UMTS LTE is the natural evolution of 3GPP GSM and UMTS WCDMA networks. Because LTE provides services above the original 3^rd generation (3G) requirements but does not provide service levels for 4th generation (4G) requirements, it is sometimes called “Beyond 3G.”

0G - Mobile Telephone before cellular

1G - Analog Cellular

2G - Digital Cellular

2.5G - High Speed Packet Data

3G UMTS WCDMA - Multimedia

3G UMTS LTE - Ultra Broadband Packet Data

Here we can see how mobile communication (cellular) has evolved from single user per radio channel (analog) to shared high-speed multimedia broadband channels. One of the key benefits of evolution is the ability of a mobile carrier to provide more services in the same amount of radio channel bandwidth. If the carrier upgrades the system radio equipment and adds customers with new mobile technologies (and eventually gets rid of the old), they lower service costs (or make more money).