Everyone loves to have great Internet! Whether you're at home or on the move, you shouldn't have to struggle at all. Admittedly, Kenyans are a spoiled lot and no, you cannot blame them for being obsessed with having great Internet. This goes especially for smartphones. It's also good to appreciate the fact that we've actually come from far in terms of good Internet speeds.
From the days of 2G Internet introduced in 2003 and thereafter, an evolution in to 3G Internet in 2008 to where we are right now with 4G Internet which came in four years ago in December 2014. We deserve the evolution anyway! However, did you know that 3G and 4G Internet is mostly interchangeable on your smartphone? Did you know that these two technologies can and should be applied in different situations? Here's what you need to know about this technology
What's the difference between 3G and 4G?
Let's start with the basics on these two seemingly mysterious terms (to the average consumer). Firstly, the "G" represents a generation of mobile technology which is installed in phones and on cellular networks. The first two generations were analog cell phones (1G) and digital phones (2G). From then on, an evolution began.
Third-generation mobile networks also called 3G was implemented in Kenya back in 2008. The technology features minimum consistent Internet speeds of 144Kbps and was the true introduction into "mobile broadband." Currently, a "3G" connection can get provide you with Internet speeds ranging from 400Kbps up to more than ten times that.
The next generation is called "4G" and it's even faster. 4G doubles and dwarfs the download speeds you would get on a 3G connection on paper. Typically, the average download speed on a 4G connection can reach 18Mbps while that of a good 3G connection can reach 7Mbps.
Then there's the slight complexity of implementation because there are so many technologies called "4G," and so many ways to implement them. It is considered that LTE is the only true 4G because of speeds it is capable of. The big difference between 4G LTE and other technologies called "4G" is most visible in upload speeds. If you upload a lot of data - posting photos or videos, for instance - you'll find LTE's upload speeds are fast.
Should you use 3G?
As mentioned earlier, 3G speeds are mostly sufficient and this would work for your daily requirements. Kenya's biggest mobile network operator, Safaricom has over 4,600 network sites across the country and 86% of the Kenyan population covered with 3G network. Besides that, Safaricom continues to improve mobile penetration which currently stands at 88.7%.
If you use your phone mostly to make calls, then you can do perfectly without 4G. You get to save your battery life and save some money on your device without having to use the high-speed network.
If you are in an area that doesn't have 4G coverage, then you do not have an advantage with a 4G phone. Simply disable the 4G LTE on your phone so that it doesn't drain your battery quickly while trying to search for a signal that does not exist.
Depending on the model of your phone, you can switch to 3G manually. You will see LTE/4G in addition to other mobile network settings. For iPhone: Settings>Mobile/Cellular>Voice & Data For Android: Settings>Mobile data>Network mode>Change to LTE/4G
There are great budget phones with 3G and you can get one with the fastest 3G phone possible. Safaricom is currently offering the Neon Kicka 4 Key which affords customers a satisfactory smart phone experience allowing customers to install apps, games and access the internet all while enjoying the speed and reliability of the Safaricom 3G network.
Get the new Neon Kicka and be in the know with apps like Youtube Go, Google Go and Gmail Go Usiwachwe Nyuma #MaishaNiDigital Photo / COURTESY
When to go for 4G
Most new smartphones currently come with 4G. If you want to use your phone to stream videos, 4G can be heaven. If you tether your phone to your laptop or other devices, 4G can make a world of difference. Generally, large data transfers are best done using 4G. Due to the high data rate on this technology, it's easy to use up a lot of data very quickly with 4G.
If you have a 3G phone and you want faster Internet, then you should use 4G. It would also be wise to be future-proof and get a 4G phone because Safaricom's 4G coverage is only going to get better. Besides, all 4G phones also support Safaricom's 3G and 2G networks as well.