Before 4G was introduced, around 2010, great mapping software did not exist, there was no Uber and ordering something on Amazon from the train and having delivery to your home before the end of the day, was not possible. This is because a 4G network was necessary to carry all that data load.
In order to make this possible, that 4G network had to have a cost per gigabit of data for the carriers, lower than the previous 3G network. Lower costs per unit of data, allows carriers to pass along the benefits to consumers in the form of larger data plans. In turn, new services like Uber were able to be built.
From a cost efficiency and practical perspective, 5G is the logical and necessary next step in network evolution. However, 4G is still carrying the vast majority of wireless usage in the United States today. Furthermore, this will continue to be the primary network technology in the country for years to come.
