iPhone 4/S using 3G, or actually 3.5G?

[PracticalMac]

Reading up on the various network data bandwidths (on wiki), we have:

• EDGE (2.75G) (type 1 MS) 236.8 kbit/s 236.8 kbit/s
• UMTS 3G 384 kbit/s 384 kbit/s
• EDGE (type 2 MS) 473.6 kbit/s 473.6 kbit/s
• EDGE Evolution (type 1 MS) 1,184 kbit/s 474 kbit/s
• EDGE Evolution (type 2 MS) 1,894 kbit/s 947 kbit/s
• 1xEV-DO Rev. A 3.1 Mbit/s 1.8 Mbit/s
• 3xEV-DO Rev. B 14.7 Mbit/s 5.4 Mbit/s
• HSDPA/HSUPA (3.5G) 13.98 Mbit/s 5.760 Mbit/s
• 4xEV-DO Enhancements (2X2 MIMO) 34.4 Mbit/s 12.4 Mbit/s
• HSPA+ (2X2 MIMO) 42 Mbit/s 11.5 Mbit/s <- T-Mobile & AT&T uses, different frequencies

(EV-DO is part of CDMA2000, used by Verizon and Sprint)

It looks like iPhone is using 3.5G (when available), more specifically an upgraded 3G (3rd Generation mobile telecommunications) performance.

So am I understanding this mash-up of terms correctly?

 

[VandyChem2009]

It depends on the network. If you are on At&t than you are using the 3.5G. but if you are on Verizon or Sprint you are using 3G.

 

[PracticalMac]

It depends on the network. If you are on At&t than you are using the 3.5G. but if you are on Verizon or Sprint you are using 3G.

Well, V and S use CDMA, and that does not seem to follow the same generation progress as the GSM (if one could even say the GSM networks have clearly defined generations)

4x EV-DO seems to have higher bandwidth then 3.5G

 

[J Griz 757]

I own a 4s, so that makes me one real G. Holla.

 

[PracticalMac]

I own a 4s, so that makes me one real G. Holla.

iPhone, there fore iAm

 

[PracticalMac]

Other confirmation of the info?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Other confirmation of the info?

3.5G and 4G are just marketing terms, they don't have any real distinct meaning in this context.

If you have an iPhone 4S on AT&T, it can make use of AT&T's HSPA+ capability on towers that support it. AT&T markets HSPA+ as "4G" but some (pedants mostly) have decided is 3.5G, or 3.75G, or 3.9G. Whatever it is, it's faster than EDGE and HSPA - up to 14.4Mbps down.

On T-Mobile (USA), the fastest protocol any iPhone can access is EDGE, which is <1Mbps. T-Mobile's 3G (and 3+G) frequencies are "non-standard" and the iPhones (Even the 4S) won't use them.

If the iPhone 4S is on Verizon or Sprint, the fastest capability is EV-DO Rev A, which is firmly and universally called 3G (up to around 3Mbps down). No iPhones will use Verizon or Sprint's faster protocols (WiMax and LTE).

 

[PracticalMac]

3.5G and 4G are just marketing terms, they don't have any real distinct meaning in this context.

If you have an iPhone 4S on AT&T, it can make use of AT&T's HSPA+ capability on towers that support it. AT&T markets HSPA+ as "4G" but some (pedants mostly) have decided is 3.5G, or 3.75G, or 3.9G. Whatever it is, it's faster than EDGE and HSPA - up to 14.4Mbps down.

On T-Mobile (USA), the fastest protocol any iPhone can access is EDGE, which is <1Mbps. T-Mobile's 3G (and 3+G) frequencies are "non-standard" and the iPhones (Even the 4S) won't use them.

If the iPhone 4S is on Verizon or Sprint, the fastest capability is EV-DO Rev A, which is firmly and universally called 3G (up to around 3Mbps down). No iPhones will use Verizon or Sprint's faster protocols (WiMax and LTE).

Excellent! Thank you so much for the info, and you are right, AT&T is also moving to HSPA+, but on different frequencies.