What is Mobile Broadband and what can it do for you?

Written on 7/31/2008 08:00:00 AM by poison_ivy

One of the advances of mobile phone technology is mobile broadband. To put it in terms which is easier understood for average users, mobile broadband is like having a DSL line on your cellular phone. Before mobile broadband, during the earlier stage of GSM technology, cell phones can connect to the internet via a dial-up connection. Your phone company charges you like they would a normal call so not many people actually use their cell phones for dial-up internet.

Then came GPRS. GPRS connection is faster than regular cellular line, however, some wireless carriers charges by the data download so it is still not feasible. After GPRS came EDGE which operates on the 2.5 GSM standard and then there’s 3G. 3G is a whole new network standard than GSM. It’s faster and even allows video calling over your mobile phone. But 3G is best known for allowing users to connect at broadband speeds using their mobile phones.

Even with 3G and HSPA connection possible, few people still use their mobile phones to connect to the internet for two reasons: First, wireless carriers still charge by the kilobytes downloaded so it is still rather expensive compared with just hopping on a free WiFi signal. Second, web browsers on a mobile phones are still limited and not even the Safari Browser on the iPhone can deliver a REAL desktop browsing experience.

There are some wireless carriers, however, that provides you with unlimited 3G use. They have a special sim card and a WAN modem which allows your laptop or desktop PC to connect to their 3G signal and have broadband internet anywhere where there’s a cellular signal. I’ve come across a website that allows you to compare mobile broadband providers so that you can get the best plans or deals. If you want, you can even use their broadband speed test to test out which of these providers have faster mobile broadband.

In some Asian countries, they charge 3G use by the minute so some can actually use their mobile phones as modems rather than buy an HSPA or 3G Modem. If only wireless providers would bring down the cost of mobile broadband use, imagine how easier it would be for businessmen to connect whenever, wherever they want. They don’t have to look for a WiFi signal anymore since anywhere there’s a cell phone signal, they’re good as connected. Now THAT’s connecting people.

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