What Is 4G LTE?

What exactly is 4G LTE? And should you actually care or upgrade to 4G? Understanding 4G technology and separating fact from fiction might prove daunting for the less tech-savvy among us. Continue reading, and we promise you will get all the answers you seek.

4G LTE means “Fourth-Generation Long Term Evolution,” with LTE being a type of 4G that delivers the fastest connection for a mobile internet experience is up to 10 times faster than 3G. Despite several vague claims, 4G LTE technology is the fastest commercially available mobile technology in 2018, and 5G is still several years away from coming to your mobile devices.

The terms 4G, LTE, and 4G LTE are commonly used interchangeably, and in the Nigerian context that is more or less okay. The major differentiating factor over preceding technologies simply is the speed.

Features of 4G LTE

4G LTE is based on the GSM/EDGE(2G) and UMTS/HSPA(3G) network technologies, increasing the capacity and speed using a different radio interface together with core network improvements. The standard was developed by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) to replace existing 2G and 3G technologies.

4G LTE offers faster speeds for users who stream media (such as videos or music), browse the Internet, and download data. The speed of 4G means the user can do more things online faster.

To be able to use 4G LTE, you must make sure your ISP (Internet Service Provider) has 4G network in your area, you have a smartphone that supports 4G and you’re on a 4G tariff plan.

4G LTE Speed

Speed is the major reason so many people are excited about 4G LTE. Mobile data has grown to become a large part of our daily lives, and the ability to experience and use the internet faster opens new possibilities for both business and our personal lives.

Theoretically, 4G LTE should achieve download speeds between 50 and 100Mbps (Megabits per second) and upload speeds between 10 and 50 Mbps. In reality however, for Nigeria 4G networks you should get download speeds of 3 – 12Mbps downloads and 1 – 5Mbps upload speed. To see how fast 4G really is compared to 3G, see below:

4G LTE Network and Coverage in Nigeria

Should You Switch to a 4G LTE network?

We’ve talked about 4G LTE technology and the various advantages over other wireless technologies, but is 4G LTE really for you? To find out, answer the following questions:

• Do you use a device that supports 4G LTE?
• Do you frequently stream or watch videos online?
• Do you frequently download large files e.g. over 1GB?
• Is your internet subscription shared by many users e.g. in a home or office?
• Does your current mobile network have 4G Coverage in your area?
• Does your network and device support Voice over LTE(VoLTE)?
• Do you spend over 2 hours daily online for work or study?

If you answered YES to 4 or more of the above, then congratulations! 4G LTE technology is for you and you can upgrade right away! If on the other hand, you answered NO to 4 or more you may need to upgrade to a network and a device that supports 4G LTE technology.

Ready to Upgrade to 4G LTE?

Now that you’re up to speed on 4G LTE networks and their coverage in Nigeria, let us take a look at the available 4G smartphones you can buy in Nigeria today.

Flagship 4G LTE Phones (N100-N400k)

Mid-range 4G LTE phones (N60-N70k)

Affordable 4G LTE Phones (N30-N50k)

Cheap 4G LTE Phones (Below N30k)

Not Yet Ready for 4G LTE? How to Get The Best From 3G Networks

We would all love to upgrade our phones and devices to the latest and most expensive ones that support 4G LTE with all its associated benefits. But unfortunately, the Nigerian economy is not smiling, and your account balance may not support such spending. Or it could be that your preferred network hasn’t expanded their 4G LTE coverage to get to your area.

But despair not! Whatever the case may be, 3G is still a good technology and is available all over Nigeria on all networks. On the speed front, you can get over 1Mbps speeds using 3G at off-peak periods. Here is how to get the best from your existing 3G network:

• Choose 3G Only: If your device supports both 2G and 3G, your device may switch you to 2G(Edge or E) if the 3G(H or H+) signal is low. Set the connection to 3G only or WCDMA only in order to get the best speeds.
• Use Faster Web Browsers: Newer browsers are optimized for faster browsing on slow connections. Use browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera, UC Browser, etc., and ensure you update them frequently.
• Use Mobile Versions of Websites: Many websites have a mobile version which is generally light and doesn’t contain any high resolution images or graphics. Accessing mobile versions of websites when browsing from your mobile phones will improve the 3G internet speed.
• Use Optimized Apps: Most apps e.g. Facebook have a lite version which uses less data and is faster. Other apps like Snapchat, Whatsapp and Instagram have settings to reduce and minimize their data consumption.
• Manage Apps Properly: Close all the unused mobile Apps on your mobile phone. Unused Apps continue to consume data and put lots of load on the mobile phone processor. Quitting the unused Apps will improve the 3G internet speed on your phone.

Note that this may not be necessary if you’re using a modern smartphone, because the device already handles it automatically.

• Use a download manager: Browsers and devices are usually unreliable when downloading large files on a poor or congested network. If you have to download large files, use a download manager to speed up your downloads and ensure your downloads are downloaded completely without failing.
• Disable Auto-Update: On modern devices, the Operating System and various apps auto update on the background, using up data and internet speed. While updating your device and apps is beneficial for security and stability, it should be done manually when you’re less busy or have a better or free connection.

And that’s all about 4G LTE in Nigeria today! We hope you learnt a new thing or two. This article will be updated as things change, so bookmark this page and keep checking later.

What is your 4G LTE experience for your network and location so far? Do you think 4G will take over from 3G completely? Do you have any further questions? Please tell us on the comment section and we will reply shortly. Thanks!!

Here at Mighty Data, we give you the cheapest data bundles on all Networks in Nigeria. If your device supports 4G, then you will be able to use our Mighty Data on your network at 4G speeds. For more information please see: Cheap MTN Data plans; Cheap 9mobile Data Plans; Cheap Airtel Data Plans; Cheap Glo Data Plans. Mighty Data… Do More!

View Phones

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4G LTE phones (100-400k)

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

IPhone X

Phantom 6 Plus

Iphone 8 plus

Samsung Galaxy S7 Plus

 Mid-Range 4G LTE Phones (60-70k)

Infinix Zero 5

Tecno Camon CX

Gionee A1

Infinix Note 4 Pro

Gionee A1 Lite

Affordable Phones (30-50k)

Alcatel Pixi 4

Tecno Camon CM

Tecno Camon CX Air

Nokia 3

Nokia 2

Cheap 4G LTE Phones (Below 30k)

Lenovo A20

Motorola Moto G4

Tecno W3 Lite

Lenovo Vibe C