The fourth generation (4G) of mobile networks, widely adopted in the 2010s, significantly advanced mobile internet by delivering true high-speed broadband, overcoming the limitations of 3G, which struggled with data-intensive applications like high-quality video. The primary standard for 4G, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), provided a fast, reliable, and responsive online experience comparable to, or even exceeding, home internet connections of the time. This speed enabled seamless HD video streaming, real-time multiplayer gaming, and high-quality VoIP, all of which are now central to digital life. Furthermore, 4G facilitated the widespread adoption of cloud services and the substantial growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) due to its robust, always-on connectivity. From the perspective of June 2025, 4G LTE is recognized as the technology that made the modern, app-centric, and video-first world possible, transforming the smartphone into an essential, all-purpose computing device.

The impact and legacy of 4G LTE are profound, extending beyond mere technological upgrades to catalyze significant societal and economic changes. It effectively eliminated the performance gap between home broadband and mobile internet for most daily tasks, solidifying the smartphone's role as the primary computing device for many and accelerating the shift to a mobile-first digital society. Crucially, 4G's reliable, high-speed, and location-aware connectivity was the driving force behind the emergence and flourishing of the on-demand economy (e.g., ride-sharing, food delivery) and empowered the creator economy by enabling easy streaming and uploading of high-quality video content (e.g., Instagram, TikTok). Even as 5G expands, 4G LTE remains the mature, dependable, and nearly ubiquitous network providing foundational connectivity for billions globally, serving as the workhorse upon which current digital lives are built.