Subject: Mobile Computing

Difficulty: Medium

Marks: 4 Marks

Advantages of 4G:

• The most obvious advantage of the 4G mobile network is its amazing speed. Increased bandwidth leads to much faster data transfer speed, which is especially advantageous for mobile devices.
• Users of the 4G network get the advantage of superior, uninterrupted connectivity, especially for advanced tasks such as video chats and conferences.
• Mobile device users, they can stream music, videos and movies at a much faster rate than ever before and can also easily share information online.
• 4G networks offer much more coverage than other systems such as WiFi, which forces users to depend upon hotspots in each area you visit.
• 4G offers a coverage of 30 miles and more, as also overlapping network ranges, users would be assured of complete connectivity at all times.
• 4G networks offer complete privacy, security and safety. This is especially beneficial forcorporate establishmentsand business persons, who hold sensitive information on their respective mobile devices.
• 4G networks are quite affordable these days, what with pricing schemes being considerably slashed to fit users‘ budgets. Of course, this type of connectivity is more expensive than traditional WiFi networks, but it also has a lot more advantages to offer to users
• This network also offers users several options to choose from, as regards plans and equipment to connect to the 4G network.Many mobile carriersalso offer special introductory offers for new customers, which works out to be very reasonable for them.

Disadvantages of 4G:

• Though the hardware compatible with 4G networks is available at much cheaper rates today than earlier, the fact remains that this new equipment would necessarily have to be installed in order to supply these services.
• Since 4G mobile technology is still fairly new, it will most likely have its initial glitches and bugs, which could be quite annoying for the user.
• 4G mobile networks use multiple antennae and transmitters and hence, users would experience much poorer battery life on their mobile devices, while on this network.
• Users would be forced to make do with 3G or WiFi connectivity in the areas that do not yet have 4G mobile network coverage. While this is a problem in itself, the worse issue is that they would still have to pay the same amount as specified by the 4Gnetwork plan.