The technology that underpins mobile internet services is constantly evolving, every few years there is a big leap forward. When choosing a telecommunications provider, it is essential that you pick a company that can provide you with the latest technology. You may have heard a lot of talk about 4G networks and wonder whether this is better than 3G, the following information should help you to learn more about what the actual differences are.As of today, 3G is the best connection method in terms of mobile internet, and therefore cell phones. The G in 3G refers to generation, it indicates the evolutionary stage of the technology. The fourth generation (4G) networks are not yet widespread, though in the near future this will change.Presently, the main difference between these two networks is the availability of compliant technologies. There are various type of technology that fall under the guise of 3G, for example EV-SO, HSDPA, and WCDMA, amongst others. You may already have seen that various telecoms companies claim that they use 4G technology, for example UMB, WiMax, and LTE, but as yet these are not actually compliant with the specifications set out by the 4G standard, therefore a better description would be pre-4G.The current maximum speeds available with 3G networks are 14 Mbps for download, and 5.8 Mbps for uploads, fourth generation technology will offer users a huge increase on these rates. It is predicted that for mobile internet users, fourth generation technology will offer speeds up to 100 Mbps, currently this is only available with wired networks.Another discernible difference between 3G and 4G is in relation to circuit switching. At present, 3G technology utilizes both packet switching and circuit switching, the latter being a very old technology. Fourth generation devices do away with circuit switching and rely solely on transmitting data in packets, this creates a more efficient system that allows telecommunications providers to transmit a greater amount of data in the available bandwidth.At present, if you want the most reliable mobile internet connection, 3G is the best option. But, you should stay up to date with the roll out of 4G, as when this is available it will give a much faster service. When choosing a telecommunications provider, it is important to sign up with a company that is planning to offer 4G services as soon as possible. When important players such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei start producing 4G phones and mobile internet sticks, the main telecommunication companies will invest more resources into the technology.