4G, perhaps this term regarding advanced wireless technologies, was first used by Verizon with the mention of the 4G LTE service.  Now, it seems that every carrier under the sun claims to have “blazing” 4G speeds and the “largest” 4G network.

Apple has been in headlines recently due to the company advertising that the new iPad has 4G data.  The same is true for the iPhone in which a software update brought forth the appearance of 4G on the display screen; when in fact the iPhone is incapable of achieving 4G speeds when it has no 4G radios.

Is the Cupertino behemoth the only company falsifying data speeds?  Surely not.  The line between 3G, 4G, Wi-Max, and HSPA+ have been blurred for the past year.  Cell phone makers carriers alike need to make the distinction between the different speed thresholds because sooner or later customers will realize that their device’s promised speeds will never be met.

Bottom line:  The entire marketplace is a lie.  Carriers and hardware manufacturers must differentiate data speeds.  Honestly, consumers are getting sick of term after term.  In the end, the only thing they want is performance.