Ronan Dunne, chief executive of O2 in the UK, believes the take-up of superfast internet will be much quicker than for 3G technology

British phone users will embrace next generation 4G services far quicker than the 3G technology of the previous decade, according to O2, which joins Vodafone on Thursday in launching its super-fast internet network.

The number of mobile operators offering 4G is trebling as O2 and Vodafone finally launch rival services to the high-speed EE network, which went live last October.

"This is a tipping point, because you have a multiple choice of who you get your service from, a significant choice of devices, and a clear timeline if you're a business for more ubiquitous access to high-speed data," said Ronan Dunne, chief executive of O2 in the UK.

Speaking to the Guardian before Thursday's launch, which will see O2's network switched on in London, Leeds and Bradford, Dunne promised that there would be no repeat of the 3G "slow burn", which saw mobile-phone operators struggle to recoup their initial £22.5bn outlay on licences for new mobile phone spectrum. The 4G spectrum, which allows users to download a feature film on to their handset within minutes, cost four companies just £2.3bn despite offering a superior product to 3G. "We would expect the adoption curve to be significantly faster than for 3G," said Dunne.

The government auctioned spectrum for 3G, which stands for third generation mobile standards, in 2000. But it took a further three years for any operator to deploy it. Even then, the mobile web did not take off until Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007.

This time, Vodafone and O2 are planning a steady build-out. EE launched last year with 11 cities on the first day. It has now reached 100 urban centres. By contrast, Vodafone will have only London ready on Thursday. It is sharing masts with O2, and the pair will take until the end of the year to reach the 13 largest cities.

But the firmly entrenched position of the smartphone in daily life ensures the popularity of the technology. EE expects more than 1 million subscribers by Christmas. On O2's network, there are already half a million 4G-ready phones in use. Assume a similar number at Vodafone, and there could be 2 million people paying for 4G by the end of the year.

And that is before Three launches its version. The company has scheduled a debut for the fourth quarter of 2013. While cash constraints mean that the UK's smallest network is likely to take its time upgrading, relying instead on a souped-up version of 3G, all of its 9 million customers will have access to the new generation service from day one without having to pay extra or sign a new contract.

The operators must now explain what can be done with 4G that was impossible on slower connections, with O2 in particular drawing the public imagination with its Be More Dog campaign, which encourages phone users to do more on the move – such as watching sports highlights. With EE's network already so far ahead, Vodafone and O2's promotions have emphasised lifestyle benefits over any promises about speed and coverage.

Dunne says 4G will extend the experience of the modern living room, where families gather around the television set with tablets or phones in hand so that they can shop, contact friends, play games or even watch another show simultaneously.

"Your digital life doesn't stop when you leave your front door," he said. "That same rich media experience you can now take outside."

However, 4G is expensive if used frequently. Apart from Three, all networks will place monthly caps on downloads, which means that fixed line broadband remains better value for people who use the internet heavily. The cheapest 4G plans cost £26 for 1 gigabyte of data a month, which is less than the total needed to download a single high definition feature film.

"For the average user, mobile is not a direct substitute for fixed line and broadcast – it's a complement to them," says Dunne. "It is the last 15 minutes of the football and I want to catch it because I'm not going to get home in time. You won't watch four hours of Wimbledon sitting in front of a four inch screen."

One of the strongest use cases for 4G is as an aid to working life, particularly for those whose jobs are out in the field. Salesmen, architects or plumbers can send information to and from the office using cloud software. Growing companies may be able to take on staff working from home without having to find office space for them.

"Small businesses will see this as a way of cutting the umbilical cord to their desk," says Dunne. "It's about having an office in the palm of your hand. We have talked about digital Britain for a long time, but now we are actually building the infrastructure on which the digital economy can be supported."

What about 5G?

Even though 4G is in its infancy, Chinese technology company Huawei has declared that 5G mobile networks will be ready by 2020. Fifth generation mobile standard connections will be 100 times faster than today's fourth generation, or 4G. The 5G services would run at 10Gb per second, compared with a theoretical maximum of 100Mb per second under 4G.

However, speeds achieved in the laboratory are very different to those experienced on the street. While the fastest parts of EE's 4G network have a laboratory speed of 130Mb, this translates to an advertised speed of up to 60Mb, while the average customer receives 13.6Mbps, according to the most recent tests by researcher Root Metrics. Nonetheless, that 13.6Mb enables video calls, streaming of Hollywood films and sports highlights, as well as album downloads. Although album downloads are already possible on iPhones that use 3G networks, the process will be noticeably quicker on 4G.

Reasonably fast mobile internet services began with 3G. Its precursor 2G was voice calls and text messaging, although developments such as GPRS (2.5G) and EDGE (2.75G) allowed slow web browsing, while 1G refers to analogue standards used by the brick-sized devices of the 1980s. The UK's first 3G network arrived in 2003, and Root Metrics says average 3G speeds now vary from 3.2Mb on O2, to 5.5Mb on the Three network – with 4G more than double that speed.

• This article was amended on 1 September 2013. The earlier version said that "Mobile internet services began with 3G. Its precursor 2G was for voice calls, while 1G refers to analogue standards…"