One of the best things about 4G internet service is the fact that it gives you a wealth of choices. You can choose to use the internet at home, on the go, or even all throughout the country if you have optional 3G coverage. Unfortunately, you're also going to have to choose between the various standards that are available out there. Not only are they incompatible with one another, but each one has their own advantages and disadvantages. Once you learn more about them though, it'll be much easier for you to choose one.
Before you discover what those difference are though, it's helpful to know that you really can't go wrong with any 4G technology that you choose because they're all going to offer the same basic level of performance and functionality. You're going to get a broadband connection that can be used in a variety of locations no matter which standard you choose. It certainly is helpful to know that you can't go wrong, but if you want to be confident that you made the best choice possible then you should learn more about the different standards.
One option that consumers have right now is known as HSPA+. Although it often labels itself as a next generation technology, it's actually based on the older 3G network. Despite that though, it can support fairly high transfer rates. Sometimes the transfer rates are even higher than its competitors too. Unfortunately, there are two major downsides to this 4G technology. First and foremost, it generally tends to enforce usage caps, which means that you'll only be able to transfer a certain amount of data per month. Usually the cap is set to 5 gigabytes, meaning that you won't be able to do all that much with your connection. For example, you could easily go over that limit after watching a few high definition movies. Another major downside of HSPA+ is that it probably won't be able to achieve the same transfer rates as its competitors in the future, which has to do with the fact that it's based on older technology.
Another option you can pick is known as Wimax. Even though it is based on advanced new infrastructure, it has actually been around much longer than HSPA+ and has thus had time to go through the necessary growing pains that any new technology needs to go through. Additionally, its transfer rates can currently compete with the likes of cable and DSL. And since its network is based on next-generation technology, its future looks extremely bright.
Your third choice is known as LTE or Long Term Evolution. It too is based on next-generation technology, but unfortunately it showed up late to the party. Look at advertisements for it and you will get the feeling that providers are trying to rush it to market. Nevertheless, it is quite fast and is based on solid technology, which means it most likely has a bright future ahead of it too, but you would be wise to be a bit skeptical about it for now.
After it's all said and done, a clear winner has emerged: Wimax. It has stood the test of time, currently offers high transfer rates, and is expected to be a solid choice for many years to come.
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