4G is the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications technology, succeeding the 3G standard and the forerunner of 5G. This technology was introduced to meet the growing demand for data and to offer significantly better communication capabilities than its predecessor.
The main and most essential function of 4G is the provision of mobile ultra-broadband Internet access (Mobile Broadband). This means providing much higher data transfer speeds compared to 3G, which makes it possible to seamlessly use services such as high-quality video streaming, cloud services and fast web browsing. This service is offered in addition to the usual voice services that were already available with 3G. Access to the 4G network is intended for a wide range of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and laptops using external wireless USB modems or built-in 4G modules.
Although 4G is a direct technological evolution of 3G, migrating and upgrading existing 3G networks to a full 4G standard (such as LTE or LTE-Advanced) is often technically complex. This is because older 3G architectures were generally not designed with the speed and network structure requirements of the fourth generation in mind. Significant changes and investments in infrastructure are often required.