rates of up to 100 Mbps for mobile devices and up to 1 Gbps for stationary devices. As with 3G, 4.5G (LTE Advanced) was introduced not much later after the launch of 4G. LTE Advanced is mostly referred to as LTE+. It basically boosts data speeds by utilizing multiple frequency bands simultaneously. It also improved network capacity by accommodating more connected devices and enabling advanced services such as HD video streaming.

Fifth Generation (5G):

5G was just introduced in the past few years. But we can see that some of the latest devices can access 5G already. But with only a 5G-capable device, you still might not be able to use 5G because you need to be in an area where a 5G antenna is available. Every generation of wireless communication technology develops faster and is more capable than the previous one. With 5G, your download speed can be up to 1GB. To put that in comparison, you can download large files, such as movies or video games, in a matter of seconds or minutes rather than hours. Streaming high-definition (HD) or even 4K content becomes seamless, with no buffering or lag. However, there are some controversial concerns about whether 5G is dangerous to us because of the radio wave. It’s a myth! When 5G is operated within established safety guidelines, it is not considered dangerous to human health.

What do you think after reading this? I might write another article about 6G sooner or later ;)