4G is currently the fastest and most advanced form of wireless technology available right now. The speed and efficiency that has come to be synonymous with 4G has had a profound effect on cloud computing. But before we get into that, we should probably start at the beginning, and define what 4G is.
As with all things technological, there does not seem to be a cohesive definition of what the term 4G means. An acronym, 4G stands for fourth generation wireless, but beyond that the definition gets hazy. Google the phrase “what is 4G” and the search yields thousands of results, each with a slightly definition; the one thing they all seem to agree on is the fact that it is the successor to 3G (although that much is fairly obvious, even to the least tech-savvy). The underlying idea behind most definitions (and the one most people probably associate it with) is that 4G is the most advanced (for now) form of wireless communication technology available. In 2009, the radio-communications division International Telecommunications Union (ITU-R) convened and established a set of standards for 4G. According to the organization, only two technologies (WiMax 2 and Long-Term Evolution Advanced) were worthy of being called 4G. In the end, however, so-called “4G” devices all offer the same benefits: they are faster and offer a broader range of services than their predecessors. They are generally more secure than previous embodiments as well. Because of all of its capabilities, 4G figures to have a profound impact on the economy. Deloitte predicts that between 2012 and 2016, U.S. investments in 4G will range from $25-$53 billion, which could lead to a GDP growth of $73-$151 billion and create 371,000-771,000 new jobs.
4G has greatly influenced cloud computing. According to the Deloitte report, when 4G networks are combined with cloud computing, “the capabilities of these technologies working in concert can enhance the functioning of the entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem.” Loosely translated, if a company uses both 4G and cloud computing technologies, they can be on the cutting edge of the business world. The single greatest influence that 4G has on the cloud is in terms of speed; it allows cloud providers to deliver a cloud system to the end user quickly and efficiently. While you know that the cloud drastically increases your mobility by granting you to access your company’s data and applications from wherever you are. When accessed via a 4G network (which allows the user to download ten times the amount of data per second than its predecessor) the speed and efficiency at which you can access those important files is greatly increased. Quick access also has a direct effect on the storage capacity of a cloud. Since the user can access a cloud quicker than on an older network, the provider can leverage larger applications and larger data sets for them. Additionally, collaboration is greatly increased because employees can access the same files and same applications quickly, without much delay. While 4G and cloud computing can work just fine independently of one another, they work best as a pair.
With customized cloud solutions from IronOrbit, your business can capitalize on the benefits that come with 4G technology. Using your 4G-enabled devices, you can quickly access your data and desktop from anywhere, any time of day.