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What Does 3G or 4G Mean?

Back when “mobile” meant your very expensive phone fit inside a giant briefcase, the cell phone technology used an analog signal to carry your voice to and from the cell tower. That analog signal was retroactively named 1G, or first generation.

The next stop along the way was 2G, which uses a digital signal instead of an analog signal. It also allows you to send data instead of just voice. 2G networks are still in use today, especially in rural areas, although cell carriers have worked hard to upgrade 2G towers to 3G, or third generation. 3G technologies are significantly faster than 2G ones, but they’re still slower than a strong Wi-Fi connection.

The next generation, 4G, promises ultrafast speeds and improved technology. ...