4G Network Reliability Becoming an Issue for Consumers

A global proliferation of 4G wireless devices was already a foregone conclusion when the fourth generation of mobile communications was introduced nearly 15 years ago. When standard 4G gave way to 4G LTE, the move toward mobile was only accelerated. But now, the limits of 4G have caught up with the system itself. Network reliability is suffering as a result.

4G LTE expanded the entire mobile concept way beyond cell phones and tablets. It ushered in the internet of things (IoT) concept that brought everything from major appliances to automotive entertainment systems into the online world. So many connected devices have put a considerable strain on 4G infrastructure.

According to a recent report from J.D. Power, consumers are beginning to take notice. The report highlights the results of a study conducted among more than 34,000 wireless customers, results showing that consumers are less than pleased with network quality among the nation’s major 4G carriers.

Dropped Calls, Missed Texts

Among the many performance issues survey respondents mentioned were dropped calls. Missed text messages were also a common complaint. Both issues give customers a perception of poor network quality.

That being said, dropped calls have been an issue with cell phone service from the very start. By its very nature, cell phone service is mobile. Unless a consumer stands still for the duration of a call, there is always a chance that moving in one direction or another will cause a loss of signal.

The mobile industry can overcome dropped calls and missed texts to some degree because consumers expect both. The bigger issue with network performance is with online access.

Problems Accessing Content

J.D. Powers’ survey reveals that consumers are having problems accessing online content. They complain about slow loading content or content that doesn’t load at all. They are especially sensitive to this issue given the fact that data plans are limited for so many people.

The J.D. Power survey also shows that consumers are a lot more savvy about mobile data and data plans than they were just a few years ago. They are more aware of what 4G LTE performance should be like, as compared to what they might experience at any given moment.

It all points to consumers who understand that 4G networks are suffering from congestion. There are just too many mobile and IoT devices battling for a limited amount of bandwidth. No wonder the push for 5G.

5G Should Help

The hot commodity right now, at least in the cell phone space, is 5G. Major carriers are falling all over themselves to build up their networks and get the consumer switched over. The faster they can do that, the better.

A more complete and robust 5G network should help alleviate 4G congestion. That will be good for owners of older devices as well as rural Americans who now rely on 4G rural internet access.

Blazing Hog, a Houston company that delivers 4G LTE internet to rural customers, says that 5G is not yet capable of providing the same service. So for the foreseeable future, rural consumers who prefer cellular internet access over satellite need robust 4G LTE capabilities. 5G’s roll-out should make that possible.

It was only a matter of time before the number of devices operating on 4G networks overwhelmed the networks themselves. It appears as though we have reached that point. Consumers know it, and they are not happy about the network performance they now experience. For many of them, the jump to 5G cannot happen soon enough. But then how long before 5G is in the same boat?