What is the difference between 2G and 3G?
Over the last three decades, the mobile phone revolution has made great achievements, improving the lives of millions of people.
The terms 2G and 3G refers to the second and third generation of cellular networks. The distinction between 2G and 3G network technology is that 3G networks offer substantially faster download speeds and access to data and apps than 2G networks.
What Is 2G?
2G stands for second generation of mobile technology. In 1991, Finland developed the 2G technology. Many networks were able to provide services such as text messaging, image messages, and MMS thanks to this technology.
The SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) was introduced for the first time in this technology, allowing for more secure and clear communication. This has been rapidly accepted throughout the world, and GSM now covers the majority of the planet.
The most prominent improvement of 2G over its predecessor is digital encryption of telephone communications, as well as significantly increased spectrum efficiency, allowing for more mobile phone penetration.
These digital signals use less battery power, which helps save mobile phone batteries. More recent versions of 2G are 2.5G and 2.75G.
What Is 3G?
3G stands for third generation of mobile technology. In Japan, a 3G mobile network was built in 2001 to provide speeds previously unattainable with 2G technology.
The International Telecommunication Union set the technological standards (ITU).
Mobile phones can offered apps such as video calls, high-speed internet, multimedia applications, video streaming, video conferencing, and location-based services.
3G mobile networks are faster and can handle both voice and data at the same time without interfering with one another.
This system is far more adaptable, as it can support five different radio technologies, including CDMA, TDMA, and FDMA.
- Also Read: Difference Between GSM And CDMA
- Also Read: Difference Between 3G And 4G
- Also Read: Difference Between 4G And 5G
Difference Between 2G and 3G: 2G VS 3G
| 2G | VS | 3G |
| Second generation of cellular network. | Stand for | Third generation of cellular network |
| TDMA and FDMA | Technology | WCDMA, CDMA2000, CDA2000 1X EV-DO. |
| 236 Kbps | Speed | DL – 21Mbps UL – 5.7Mbps |
| Less secure | Security | More secure |
| GSM, CDMAOne, D-AMPS | Network | UMTS FDD and TDD, CDMA2000 1x EVDO, CDMA2000 3x, TD-SCDMA, Arib WCDMA, EDGE, IMT-2000 DECT |
| 200 kHz wide | Spectrum | 5 MHz wide |
| 900Mhz and 1800Mhz | Operating Band | 2100Mhz |
| Cheap | Cost | Expensive |
| Circuit switching | Switching | Packet Switching |
Wide Area Cell Based | Network Architecture | Integration of wireless LAN and Wide area. |
Conclusion
In conclusion we can say that 3G network technology delivers significantly more bandwidth(more users) than 2G network technology. Additional benefits of 3G technology include mobile TV, video transfers, and GPS systems, which are not available with 2G technology.
- References: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G
- References: verizon.com/about/our-company/5g/
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