Mobile Data Speeds: Compare 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G

Mobile data is an essential part of any phone plan, but finding the right data plan isn’t just about finding the cheapest phone plan. It’s also about finding the data plan that will service your data needs with the right speeds – enabling you to stream, scroll, post, and share without lag or frustration. Since 5G was introduced in 2019, it’s made a great impact on the performance people expect out of their phone and service, but other networks like 4G LTE are still being used, so it’s important to understand how these networks compare and how their speeds affect your service.  

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3G vs. 4G LTE vs. 5G  

What is 5G?  

Standing for fifth-generation wireless technology, 5G is currently the fastest standard for mobile networks. Think of it as the faster internet for your phone. Its key features include:  

• Faster speeds: 5G can be up to 100x faster than 4G.  

• Lower latency: Delay between sending and receiving data is very low, making it easier to use gaming and video call apps.  

• More capacity: Can handle more devices at once, so there is less congestion in crowded areas.

• More reliable: Stronger connections with fewer dropouts.  

By connecting to a 5G network, you’re enabling your device to download content faster, stream video without lag or that “buffering” screen, and enjoy video calls that don’t chop or delay.  

How to connect to 5G 

There are two qualifying factors for being able to use a 5G network: 

1. Your carrier has to offer 5G.  

1. You have to have a compatible phone that can connect to 5G.  

Carriers that support 5G  

All major carriers in the U.S offer 5G, and it’s very rare nowadays to find any carrier, even the smaller, alternative ones, that doesn’t offer it. Currently, T-Mobile has the best 5G coverage with 54% of national coverage, the most out of any provider.   

Phones that support 5G  

Most smartphones from 2019 (and onward) will have the necessary bands built in to connect to a 5G network. Some brands like Motorola will have “5G” explicitly named in their model, like the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G, while others – like Apple – will only list it in their specs sheet. That’s why it’s important to make sure when shopping around for a good phone deal that 5G support is on your checklist, as not all budget phones will be compatible.  

What is 4G LTE?  

4G LTE is the last generation of wireless technology before 5G was introduced in 2019. LTE stands for “Long-Term Evolution,” which was a standard built to improve 4G speed and performance. Its key features include:  

• Fast data speeds. 

• Smoother video streaming.  

• Supports HD Voice and VoLTE (Voice over LTE).  

 Before 5G came along, 4G LTE was the fastest network you could connect to and it’s still widely available and used in areas where 5G is not supported.  

How to connect to 4G LTE 

Because 4G LTE is more popular, it’s significantly easier to connect to a 4G LTE network than a 5G one, as it currently stands. The two qualifying factors remain true: Your carrier must offer it, and your phone must be compatible with it.  

Carriers that support 4G LTE 

All carriers in the U.S offer 4G LTE. Currently, Verizon has the best 4G LTE coverage with 70% of national coverage. 

Phones that support 4G LTE 

Most smartphones will have the necessary bands built in to connect to a 4G LTE network. The only phones that won’t be compatible are phones older than 2013 that are 3G-only (e.g. iPhone 4) or basic flip phones.  

What is 3G?  

3G is the third generation of mobile networks, launched in the early 2000s. It was the first technology that enabled smartphones to work; before that, only talk & text was available. Its key features included: 

• Web browsing. 

• Email on phones. 

• Video streaming (slow by today’s standards, but revolutionary at the time). 

• Apps on early smartphones. 

Can you still connect to 3G? 

No. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all shut down their 3G networks by 2022 to free up space for 4G and 5G. Other carriers have since followed, so if you have a 3G-only phone, you will not be able to use it for calls, texts, or data.  

What are Mbps? 

Mbps stands for “megabits per second,” which is a unit used to measure internet speed. You’ll notice it used both by home internet service providers and mobile data (phone) providers.  

The number of Mbps is directly related to how fast data is moving over your mobile network. So, to determine whether you have fast speeds, just look at how high the number of Mbps is. For example, 100 Mbps is significantly faster than 10MBps.  

Different actions on your phone will require different speeds to perform sufficiently:  

What is latency?  

Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to a server and back. It essentially measures the time delay between performing an action (like clicking on a link) and seeing the expected result (landing on the page from the link).  

Latency is measured in milliseconds (ms), with the 5G network boasting the lowest latency, measuring anywhere between 1-10 ms. 4G LTE is three to seven times slower, with a latency of 30-70 ms, so you can see how big of a leap 5G technology is.  

Latency affects activities like video calls and online gaming the most, with a barely noticeable difference on activities like web browsing.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Mobile Data Speeds