In the age of advanced communication technology, we often see various symbols appearing on our phone screen that represent different types of data connections. Among these, one symbol that commonly perplexes many smartphone users is an ‘E’. You might have seen this ‘E’ symbol appear in the top corner of your screen, where you typically see ‘3G’ or ‘4G’ or even ‘LTE’. So, what exactly does this ‘E’ represent?
‘E’ on your phone’s status bar essentially stands for ‘EDGE’ (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution). EDGE is a mobile network technology that falls under the category of 2.75G, which is a technology between 2G and 3G. It acts as a bridge between these two technologies. It was developed in the early 2000s, primarily as an enhancement over the traditional 2G network.
When you see the ‘E’ symbol on your smartphone screen, it indicates that your device is currently using this EDGE technology for data connection. Typically, your device resorts to this ‘E’ (EDGE) network when 3G or 4G networks are unavailable or weak.
As EDGE is a slower network compared to 3G or 4G, you might notice a lag or constriction in the speed of your internet connectivity when your phone switches to this network. This is because EDGE is built on the GSM technology (Global System for Mobile Communication) that was originally intended for voice calls and not for data transmission. Hence, the data speed is often slower.
In terms of speed, EDGE offers a maximum speed of 200-400 Kbps, whereas 3G offers speeds up to several Mbps and 4G (LTE) even provides up to dozens or even hundreds of Mbps. So, while you can still browse the internet, send emails, and use some apps on EDGE, streaming videos or playing online games might pose a problem due to lower speed.
However, it’s worth noting that while ‘E’ might signal a slower connection speed, it’s better than having no internet connectivity at all. EDGE provides users with basic data services when they’re in a location with poor 3G or 4G signal availability.
In conclusion, the ‘E’ symbol on your phone represents that your device has resorted to the EDGE network for mobile data. While this may impact the speed of your internet use, it enables basic data services in areas with limited network coverage. For better speed and data transfer rates, it’s advisable to use 3G, 4G, or the latest 5G technology whenever available. Remember, the type of network your device will latch on to largely depends on your network provider’s coverage in your location.