What do 1G, 2G and 3G mean?

What do 1G, 2G and 3G mean?

When the data capabilities of a cellular network are being discussed, you may hear or see them described as incorporating 2G or 3G technology. G refers to generation of wireless data capability that the network offers, with 3G being faster than 2G (and 1G no longer available). Occasionally some vendors will refer to intermediate increases in performance with fractional designations such as 2.5G.

Generation: 1G

CDMA Technology: Analog Cellular (Discontinued)

CDMA Speed: 19.2k

GSM Technology: None

GSM Speed: N/A

Generation: 2G

CDMA Technology: 1xRTT

CDMA Speed: 128k

GSM Technology: GPRS, EDGE

GSM Speed: 40k, 160k

Generation: 3G

CDMA Technology: EV-DO

CDMA Speed: 500-700k

GSM Technology: UMTS (WCDMA)

GSM Speed: 2,000k

Different generations of Cellular service come via different technologies, depending on whether they are CDMA-based or GSM-based.

The carriers have chosen acronyms like 1xRTT, EV-DO, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS to describe the data services they offer on their network. What you really have to know is whether the network uses CDMA or GSM technology and how fast its data capabilities are. The following table describes the data services currently offered by carriers.

CDMA carriers: Sprint

2G: 1xRTT

3G: EV-DO

CDMA carriers: Verizon

2G: 1xRTT

3G: EV-DO

GSM carriers: Cingular

2G: GPRS, EDGE

3G: UMTS

GSM carriers: Nextel

2G: GPRS

3G: n/a

GSM carriers: T-Mobile

2G: GPRS, UMTS

3G: n/a

The wireless data services that the cellular carriers offer.

Please note that Cingular UMTS operates at a different frequency than UMTS in other countries. So, if you purchase the i-mate JASJAR, which offers international UMTS support from a third-party vendor, it will not work with Cingular's UMTS network.