SymbolsE,G.2G.3G.4g,h,H+,GPRS,edge,UMTS,LTE in the status bar of a mobile phone, smartphone or tablet computer indicates the type of mobile connection that is possible and available at the moment. The most common charactersg,E,3g,h,H+, 4g,LTE.

Mobile telephony is a type of mobile radio communication between subscribers. When organizing communication, cable lines are not used, and a radio channel is used to communicate with the subscriber's device.

What does the G symbol mean in the status bar

The G symbol in the status bar may indicate that the mobile device is connected to a network and data can be transferred. The symbol G is used to denote a GPRS network.

What does the symbol E in the status bar mean

An E in the status bar usually means an EDGE connection. In this case, the data transfer rate will be higher than in conventional GPRS networks. Sites load slowly, however, pictures load without any problems and it is quite possible to use e-mail.

Sim What does the symbol ox 3G in the status bar mean

The 3G (3 Generation) symbol in the status bar indicates operation on 3G networks. The connection quality is very high, and the data transfer speed allows you to quite confidently visit Internet sites, listen to music on-line or play on-line games.

What do the symbols 3.5G, 3G+ and H mean in the status bar

The symbols 3.5G, 3G+ and H are more of a marketing value, although devices with such markings allow a fairly high speed of communication with the Internet. Bandwidth allows you to receive high quality streaming video. This mode allows you to download bulky files with video content in a reasonable time.

What does the H+ symbol mean in the status bar

The H+ symbol in the status bar may indicate an improved mode of operation compared to the modes indicated by the 3.5G, 3G+ and H symbols. This mode provides a high download speed from the Internet and a fairly fast upload speed to the Web. In some models of mobile devices, the H+ symbol appears only during data exchange.

What do the symbols for LTE, L, 4G, 4G LTE mean in the status bar

The symbols LTE, L, 4G, 4G LTE in the status bar indicate the mode of operation in the latest valid version, which allows for a very intensive data exchange. The need to introduce such a regime is connected, first of all, with the fact that more and more users are constantly on-line, receiving information from social networks, various data from corporate websites, exchanging emails, sending and receiving voice and video messages.

Abbreviation GPRS

The abbreviation GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. Actually GPRS enables the user of GSM mobile networks to exchange data. This data exchange is possible not only within the GSM network, but also makes it possible to exchange data with external networks, for example, with the Internet.

It is useful to know that charging in GPRS is related to the amount of information received/transmitted.

EDGE abbreviation

The abbreviation EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) denotes a further modification of GPRS. The modification itself touched on the method of encoding information, which made it possible to transmit its increased volume.

UMTS abbreviation

The abbreviation UMTS (English Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) stands for the generation of cellular communications of the third generation 3G.

Abbreviation 4G LTE

The abbreviation 4G LTE (English 4G Long-Term Evolution) denotes the further development of GSM-EDGE and UMTS-HSPA technologies. The advantage of 4G LTE is the increase in the bandwidth of communication channels and the exchange rate due to updating the radio interface and modifying the network core.

More about the possibilities mobile communications G, E, 3G, H, H+, 4G, 4G LTE See Mobile Device Internet Data Rates G, E, 3G, H, H+, 4G LTE

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See you on the web!

It doesn't matter if you use a smartphone on Android, iOS or Windows Phone, when you activate the mobile Internet, you will see the same thing in the upper right corner - several bars indicating the signal strength of your mobile network, as well as a mystical letter. Sometimes it's E, sometimes it's 3G, and sometimes it's H or H+.

However, this is not just an alphabet soup. Each term indicates what kind of data network protocol you are connected to, with different protocols giving different Internet connection speeds.

In this short article, we will share everything we know about each of the networks: what they are called, how fast they are, and what you can do with them. So, let's begin!

LTE - Long Term Evolution (4G)

At the moment, LTE provides the fastest Internet speed, in theory - up to 100 Mb / s. LTE is faster than most home networks, and this allows users to download even large files almost instantly, watch HD videos and listen to music online, and download any website on the fly.

LTE is quite often associated with the term 4G. However, in reality, the 4G standard is still unattainable, because its speed is 1 Gb / s, which is ten times faster than modern LTE networks. Unfortunately, this term has gained some currency, however, until true 4G networks have appeared, you can use these two terms as synonyms.

In San Francisco, LTE appeared in early 2012. Advertising 4G LTE mobile operator AT&T on a cable car. Photo:

H+ (HSDPA Plus)

HSDPA Plus is the fastest network that is currently supported in Ukraine and theoretically gives a speed of about 21-42 Mb / s. On most versions of Android smartphones, you can see the letter "H+", but on Android 4.4 it just shows "H".

H+ makes it easy to watch HD video on the Internet and is comparable to the speed of home broadband networks.

The letter "H+" when connecting to the "Kyivstar Smartphone Plus" tariff. Photo:

H (HSDPA - High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access)

HSDPA is a protocol that is based on UMTS (3G). But this is a slower version of HSDPA Plus, giving a speed of about 7.2 Mb / s. This is somewhere around the minimum required speed for comfortable viewing of video content in HD quality, comfortable surfing the Internet and listening to music on the network is also possible.

3G (3rd Generation or UMTS)

3G digital networks initially served to support video calls with download speeds of about 2 Mb / s (in the very beginning, speeds of about 384 Kb / s were supported). This was the stage of quite a decent Internet, when most users had smartphones with advanced features that required a good connection (e-mail, skype, etc.).

E - EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution)

EDGE is sometimes known as 2.75G and is about 384Kb/s. EDGE was designed as a cheap way for mobile operators to upgrade their 2G networks and get closer to 3G without having to invest in new infrastructure. For a long time mobile operators in Ukraine used this technology.

G - GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

GPRS, or "butt cutter" as it was called in the early 2000s, is a slightly faster version of the early GSM data transfer standard. In this sense, it is sometimes called 2.5G - an improved version of 2G. The speed is about 115Kb / s, which was enough to download a simple web page or some basic textual information, for example, the exchange rate.

GPRS is the first service that gave a constant mobile Internet connection and the ability to quickly receive information from the network.

Ukraine

Until the spring of 2015, in Ukraine, a monopoly provided the UMTS service by one operator owning the necessary frequencies - subsidiary Ukrtelecom - Trimob (formerly Utel). All other mobile operators and their users were content with EDGE.

In the spring of 2015, a tender was held for the sale of licenses for UMTS / HSDPA and the commission sold three frequencies to Astelit (Life), MTS-Ukraine and Kyivstar. Moreover, Astelit (Life), which was recently sold to the Turkish operator Turkcell, bought the most interesting frequencies. The second lot was taken by MTS-Ukraine, and Kyivstar received what was left at the starting price.

Everyone has repeatedly heard about networks of the second, third and fourth generation of mobile communications. Some may have already read about the networks of the future - the fifth generation. But questions - what does G, E, 3G, H, 3G +, 4G or LTE mean on a smartphone screen and what is faster among this are still of concern to many people. We will answer them.

These icons indicate the type of connection your smartphone, tablet or modem has to the mobile network.

1. G(GPRS - General Packet Radio Services): The slowest and most obsolete packet data connection option. First standard mobile internet, performed by an add-on over GSM (after a CSD connection up to 9.6 kbps). The maximum speed of the GPRS channel is 171.2 kbps. At the same time, the real one, as a rule, is an order of magnitude lower, and the Internet here is not always functional in principle.

2. E(EDGE or EGPRS - Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution): Faster add-on over 2G and 2.5G. Technology of digital data transmission. The speed of EDGE is about 3 times higher than GPRS: up to 474.6 kbps. However, it also belongs to the second generation of wireless communication and is already outdated. The real EDGE speed is usually kept in the region of 150-200 kbps and directly depends on the location of the subscriber - that is, the workload of the base station in a particular area.

3. 3 G(Third Generation - third generation). Here, not only data transfer is possible over the network, but also “voices”. The quality of voice transmission in 3G networks (if both interlocutors are within their range) can be an order of magnitude higher than in 2G (GSM). Internet speed in 3G is also much higher, and its quality, as a rule, is already quite sufficient for comfortable work on mobile devices and even desktop computers via USB modems. However, the data transfer speed may be affected by your current position, including whether you are in one place or moving in transport:

• Stay still: typically up to 2 Mbps
• Drive at speeds up to 3 km/h: up to 384 kbps
• Travel at speeds up to 120 km/h: up to 144 kbps.

4. 3,5 G.3G+,h,H+(HSPDA - High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access): The next high-speed packet data add-on is already over 3G. In this case, the data transfer rate is very close to 4G and in H mode it is up to 42 Mbps. In real life, mobile Internet in this mode average works for mobile operators at speeds of 3-12 Mbps (sometimes higher). For those who do not understand: it is very fast and quite enough to watch online video in not too high quality (resolution) or download heavy files with a stable connection.

Also in 3G there was a video call function:

5. 4G, LTE(Long-Term Evolution - long-term development, the fourth generation of mobile Internet). This technology is used only for data transmission (not for "voice"). The maximum download speed here is up to 326 Mbps, upload - 172.8 Mbps. The real values ​​are again an order of magnitude lower than the declared ones, but they still amount to tens of megabits per second (in practice, often comparable to mode H; in Moscow, usually 10-50 Mbps). At the same time, faster PING and the technology itself make 4G the most preferred standard for mobile Internet in modems. Smartphones and tablets in 4G (LTE) networks hold a battery charge longer than in 3G.

6. LTE-A(LTE Advanced - LTE upgrade). The peak data transfer rate here is up to 1 Gbps. In reality, the Internet is capable of operating at speeds up to 300 Mbps (5 times faster than regular LTE).

7. VoLTE(Voice over LTE - voice over LTE, as an additional development of technology): a technology for transmitting voice calls over LTE networks based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The connection speed is up to 5 times faster compared to 2G/3G, and the quality of the conversation itself and voice transmission is even higher and cleaner.

8. 5 G(fifth generation of cellular communications based on IMT-2020). The standard of the future is still under development and testing. The data transfer rate in the commercial version of the networks is promised to be up to 30 times higher than LTE: the maximum data transfer can be up to 10 Gb / s.

Of course, you can use any of the above technologies if your equipment supports it. Also, its work depends on the capabilities of the mobile operator itself at a particular location of the subscriber and his tariff plan.

Users of SIM-enabled mobile phones or tablets may have noticed that the icon next to the antenna, representing data transmission, may change to one of the following: G, E, 3G, 3.5G, 3G+, H, H+, 4G, L, or LTE . Let's try to figure out what each of them means.

G (GPRS)

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service - "packet radio communication common use") - an add-on for GSM mobile communication technology that performs batch data transmission. It is one of the first implementations of the mobile Internet. Today, an outdated way to connect to the World Wide Web. The theoretical maximum data transfer rate is 171.2 Kbps (depending on the GPRS class ).

E (EDGE)

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) or Enhanced GPRS is a digital wireless data transmission technology for mobile communications, which is an add-on to 2G and 2.5G (GPRS) networks.

Network connection via EDGE is about 3 times faster than via GPRS, namely, the maximum data transfer rate can be 474 Kbps. In the picture above, the connection speed measured by the application is measured in KB/s (kilobytes per second). To convert to kilobits per second, you need to multiply the displayed value by 8, that is, 17 Kbps x 8 = 136 Kbps.

3G

3G (from the English third generation - third generation) - 3rd generation mobile communication technologies - a set of services that combines both high-speed mobile Internet access and radio technology that creates a data transmission channel (voice, messages, etc.). d.). Currently, this term most often refers to UMTS technology with an HSPA add-on (hence the “H” or “H+” icon on the phone).

Third-generation 3G networks operate at frequencies slightly higher than traditional GSM (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz), namely 1900-2100 MHz, which, in addition to other major differences from GSM and improvements, allows you to increase the frequency bandwidth and , respectively, the data transfer rate.

Varieties of 3G

HSPA

The maximum theoretical HSPA data rate is 14.4 Mbps (data rate from base station to all local subscribers) and up to 5.76 Mbps from the subscriber. The first stages of the implementation of the standard had a speed of 3.6 Mbps to the HSDPA subscriber (D - downlink). After the introduction of the second stage of HSUPA (U - uplink, that is, accelerating transmission from the subscriber), the entire technology was abbreviated as HSPA.

HSPA+

HSPA+ (Eng. Evolved High-Speed ​​Packet Access, "developed high-speed packet access") is a mobile communication standard, an upgrade of the third generation of mobile communications, with a high speed comparable to 4G.

It is customary to refer to HSPA + technologies that allow packet data transmission with a download speed of up to 42.2 Mbps and an upload of up to 5.76 Mbps. In practice, the connection speed is lower and is 10 - 20 Mbps (in the picture above 1.6 Mbps x 8 = 12.8 Mbps).

This technology is considered transitional between third (3G) and fourth (4G) generation networks. Sometimes it is also called "3.5G".

4G

If you have an L, LTE, or 4G icon on your phone, congratulations! Firstly, your device supports the LTE-A and WiMAX standard, and secondly, you are in the network of the newest and latest generation available in our country at the time of writing this article with download speeds up to 173 Mbps and upload speeds up to 58 Mbps!

Everyone who has used or uses mobile Internet has seen icons on their tablet or smartphone - G, E, 3G, H, 3G+, 4G and others. Most people understand that this is a designation for connecting to the Internet, but which of the standards is better? E, 3G, H - which is faster?

These symbols are the type of connection of your device to the network at the current time. Not so long ago we only knew WAP and GPRS. The second was then considered high-speed "cool" mobile Internet. Now the G standard is one of the slowest.

Let's take a closer look at the types of mobile devices connecting to the Internet.

G, E, 3G, H, 4G - what is it?

• G, aka GPRS - one of the slowest connection types among those supported. The maximum GPRS data rate is 171.2 kbps. However, the actual speed is much lower.
• E aka EDGE - digital technology wireless communication, used as an add-on over 2G and 2.5G. The maximum EDGE data rate is 474.6 kbps. This is almost 3 times higher than GPRS. On mobile devices, the speed depends on the location of the subscriber, network congestion and, as a rule, averages about 150-200 kbps.
• 3G- mobile Internet of the third generation. A distinctive feature of 3G is voice transmission, in addition to data transmission. In this case, the 3G icon on your phone should be “lit” even when the Internet is turned off. If both subscribers have phones that support 3G voice transmission and both are in the coverage area of ​​the 3G network, then the sound quality will be much higher. The maximum data transfer rate of the mobile Internet is highly dependent on the speed of movement of the mobile device.
  • Fixed objects - up to 2 Mbps.
  • Speed ​​up to 3 km/h - up to 384 kbps.
  • Speed ​​up to 120 km/h - up to 144 kbps.

  So, if you are going to download something quickly, it is better to put the phone down and do not touch it, as the speed can drop significantly when walking.

• 3.5G, 3G+, H, H+- HSPDA connection, 3G add-on, 3G mobile upgrade. The speed is already comparable to the 4G standard. The maximum speed of mobile Internet H is up to 42 Mbps. In practice, 3G+ speeds usually do not exceed 20 Mbps. This speed is enough to watch movies online in low quality or download a weighty application from Google Play.
• LTE, L, 4G- the fourth generation of mobile Internet. The maximum data reception speed is 100 Mbps for mobile subscribers and 1 Gbps for fixed subscribers. In fact, the speed is much lower, but it is quite enough for smartphones and tablets. After all, you will not download movies on 40GB?

"H" on the phone - what is it? This question was asked by almost all users of mobile devices. Especially often, various doubts about incomprehensible icons arise among inexperienced users, however, it is not surprising, because it is not so easy to figure it out right away. So, "H" on the phone - what is it?

One of the communication standards

Users of mobile devices often see clear and not so clear icons at the top of the screen. These designations tell us how much charge the battery has left, whether there are new messages, how well the network catches in this moment.

And the letter "H" on the phone - what is it? Such an icon makes it clear to the user that he is in the high-speed Internet coverage area, which is related to 3G technology.

What does it mean

Your mobile device is currently using one of the fast connection and networking methods. These are quite high speeds, for example, an excellent solution for watching a small video on the Internet or when listening to music. At the moment, it is one of the most popular mobile Internet broadcasting ranges.

Other designations

We hope you figured out the "H" icon on the phone - what it is. Now it will be much easier for you to understand what is behind the following designations: "E", "3G", "LTE", "H +". First of all, they signal the speed at which your device operates, and then we will talk about them in more detail:

1. E- one of the slowest standards, such a connection may mean remoteness from or peculiarities of the tariff of your operator. This is a very slow Internet, it is enough to see the weather with a delay, and then at best.
2. 3G. This is more modern technology. It allows you to easily communicate on social networks and listen to music with a small load, but about seven years ago this was a real breakthrough in the field of mobile Internet.
3. H(sometimes referred to as 3G +), the same icon at the top of the screen that worries so many. It means that a fairly good Internet connection is provided, at high speeds. It is entirely possible to watch videos or play online games on mobile devices.
4. LTE (4G). It is the latest communication standard for mobile Internet access. The speed of such smartphones is comparable to connecting to a regular, wired internet. You can safely download sufficiently capacious files, watch movies, use social networks. However, in Russia, and throughout the rest of the world, this technology is relatively young, so the coverage area is not as large as that of previous standards, which means that the network can sometimes disappear.

"H" on the phone: what is it, how to turn it off

It is also possible that you simply do not need the Internet on a mobile device. In this case, it is better to contact the operator and choose a more favorable tariff so that it does not stand idle.

If you need to temporarily disable the Network, then just go to the settings, depending on your smartphone. Usually this is the so-called curtain - when you swipe your finger down the screen and select the "mobile data" or "connections" column. Next, you just need to uncheck the box - and you temporarily turned off the Internet on your device.

In order to turn on the Network again, you should do the same operations in reverse order.

But for the Internet to work, and the icon to disappear, most likely, more complex technical manipulations will be required with the installation of an additional software, which is quite long and pointless.

Results

So, we figured it out and answered the question: "H" on the phone - what is it. As you can see, such an icon is a completely harmless designation of the range in which the Internet operates on your smartphone.

If you need to remove another of the above icons (which will also lead to a disconnection from the Internet, then you should do the same operations through the settings.

It doesn’t matter what OS your smartphone is running on - Android, iOS or Windows Phone: in any case, the activation of the mobile Internet leads to the appearance of several bars on the top right, which indicate the strength of the signal available in the mobile network, and an English letter - this can be E, 3G, H or H+.

And these letters have a certain meaning. Each of them indicates a specific type of network protocol, while different protocols have different mobile Internet speeds.

Consider up-to-date information about each of the listed networks: their names, speed, capabilities, differences - in particular, H or 4G - which is better? H and 3G - what's the difference?

LTE - Long Term Evolution (4G)

Today, it is LTE that provides the highest Internet speed, which theoretically can reach 100 Mb / s. LTE speeds are faster than most home networks, allowing users to download even large files almost instantly, watch HD videos, listen to music online, and download websites on the fly.

LTE is often associated with 4G. But in fact, the 4G standard remains unattainable today, since it implies a speed of 1 Gb / s, which is 10 times the speed of current LTE networks. Alas, real 4G networks have not yet been created, and these 2 terms can be used as synonyms.

H+ (HSDPA Plus)

Represents the fastest network of all supported today in Russia. Its theoretical speed is from 21 to 42 Mb/s. On most Android smartphones, you can see the combination of characters "H +", but on Android version 4.4 it's just "H".

H+ makes it easy to watch HD videos online, its speed is comparable to the speed of a broadband home network.

H (HSDPA - High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access)

The basis of this protocol is UMTS (3G). However, it is a slower version of HSDPA Plus, the speed of which is only about 7.2 Mb / s, which is approximately equal to the lowest speed that is needed for comfortable viewing of HD video, Internet sites, listening to online audio.

3G (3rd Generation or UMTS)

3G is a digital network originally used for video calls that downloads at approximately 2 Mb/s (although originally only supported at approximately 384 Kb/s). That was the stage of an absolutely decent Internet, most of the users at that time had smartphones that provide advanced features and need a good connection.

E - EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution)

Another name is 2.75G. Its speed is 384 Kb/s. It was created as a low-cost technology for mobile providers to upgrade 2G networks and move closer to 3G without having to invest in a completely new infrastructure. For a long time, Ukrainian mobile operators used this technology.

G - GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

In the distant zero, he was nicknamed "butt cutter". It is a slightly faster version of the early GSM. The name 2.5G is also sometimes found, indicating that this is a more advanced version of 2G. Its speed is about 115 Kb / s, which was enough to download simple Internet pages and basic text data, for example, exchange rates. GPRS is the first service that provided a stable mobile Internet connection and the ability to quickly receive data from it.

Articles and Lifehacks

It is not always clear what signs appear on the screen of our mobile devices. For example, what does the letter e on the phone mean, many users do not know.

• Some get scared and think that this is a wiretap, someone thinks that this is some kind of payable service, which was connected without his knowledge.
• In fact, the letter e means that your device has access to the Edge network, in other words, to normal Internet access.
• The appearance of this symbol on the phone screen does not mean at all that the network is being used, but that it can only be used.
• If you want to disable this function, then the easiest and most universal way is to turn off the phone. After you turn on your device again, the network access icon should disappear.

How to disable the letter e on an android smartphone

Unfortunately, not all phones lose the Edge icon after a reboot. For example, for phones with operating system android these actions will be useless.

Therefore, you will need to independently find the "Data transfer" function in the phone settings and uncheck the box next to it.

On some forums, advanced users are advised to use the special code *#4777*8665# to bring up the Attach Mode Settings menu.

There you will need to specify the GPRS detach command, and then reboot the device. Thus, the icon on the screen will disappear.

How to disable the letter e on iPhone

American Apple company does not include disabling the Edge network. But in some cases, this is not entirely convenient. For example, while roaming, the data function will be very expensive.

Therefore, in order to disable Edge on an iPhone, you need to make changes to the APN settings.

1. To do this, use the "Settings" menu, find the "General" section there, and then go to "Network".
2. Here, in the "Edge" section, find the line "APN Address" and put a dot at the end.
3. Thus, when you try to connect to the network, the device will give you an error stating that the selected service is inactive and data transfer is not possible.

Using the mobile Internet, you, of course, noticed that when a connection is established, different letters and abbreviations appear on the top quick access panel on the phone: H, H +, LTE, 3G, 4G and others. They indicate the type of connection, on which the speed of data transmission and reception depends.

Explanation of designations and characteristics of connection types

Knowing the decoding of the symbols and the main parameters of each type of connection, you can understand what speed to expect with the available signal level. In most cases, the mobile device itself chooses the fastest available communication protocol and makes it possible to use the Internet through it.

The mobile device shows the type of network used

The following factors influence the choice of network connection type:

• the place where you are: indoors or at a great distance from large cities, the most modern and fastest protocols (for example, 4G) may not be available, and the device will select the type of connection that will work, albeit slowly;
• tariff used: many tariffs do not provide for the use of high-speed 4G protocol, allowing connection only to 3G and slower connection types;
• device specifications: not all mobile devices support top speed access to the network, so in order to find out how many megabytes per second your phone can send, you need to read the documentation on the official website of the manufacturer.

3G

Alternative names are 3rd Generation and UMTS. This is the most common Internet connection format these days. The number "3" denotes the third generation of communication protocols. Initially, the connection speed of this type did not exceed 384 Kbps, but now, under favorable conditions, it can reach 21 Mbps. However, most often on a phone or tablet, you will get speeds up to 2 Mbps.

The advantages of the 3G mode include the fact that it is inferior in speed only to a 4G connection, but at the same time it is available almost everywhere. But if you are driving a car or train faster than 30 km/h, then the connection speed starts to decrease.

The speed of mobile Internet in 4G networks is many times higher than in any other

H, 3.5G, H+, 3G+

Type H is an improved version of 3G based on HSDPA - High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access technology. H+, 3.5G and 3G+ are also add-ons to the 3G mode using the HSPA+ protocol. They allow you to develop a higher data transfer rate: in ideal conditions, when using the two-channel version of the HSDPA protocol - up to 21 Mbps, and in the basic mono-channel version of the HSPA + protocol - up to 22 Mbps. In reality, however, the speed in both protocols usually does not exceed 3.8 Mbps.

3.75G

This option is rarely seen, as phones usually don't show it in the status bar, although they actually use it. The connection is made using the DC-HSPA+ protocol, an improved version of HSPA. Its maximum speed is twice as high as that of the H variant - 42 Mbps, since it implements two-channel communication. The best performance of this type of networks is commensurate with the average performance of a 4G connection.

4G, LTE

4G (fourth generation networks) is the fastest available at the moment. But only if they implement the LTE (Long Term Evolution) protocol. Initially, 4G networks used WiMAX technology, and their speed did not exceed 40 Mbps. But today, almost all telecom operators use the LTE protocol.

There are two types of LTE connections: LTE FDD and LTE TDD. Their main difference is the distribution of the available frequency range. But regardless of which version of the protocol is used, the data transfer rate can theoretically reach values ​​from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps, and in reality - more than 40 Mbps.

4G networks, however, have a number of disadvantages:

• the cost of accessing the Internet in them is higher than in 3G networks, so switching to a tariff that supports 4G is worth it only if you download large files or watch videos via mobile Internet;
• the coverage area, that is, the area where a 4G connection is available, is much smaller than that of 3G, so be prepared for the fact that you will be left without fast Internet if you go out of town.

The coverage areas of 3G and 4G networks in Russia are shown below. At the top - 4G coverage, at the bottom - 3G. It can be seen that the coverage of the territory by the 3G network is much denser, especially at a great distance from large cities.

3G network coverage is much denser

4G+, LTE-A

The 4G+ standard is the next stage in the development of networks based on the 4G protocol and supports LTE-Advanced technology. It allows you to combine the frequencies used, as a result of which the connection speed increases.

The maximum speed depends on the specific implementation of LTE-A capabilities by the carrier. In some cases, you can get up to 450 Mbps, which is faster than wired connections.

G (General Packet Radio Service)

A very old standard, which at one time was positioned as an improved version of 2G - it was called 2.5G. Works on the GPRS protocol - an improved version of the GSM protocol.

This is, of course, the slowest type of communication of all described, since its maximum speed does not exceed 200 Kbps. A normal site page without a lot of images and other media elements will load in this mode for about a minute. But sometimes you can connect to such a network where 3G and 4G are not available.

E (or EDGE - Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution)

EDGE is not yet 3G, but closer to it. The second name of this option is 2.75G. This puncture appeared after G. It is capable of providing a maximum speed of about 300-400 Kbps.

Video: comparison of 3G and 4G connection speeds

Most fast internet available today on a 4G+ or 4G connection. The second fastest option is 3G+ and H+, then H and 3G. The slowest options that work a little faster than the usual 2G protocol are G and E. At the same time, the Internet coverage area using the most modern technology, is relatively small, and you can catch a 3G, G or E network in most settlements of the country.