No Matter What the ITU Says, There is 4G

Some will argue that because the new International Telecommunications Union has defined "fourth generation" networks they way they have, there actually is "no such thing" as an actual "4G" network in operation anywhere in the world, right now.

That's actually not correct. The WiMAX and Long Term Evolution networks now operated in the United States and elsewhere use different air interfaces, standards and protocols from "3G." And since the difference between first generation analog, 2G, 3G and now 4G networks is in fact that they represent entirely-new technology generations, it still is accurate to refer to LTE and WiMAX networks, as they now exist, as 4G. They aren't "fully compliant" with the formal ITU definitions, but easily would meet even an industry insider's definition of a "new network, running different protocols, standards and air interfaces," than the older generation of networks.

End users won't care even that much, as in many cases HSPA+ will offer faster downloads and more bandwidth than some 4G networks. Let the purists quibble. Lots of real revenue is going to be made, and lots of new applications and use cases created, by 4G networks that fall short of the full ITU definition. At this point, the business models and businesses do not have to wait for formal compliance. Real-world 4G networks will fashion real business models and earn lots of real revenue without complying fully with the full standards.