ITU lays down law: WiMAX 2, LTE-Advanced are 4G, everyone else is a buster

Fleshing out what constitutes a 3G versus a 4G wireless technology is like trying to objectively quantify whether Coke or Pepsi is the superior beverage -- but for what it's worth, the UN's ITU is widely recognized as the closest thing we have to a final word (on the Gs, that is, not the colas). They've just issued a press release stating that of six technologies nominated for IMT-Advanced (the formal name for 4G) certification, just two have emerged victorious: 802.16m WiMAX 2 -- also known as WirelessMAN-Advanced -- and LTE-Advanced. That would leave Sprint, Verizon, and everyone else currently deploying WiMAX and LTE technically false in advertising their latest-generation services as "4G," though with so many technologies crowding the 3G space, we can't necessarily blame them; heck, even EDGE and CDMA2000 without EV-DO technically qualify as 3G in the eyes of the ITU, so yeah, the situation is really just as muddled as ever. For what it's worth, neither 802.16m nor LTE-Advanced are live anywhere in the world -- and they aren't expected to be for some time -- so whether you like it or not, the UN says you're still living a 3G existence no matter where you're located. So close! Follow the break for the ITU's release.Continue reading ITU lays down law: WiMAX 2, LTE-Advanced are 4G, everyone else is a busterITU lays down law: WiMAX 2, LTE-Advanced are 4G, everyone else is a buster originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  GSMA Mobile Business Briefing  | Email this | Comments

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