system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: when using cellular data (3G,4G), are we essentialy using a modem with a huge range?
gpt
A cell phone is just an advanced radio, and these radio signals have to be modulated before transmission and demodulated upon receipt.

Any communication being done through a cell phone will require both modulation and demodulation.

Their useful range is relatively low compared to lower radio frequencies.