Apparently ‘innovation’ has been an issue for the cell phone business. Companies are already claiming for a better technologic network: 4G or fourth generation. The fourth generation is faster speed that will enable to watch videos and download big files. However, the argument among the different companies is a disagreement on what exactly is 4G.

T-Mobile claims it owns “America’s largest 4G network” while Sprint it is “bringing you the first wireless 4G network”. However, neither company is right since there has been no agreement on the definition of the fourth generation. “"They are putting a mask on 3G and pretending it's 4G," Matt Carter, head of Sprint's 4G business, said of T-Mobile's campaign.”

Partner Clearwire Corp. that runs a technology called WiMax builds sprint and T-Mobile has upgraded its network to a technology called HSPA+, supposedly to be better than WiMax. To all of this, however, AT&T is considered the most powerful company, which now is also attached with HSPA+. However, AT&T plans to move to LTE next year, which is considered one of the two companies qualified as 4G according to the Telecommunications Union. Today, Verizon is attached with LTE, therefore being the only big company that can claim their network as 4G.

The interest of the companies is to upgrade their costumers to more powerful phones that offer better service and more luxuries, such as better Internet service and downloading bigger attachments. This is why the companies are desperate to claim they support the fourth generation network in order to get more costumers. However, not until an appropriate definition for the term is defined, no company should say they support this network. It is not fair for other companies to claim something you don’t have since it will harm them. I believe this can become a serious issue because it is for what all of the companies are now fighting for. First, the definition of the 4G should be defined and clarified to the public, and then the companies should make sure they can offer everything to the public.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592700833942346.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews