List of wireless network technologies

Cellular network standards and generation timeline

This is a list of generations of wireless network technologies in mobile telecommunications.

Comparison of generations
Generation Standard(s) Theoretical
maximum download
speed*
Typical
download
speed*
Theoretical
maximum upload
speed*
Typical
upload
speed*
Frequency
band
Channel
spacing
Maximum range (distance from antenna) Year of
commercial
implementation
0G SN, SN+ 2B/s 50-150MHz 1946
0.5G SI 200-350MHz 1958
analog & digital ↓
1G NMT, AMPS, TACS… 400-450MHz 1979
1.5G D-AMPS 30kHz
digital ↓
2G GSM 800-1900MHz 1991
CDMAone 800-1900MHz
2G PDC
2.5G GPRS 48kB/s 2000
2.9G EDGE/EGPRS 2003
3G UMTS 7.2Mbit/s 2Mbit/s 400MHz-3GHz 2001
CDMA2000 400MHz-3GHz
3.5G HSPA
3.75G HSPA+ ** 42Mbit/s 11Mbit/s
3.95G LTE ** 2009
(Mobile) WiMAX **
4G LTE ** 150Mbit/s 50Mbit/s 5-20(40)MHz
(Mobile) WiMAX **
HSPA+ **
4.5G LTE+/LTE Advanced 2007
WiMAX 2 2007
4.9G LTE Advanced Pro
5G NR 2018

* latest and optimal iteration of technology
** originally not considered 4G, only after a revision of 4G specification


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