This document summarizes the key features of 5 generations of cellular network technology: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. It outlines the start/development year, access technologies used, operating frequencies and bandwidths, data transmission speeds, core networks, and applications supported for each generation of cellular technology from 1G to the emerging 5G standard. 5G is poised to support high speed applications like high resolution video streaming, autonomous vehicles, telemedicine, internet of things, industrial automation through satellite networks with global coverage.

1. Ravandran Muttiah BEng (Hons) MSc MIET Faculty of Engineering and Computer Technology AIMST University
1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G Technology
Features 1G 2G 3G 4G 5G
Start/Development 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Technology AMPS/NMT/TACS GSM UMTS LTE/WiMAX IMT-2020
Access System FDMA TDMA WCDMA OFDM DFTS-OFDM
Frequency 30 KHz 900 MHz - 1.8 GHz 900 MHz - 2.1 GHz 900 MHz - 6 GHz 900 MHz - 30 GHz
Bandwidth 3 KHz 30-200 KHz 15-20 MHz 100 MHz 100 MHz -1 GHz
Speed 2.4 Kbps 64 Kbps 2 Mbps 100 Mbps 1 Gbps
Core Network PSTN PSTN Packet Network Internet Internet
Applications
Cellular Phone (Analogue)
Technology
Cellular Phone (Digital)
Technology/Voice Calls/Short
Messages/SMS/MMS
Video Conference/Mobile
TV/GPS Navigation
Technology
High Speed
Applications/Mobile
TV/Wearable Devices
High Resolution Video
Streaming/Autonomous
Vehicles/Robots//Telemedicine/Internet
of Things/Industrial Revolution
4.0/Satellite Networks for Global
Coverage