The average download speed on 4G currently sits around 14Mbps (almost five times faster than 3G), and the average upload is close to 8Mbps.
4G is expected to last for at least another decade, and possibly longer with the help of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which shares available spectrum between 4G LTE and 5G devices.
The 3G technology offers a maximum download rate of about 21 Megabytes per second. The 4G technology can download videos at a much faster rate, that can go as high as 1 Gigabyte per second. It utilises the packet switching technique. It utilises both the message switching as well as the packet switching techniques.
Telstra switched off 3G connectivity on its 2100MHz spectrum on March 25, 2019, but will continue to operate 3G services on its 850MHz spectrum until June 2024. Telstra published a list of devices it has sold that were affected by the 2100MHz 3G shutdown.
3G is still fast enough to handle most day-to-day internet services. Some carriers are 3G-only. These tend to offer cheaper plans to compensate.
Other than that, if you're buying a 4G smartphone, definitely go ahead and get one. 4G phones are available across all budgets, the infrastructure is already there and, on the whole, 4G services are here to stay. Fun fact - 5G projections are projected to reach 500 million userbases by 2027.
Therefore, the thing to remember is that 4G will not be going away anytime soon, regardless of how fast the 5G network grows. The plan is for existing 4G LTE networks to be used by carriers well into 2030.
T-Mobile and Sprint 3G/2G/4G LTE network shutdown dates
These are January 1, 2022 for Sprint's 3G network sunset, and June 30, 2022 for the 4G LTE connections, respectively.
The plan is for existing 4G LTE networks to be used by carriers well into 2030. 5G networks are not being designed to replace 4G, rather they are designed to work in conjunction with 4G networks.
4G will be around for years to come as we have seen with 3G. Mobile service operators still — albeit in very few areas — offer 3G services. So 5G will not mean the end of 4G.
When will 4G be phased out? Shutdown of 4G networks are not expected for another decade at least. Of course, this all depends on the uptake of 5G connections and whether the technology can thrive without 4G altogether.
So 2G is very widely supported. If you take your 4G or 5G phone around the world it will still be able to make calls and send texts, because it supports the 2G network; the complexity of frequencies means that only 2G has the certainty of getting connected.
As we shared in the blog post, 4G to 5G: How Long Will 4G LTE Be Available, the main reason for network shutdowns is that the carriers have limited spectrum available for expansion.
AT&T announced that it phased out its 3G network beginning in February 2022. Verizon announced that it will finish shutting down its 3G network by December 31, 2022. T-Mobile announced that it finished shutting down Sprint's 3G CDMA network as of March 31, 2022 and Sprint's 4G LTE network as of June 30, 2022.
While spending more money on a 5G phone or a 5G variant of the same device may seem like a good, future-proof idea, it will not be worth it if you don't have the coverage and budget for 5G plans. Note that while 5G data plans may be priced equal to 4G in the beginning, they can quickly climb up for the faster service.
Getting a 4G device is not a bad option for many, even in 2023. This is because a 4G device would be priced more affordable than a 5G smartphone. 5G smartphones will definitely see higher demand as the telcos roll out 5G to more cities in India. However, that doesn't mean you should jump for a 5G phone as well.
4G devices will continue to work. Mobile providers are expected to maintain their 4G networks as they invest in 5G deployment. If your mobile device is more than a few years old, it may be a 3G device. Check with your mobile provider to see if it plans to phase out its 3G services.
Older Samsung Galaxy phones such as the Galaxy S4 and earlier won't work anymore in 2022 and beyond. However, since Samsung was relatively quick to adopt 4G LTE way back in 2014 with the Galaxy S5 (LTE model), the majority of Samsung devices will continue to work through 2022 and beyond.
2G networks are still active in certain parts of the US and Europe, and plans that operate on these networks are often quite cheap. Try to use that SIM card in Australia, however, and you'll be stuck with a big red cross over the signal bars on your phone.
Sprint, now merged with T-Mobile, closed its 3G network on May 31, 2022. T-Mobile shut down its 3G service on July 1, 2022. Verizon's 3G network will shut off on Dec. 31, 2022.
Various carriers have made announcements that 2G technology in the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries are in the process of being shut down, or have already shut down 2G services so that carriers can reclaim those radio bands and re-purpose them for newer technologies (e.g. 4G, 5G).
2GB of data (or 2000MB) a month is a plan aimed at those who don't use mobile data often, but is enough to browse the web for around 80 minutes a day, or use social media apps for at least around 40 minutes per day. However, it is not suitable for those who stream lots of movies, or want to watch a lot of other videos.
2G will be switched off by 2033
We expect that mobile providers will start making plans to switch off their 2G networks at some point after they have switched off their 3G networks. None of the providers have set a specific date yet, but we will update this advice if their plans change.
If you see 4G, LTE, or 4G LTE, your phone is safe and will continue to work after the 3G networks are shut down.
Which devices will stop working: Any iPhone older than an iPhone 6, including the iPhone 5, 5C and 5S. Samsung Galaxy S4s and older, but newer models may need an update. Kindle with 3G.