What is 3G Anyways?

Everyone these days is hearing 3G this and 3G that. Heck, it’s even in the name of the new Apple iPhone that is being released next month, the iPhone 3G. Here’s a short and simple explanation without getting into all the details.

3G first and foremost stands for Third Generation. We are currently using 2G cell phones that work on 2G networks. As with anything in technology things have gotten better and therefore cell phone manufacturers and cell phone carriers are moving to 3G. So what is better about 3G than 2G? It really comes down to “speed”. The new 3G phones and networks allow for faster traffic. Just think dial-up to broadband. That’s what’s going on now with mobile technology. Some of the new services include wide-area wireless voice telephony, video calls, and broadband wireless data, all on your cell phone. There are a number of phones that are wi-fi compatible, but of course you have to be within a range of a router to use this capability. If you’re sitting at the beach you’re not going to be able to connect to a wi-fi network. But with 3G technology you can have the same benefits without having to be tied down to a router.

3G technology has made its way to the United States, but it isn’t available throughout each carriers network yet. If you live in a heavily populated city such as New York City then you’ll be able to use 3G phones. If you live in a small town chances are you won’t be able to use the benefits of a 3G phone. This is all quickly changes so stay tuned. To see if you get 3G in your area your best bet is to go to your cell phone carriers website and check. You’ll also need to make sure your cell phone is 3G compatible.

Well, that’s 3G in a nutshell. Now when you hear someone talking about 3G you’ll know exactly what it means.