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19th Apr 2016

This is what the ‘E’ in the top corner of your phone stands for

The more you know

JOE

We all know the meaning of 3G, 4G and that little Wi-Fi symbol, but what of the mysterious ‘E’?

Aside from ‘I’m not going to be able to load this 5-minute video any time soon’, it has been a matter of concern* for us all.

Well, the answer is: Edge.

Well technically it’s EDGE, standing for ‘Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution’, not Edge, standing for David Howell Evans (we don’t know either)

GettyImages-518981612 (1)

It’s an old form of mobile internet, pre-dating 3G phones, let alone 4G, but it still crops up whenever you find yourself in areas without 3G or 4G coverage.

At least E is not the worst thing you can see on the top left of your screen – that honour goes to the dreaded four-letter combination: GPRS (General Packet Radio Service, if you were wondering).

*We suspect no one really cares

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