In the last five years, we’ve watched smart phones seize the market and revolutionize the mobile phone industry. It is only fitting that a new cellular wireless structure should follow behind. Though 3G is still widely considered to be the coveted, high-speed wireless standard, 4G is slowly making its way onto the scene. One of the most talked about aspects of the switch to 4G is whether or not it should be accomplished through the use of WiMax or Long Term Evolution (LTE). Currently, Verizon and AT&T have unveiled plans to use an LTE-based 4G system. However, currently, the only cell phone provider who has actually launched a 4G network is Sprint, and they are dedicated to using WiMax for providing this wireless coverage.Sprint launched its 4G network this year in select cities throughout the country, with plans to expand to many more over the next year. They also recently released the first 4G phone, the HTC EVO. A 4.3-inch touch screen along with live video sharing and 3G and 4G capabilities have made this a highly coveted device in today’s smart phone market. But you may still be wondering, what exactly is the advantage of 4G? Higher data rates allow for more information to be downloaded and streamed at a higher speed. According to Sprint, the 4G network can provide downloading speeds up to 10 times faster than those of 3G. Just as 3G replaced 2G as the cellular wireless standard as its impressive predecessor, we’re about to watch history repeat itself. Though the 4 in its name does not refer to the new 4G network, the iPhone 4 is said to be capable of operating with the 4G network. Read the rest of this entry »