What is 4G? The best devices, the networks, the tech and why you need it

1. Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung’s flagship Android smartphone isn’t just 4G ready and raring to go on all three of the UK’s 4G networks. If you’re a Vodafone customer you’ll be able to upgrade your contract to 4G from just a fiver. You’ll be enjoying movie streaming on that gorgeous 5-inch Full HD AMOLED screen before you know it. The S4 Mini and the S3 are also 4G-ready.

You’ve probably heard a lot about 4G mobile internet over the last couple of years. Up until quite recently, much of that talk would have focused on how great it’s going to be when it finally gets to the UK, while everything else constituted moans about the tech not being here yet.
Well, the UK may be playing catch up when it comes to next generation mobile internet speeds, but faster-than-Wi-Fi data is finally available on some mobile devices in a rapidly increasing number of areas across Blighty. But what is 4G? Can you get it on your network? Is your phone compatible? How does it benefit us? What devices are already available? And Is it worth stumping up the extra cash every month?
The networks
The UK currently has one up-and-running 4G network through Everything Everywhere or EE, which got a huge headstart on the competition by launching in October 2012. The Orange/T-Mobile amalgamation is rolling out 4G across the major towns and cities and aims to have 98 per cent of the UK population covered by the end of next year.
On August 29, EE will finally have some competition, when O2’s 4G network goes live in London, Leeds and Bradford, with 10 over cities rolling out before the end of the year. SIM-free deals will start at £26 a month, while further pricing details will be released in the next couple of weeks.
Vodafone has also confirmed its plans to go live on August 29 in London, with 12 additional cities planned for the coming months. SIM-free deals will also start at £26 a month, while pay monthly contracts start at £34 a month. Existing 4G-ready handset owners can upgrade their contract from £5.
EE’s early pricing has drawn some criticism, with its top contracts offering 20GB of data for £51 a month, but the arrival of rivals will ensure more competition in the marketplace. Expect prices to fall in the coming months.
So, what can we do with those faster speeds?
Well, if you’re downloading an album from iTunes or Google Play, it can be on device and filling your ears in less than a minute, rather than 10. If you’re streaming movies from Netflix or Lovefilm, you can wave goodbye to frustrating video buffering that interrupts the viewing experience? Web browsing and social networking? You’ll forget what it was like to wait for a page to load or a photo to post. If you enjoy online multiplayer games on your phone and tablets, you’ll enjoy smoother, uninterrupted connections.
The techical stuff
4G LTE, to give it its official title, promises on-the-go connectivity more akin to a super-fast home Wi-Fi network, and in many cases leaves current 3G speeds in the dust.  To break down the name, 4G stands for Fourth Generation mobile internet, which succeeds 3G (sometimes known as HSPA or HSDPA, or HSDPA+ depending on your network) before it and 2G (or EDGE) before that. LTE, on the other hand, stands for Long Term Evolution is the accepted industry standard for 4G in the UK and most of the western world. Unless you have an LTE connection in the UK, it’s not 4G.
The improved radio and network technology allows for mobile data speeds up to 10 times faster than traditional 3G networks, while the current maximum speeds offered by the EE network in the UK is 60Mbps. That’s only going to improve in the next couple of years.