Stanley Tom Mamela - 4G is a myth (and a confusing mess)

You've observed the 4G advertisements from T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, bragging about a much-far better wireless network with blazing rapidly speeds.

Here's the secret the carriers don't promote: 4G is a myth. Like the unicorn, it hasn't been spotted anyplace in the wild just yet -- and won't be any time in the near potential.

That's quick ample to download an normal high-definition film in about three minutes.

None of the new networks the carriers are rolling out meet that regular.

Then, T-Cellular launched its 4G network, claiming to be "America's biggest 4G network." Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) ideas to launch its 4G network following week, which it claims will be the nation's biggest and the quickest. AT&T (T, Fortune 500) is expected to unveil its 4G network following yr.

These networks have theoretical speeds of a fifth to a fifty percent that of the official 4G common. The precise speeds the carriers say they'll attain are just a tenth of "real" 4G.

So why are the carriers calling these networks 4G?

It's largely a subject of PR, market professionals say. Explaining what the wireless carriers' new networks really should be called, and what they'll be capable of, is a confusing mess.

To illustrate: Sprint purchased a majority stake in Clearwire (CLWR), which uses a new network know-how referred to as WiMAX that's able of speeds ranging from 3 Mbps to ten Mbps. That's a various technology from Verizon's new network, primarily based on a normal referred to as Extended Phrase Evolution (LTE), which will common five Mbps to 12 Mbps.

Seeing what its rivals had been up to, T-Cellular opted to increase the speed capabilities of its current 3G-HSPA+ network as an alternative of pursuing a new technology. Its expanded network -- now referred to as 4G -- will achieve speeds of five Mbps to 12 Mbps.

No issue what they're known as, all of these upgrades are distinct improvements -- and the carriers shelled out billions to make them. Existing "3G" networks supply precise speeds that array from amongst 500 kilobits per 2nd to one.five Mbps.

So Sprint and Verizon have new, more quickly networks that are still technically not 4G, whilst T-Cellular has an previous, although still more rapidly network that is truly based mostly on 3G technological innovation.

Puzzled however? That's why they all just opted to call themselves "4G."

The carriers get defensive about the subject.

"It's very misleading to make a determination about what's 4G primarily based on pace alone," mentioned Stephanie Vinge-Walsh, spokeswoman for Sprint Nextel. T-Mobile did not reply to a request for remark.

:00 /:55Sprint's 4G problems iPhone A single network representative, who asked not to be recognized, claimed that ITU's 4G line-in-the-sand is becoming misconstrued. The organization previously approved the use of the time period "4G" for Sprint's WiMAX and Verizon's LTE networks, he stated -- although not for T-Mobile's HSPA+ network.

ITU's PR division ignored that approval in its current assertion about how long run wireless technologies would be measured, the consultant mentioned. ITU representatives had been not right away readily available for comment.

"I'm not obtaining into a technical debate," explained Jeffrey Nelson, spokesman for Verizon Wireless. "Customers will speedily understand that there's genuinely a variation among the capabilities of different wireless information networks. All '4G' is not the very same."

And that's what's so hard. The phrase 4G has develop into meaningless and confusing as hell for wireless clients.

For instance, T-Mobile's 4G network, which is technically 3G, will have speeds that are at least equal to -- and probably more rapidly -- than Verizon's 4G-LTE network at launch. That's why some business specialists predict that the time period "4G" will soon vanish.

"The labeling of wireless broadband based on technical jargon is most likely to fade absent in 2011," said Dan Hays, spouse at market consultancy PRTM. "That will be great information for the shopper. Evaluating carriers based mostly on their network protection and pace will give them a lot more details to make much more knowledgeable choices."

Hays expects that independent researchers -- or the Federal Communications Commission -- will step in following 12 months to execute velocity and coverage checks.

Meanwhile, don't anticipate anyone to hold the carriers' ft to the fire.

"Historically, ITU's classification program has not held a great diploma of water and has not been utilized to enforce branding," Hays explained. The ITU was 3 to 4 many years also late to make an meaningful impression on the industry's use of the expression."