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4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communications standards in the field of telecommunications and is the successor of 3G i.e. third generation standard. 4G technologies also provide IP-based voice, data and multimedia streaming at speeds of at least 100 Mbit per second.

ÌýLTE an acronym for Long Term Evolution, is a 4G wireless communications standard developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project i.e. 3GPP which provides upto 10x the speeds of 3G networks for mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets, net books, notebooks and wireless hotspots. The goal of LTE is to increase the capacity and speed of wireless data networks using new DSP i.e. digital signal processing techniques. The LTE wireless interface is incompatible with 2G and 3G networks; hence it must be operated on a separate wireless spectrum.

Along with Ultra Mobile Broadband i.e. UMB and WiMax, 4G LTE is one of competing 4G standards. Nowadays, many newer Android-based smart phones, iPhone5, and iPad3 are 4G LTE capable. Generally, 4G LTE smart phones offer extremely quick downloads, but quality of 4G LTE connection depends on your smart phone, carrier, and location.

In India, Bharti Airtel launched India's first 4G service, using TD-LTE technology, in Kolkata on 10 April 2012.Ìý

4G and LTE Industry Current Trends

As per the reports given by Mind Commerce, LTE revenues have reached over $ 2.1 Billion in 2011, up from $ 0.6 Billion in 2010 and specifically the 4G LTE global markets is forecast to reach over $13 Billion by 2015, at a CAGR of over 45 %.

The global 2G/3G/4G cellular network infrastructure revenues are expected to reach over $ 51 Billion by 2015 up from $46 Billion in 2010 at a CAGR of 5%, with LTE contributing more than 20 % of the revenue share.Ìý

Major Industry Players

Some of the major 4G & LTE industry players include Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel, MetroPCS, US Cellular, and SK Telecom etc.Ìý