What are the differences between 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G?

 

• 1G = analog
  Examples include NMT, AMPS, TACS, etc
  This did not do data.

 

• 2G = digital, voice
  Examples include GSM, D-AMPS, PDC
  2.5G added data (GPRS)
  
  2.75G faster data (EDGE)
  
  Data rates from 9.6Kbps (GPRS) to 200Kbps (2.75G)

• 3G = digital, supported data, but still circuit switched
  WCDMA, EvDO
  Includes data but still onto circuit switched architecture
  
  3.5G faster data, added true always-on / packet data (HSPA)
  
  Data rates of 2Mbps-tens of Mbps
  
  NB The USA and few other places had a rival technology ("CDMA"). IS95, EvDO.
  That was marketed as 3G when it was launched, but initially was probably closer to 2.5G and then upgraded to 3G with the EvDO upgraded.

• 4G = wireless broadband
  OFDMA, flat architecture, true packet switched
  Pure data: voice as VoIP (VoLTE)
  Most people say this is LTE & WiMAX, (though some people are waiting for an upgrade to LTE-A, based on a rather silly data rate definition).
  
  4.5G term not widely used but some people say that is LTE-A
  
  Data rates of Tens of Mbps - Hundreds of Mbps 

• 5G = Much faster.
  Being argued about now in standards bodies.
  Will likely be an extension of 4G but with higher data rates & better support for IoT
  
  Data rates of “1Gbps” are proposed