Newer, Faster Cellular Internet
The brand new Samsung Blackjack, Nokia N75 and even the Treo 755p (new as of today) are already dinosaurs. Sure, their 3G (3rd generation) wireless data technology is blazing fast -- but that's when compared to other, older phone networks. 3G can still only download about as quick as a slow DSL line. With a theoretical maximum speed of 1.8 Megabits per second, you'd need days to download a feature film over the air. Actual speeds are around half that. Thankfully, several companies, including Nokia, Ericsson, Vodafone, and T-Mobile, have joined forces to form the LTE/SAE (Long Term Evolution/Systems Architecture Initiative). LTE/SAE was created to formalize and study a new standard that could potentially boost download speeds to 100 megabits per second -- a more than 50-fold increase. That's twice as fast as even the speediest land line available for home use -- Verizon FIOS -- which maxes out at 50 megabits a second.
3G made mobile Internet use-able, but 3G LTE could make it attractive to even the casual consumer. If LTE data networks are reliable enough the public may choose to abandon land-based data pipes altogether, the same way many have ditched land line phones in favor of their cells.
LTE is based on current 3G standards, unlike its next-gen competitor WiMax, which will likely top out at 10 Megabits per second. That means upgrade costs would be lower and interoperability would be easier to maintain. The LTE standard should be ready for prime time by 2010.
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From Textually.org
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