4G (Fourth Generation)

4G is the term used to refer to the next wave of as yet unknown mobile technologies that will be used to replace current 3G networks. It is expected that WiMAX will be one of the favored 4G technologies.

2G (Second Generation)

2G is short for Second Generation, the name usually given to original GSM, CDMA, and TDMAnetworks. 1G, a term rarely used, would refer to the original analog (AMPS) type mobile networks first used in the early 1980s.

802.11b

IEEE standard 802.11b defines a Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology that is capable of achieving up to 11Mbps of bandwidth between two devices. It is part of the 802.11 group of technologies that define WiFi.

3G (Third Generation)

3G, or Third Generation, is a somewhat generic term for network technologies that the ITU classifies as part of their IMT-2000 specification. Generally, wireless network technologies must be able to provide a mobile device with a downlink connection speed of 384kbps in order to be considered a 3G technology. The most used 3G technologies are WCDMA, CDMA 1xEV-DO, and, technically, EDGE and CDMA 1xRTT.