Across the world, wireless network operators continue to view data as a substantial income revenue source for their businesses. They know that unlike voice, data consumption depends on many things and this makes it easy for them to scale up average usage volumes per user. One way of doing this is by giving subscribers fast internet access so that they can consume the same amount of data faster and demand more data. The latest trend for telecoms across the world has been the introduction of 4G internet.
The 4G network is an improvement of the 3G network that is present in most cities of the world. The 4G supports speeds that are up to five times faster than those of 3G networks are. In theory, they should lead to a five times increase for the data that consumers take up with their devices. To meet the increased demand, networks have to invest in their infrastructure so that they comply with minimal service requirements by regulators.
Those who benefit most from the introduction of 4G services are businesses and consumers who are looking for mobile broadband internet that is comparable to what cable networks are offering. The proliferation of new handheld devices that support 4G networks such as the iPhone 5 make it possible for people to enjoy applications and videos streaming services while on the go. They can do that without the geographical restrictions to their homes or Wi-Fi network locations. Users can expect average download speeds of about 8mbps on a 4G internet service and this is roughly half what they can get from their home cable networks. Given that these are speeds available on the go, without the need for wires and other physical connection, the latest wireless data sensation makes sense.
The unfortunate thing about the 4G LTE service that network operators offer is that it is limited by the availability of frequency. Operators are at the mercies of authorities who decide who to distribute frequencies and licenses for the service. In addition, it costs a lot of money to deploy the network. In some cases, the infrastructural investment in the 4G network is akin the deployment of a parallel wireless network. Many companies see no point of committing themselves to the provision of the high-speed data services when there is a slight chance of them recouping their investment cost.
The high cost of deployment continues to affect the presence of 4G across the world. Those who enjoy the service in their countries may only have access in certain cities whose demand for high-speed internet is considerably high. Network operators choose to keep the rest of their network on 3G because it is cheap to operate; besides, most of them are yet to recoup their investments on 3G networks.
The advancement of 4G data services is welcome for businesses and consumers who relish high data speeds. It allows them to embrace video-based services such as online TV, video calling and use of mapping services. Those who take up the service should be careful not to abuse the speed privilege, as any excess consumption in their data plans will likely cost them a fortune as network operators use prohibitive pricing structures to recoup their investments.