When the first generation (‘1G’) of wireless mobile phone technology was introduced in the early eighties, the signals were merely analog and the quality of voice calls was generally poor, with frequent static and dropped calls. It had low data security and was primarily limited to voice communication.
About 10 years later, the launch of ‘2G’ marked the switch from analog to digital communication. This change improved call quality and allowed for the introduction of SMS (Short Message Service) and basic data services. It also introduced encryption and enhanced security.
‘3G’ saw the light in the early two-thousands, and brought significant improvements in speed and efficiency, making it possible to browse the internet, use GPS, and to stream audio and video on mobile devices. It enabled the rise of smartphones and mobile apps, laying the groundwork for the mobile internet era.
‘4G’ was publicly launched in 2009 and brought even higher data transfer speeds and lower latency, making high-definition video streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing more accessible. It introduced technologies like LTE (Long Term Evolution), enhancing mobile broadband experiences and supporting a growing number of connected devices.
(The first-release LTE standard was commercially deployed in Norway and Sweden and was later deployed throughout most parts of the world).
The current ‘5G’ was introduced worldwide by the mobile phone companies in 2019. It offers significantly faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than 4G. It is designed to support a massive number of connected devices, enabling advancements in IoT (Internet of Things), smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and augmented reality.
Its high reliability and ultra-low latency make it suitable for critical applications, such as remote surgery and industrial automation.
‘6G’ is now under development and is expected to be introduced sometime after 2030. It aims to even further increase speeds, reduce latency to near-instantaneous levels, and improve connectivity in the most remote areas.
6G is expected to support advanced applications like fully immersive extended reality (XR), AI-driven communication, and even more advanced IoT, driving innovation across industries.
The transition from 1G to 6G represents a journey from simple voice calls to a fully interconnected digital world, where seamless communication and connectivity are central to everyday life.
Each generation continues to build on the last one and pushes the boundaries of what mobile networks can achieve.
Who knows what novelties the next generation may entail?
The article is based on various postings on the Internet and edited by T.Sollie)