Mobile broadband is now affordable, fast and is a serious challenge to fixed line broadband such as DSL or cable. In the UK, there are currently just a handful of providers that offer internet access via high speed mobile networks. Portable broadband connections open up a wide range of new possibilities including:-
High speed Internet access on your laptop whilst you are mobile. A real alternative for fixed line broadband.
Could these factors spell the end of standard fixed line broadband in the near future? Read on to compare how new the portable mobile connections stack up against standard fixed connections.
These days, it’s cheap to get a decent broadband connection that operates over mobile phone networks using High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA). These new high speed mobile networks let you get speeds of up to 3.4 Mbit/sec or higher. Our broadband speed test shows fixed line broadband connections typically average 3Mbit/sec.
Mobile broadband coverage is getting better all the time too. Pretty soon, you will be able get high speed portable broadband in most areas in the UK.
Broadband using mobile high speed networks is a real alternative to fixed line in terms of price and speed and availability / coverage.
It is now possible to enjoy broadband at home without having fixed line DSL or cable. If you also use a mobile phone at home, it begins to raise the question of why have fixed line phone line or cable connections at all? In the UK, fixed line rentals are typically around £15 / month. If you remove this fixed line, you save over £180 per year. With deals on 3G HSDPA connections coming in at around £15 per month, you can get essentially the same broadband but with the added advantage that you can take it on the road too.
Whilst there is no doubt that mobile broadband has come of age, finding the best package is not always that easy. Comparing packages should be simple. However, with a wide variety of different tariffs, discounts and contracts on offer, it’s easy to get confused. However, if consumers are able to easily compare packages, they can make informed decisions about which option best is best for them. This saves money as well as getting the best technology fit for their computer platform (e.g. Mac or PC).
Is fixed line broadband heading for extinction? It’s inevitable that the fixed line providers will come up with better propositions is terms of price, service and free extras in order to compete with the mobile providers. At the moment, it’s anyone’s game but mobile broadband is now presenting some serious competition perhaps for the first time ever.
By: Rowland OConnor
Archive for December, 2009
Mobile Broadband Comparison – Is Fixed Line Broadband Dead?
December 30th, 2009Sony Ericsson W980i – More Than What Meets the Eye
December 28th, 2009
Shaking, imaging, or listening to music may be the variety of options you can do with the Sony Ericsson W980i edition; however the specification of the mobile phone tells more than just that.
While some adore the Shake Control application of the phone, the high quality of sound produced by the portable music player is the main focus of the device. It was made under Sony Ericsson’s walkman phone version where all handset are made to produce quality music anytime, anywhere.
Most walkman phones are made to have a larger internal memory for music storage. Considered the largest internal memory for a walkman phone, SE W980i has 8 GB of free space or around 8,000 songs can be placed on the phone.
Imaging is not a problem for SE W980i since it has a built in 3.2 mega pixel, second largest resolution for mobile phones. The clear pictures and videos can easily be edited with the special features for imaging.
As much as you wanted to acquire the said gadget, since it was just recently released by the company, the price of it in the market is still high. Tech-savvy people find an option in acquiring the latest phones by applying for a mobile phone deals or contract which allow anyone the chance to have the latest gadget they wanted by paying in installment basis or monthly. Monthly bills will be sent to your address which specifies the fix rate of the handset and additional payment for the phone calls, messages or SMS, GPRS, etc.
Sharing is a Blessing
It is really considered a blessing in disguise to share the latest music or beat you have with your friends with the use of Music Shared application. Music Share allows transmitting music to a device recognizable by the phone without the use of any cable line or USB. You can also transfer music from your built in FM radio to your car stereo or other user’s phone that has an FM radio.
Pick-a-boo! I see you!
The phone is equipped with 3G application that made calling more enjoying. Now, you can see the reactions of the person you are talking to. Live video streaming can be seen from the screen as the call is progressing. Of course the 3G call can only be applied when two phones are equipped with the application.
That was fast
The phone has a 3.5G HSDPA that caused a faster internet browsing and downloading music online. You can check your email, download the latest music you just heard, and surf the net anywhere.
Blogging can also be done through the use of the phone’s connectivity. After taking pictures, you can upload the images fast and place captions in each photograph. Friends and family can see the photograph even when you are afar.
The faster internet connection also helps in the 3G application as it boost the calls a lot faster and without any signal barrier (unless the provider’s system is technically down).
By: Mark Hirst
Using a Mobile Phone As a Modem For Accessing the Internet
December 24th, 2009
What features and functionality should you understand in order to fully take advantage of accessing the internet via a mobile phone? Although this can appear complicated and involved … a little information goes a long way to “keep it simple”.
For the sake of discussion …. let’s say you have a mobile handset with the following specifications:
Networks…
2G Network-GSM 900/1800/1900
3G Network-UMTS 2100
Data…
GPRS- Clause 10(4+1/3+2 slots),32-48 Kbps
3G-384 Kbps
You have configured the software application given with the phone on your laptop …. and once you connect the phone to the laptop using the USB connection you can access Internet. The settings used in the software application includes “call type=GPRS”. The connection speed (downlink) is around 375 Kbps when checked through a freely available tool on the Internet …. and the phone’s modem speed is shown as 460.8 Kbps all the time( on the network connection). Since your speed is less than 384 Kbps (3G speed is given as the phone’s spec), you’re likely using 3G. Since GPRS is also supported, when the 3G coverage is not available, you’re probably able switch to GSM/GPRS.
Your service provider says they support EDGE,GPRS,3G and HSDPA/HSUPA.
Here’s some questions you may ask …..
* What are the theoretical maximum speeds of EDGE,GPRS, 3G?
* What is actually meant by 3G here?
* What is the underlaying technology used by my phone?
* Which method is better to connect the phone to the laptop; Bluetooth or USB?
* Your phone spec says Bluetooth v1.2 and USB2.0 and you’ve heard that USB2.0 (480Mbps) is faster than Blootooth v1.2 (1 Mbps). Is this correct? Will it make any difference, since your connection from phone to the Internet is 375 Kbps?
Here’s some feedback to help you work through such a scenario …. and the associated questions above:
For sure, the speed with USB 2.0 should be much better than that through Bluetooth (of any class).
3G is a network technology that should offer some extended data services in addition to the regular GSM features. However, I would recommend that you check with your service providers since they should have the exact specifications that you asked for.
Theoretical speeds for EDGE are up to 10 times those of GPRS. But again, since these depend on network configuration you need to check with the service provider.
Since your speed is less than 1 mb/s, frankly, it doesn’t matter if you use bluetooth or USB – the speeds cited are correct. I would use what is most convenient for you.
In any case, the edge/hsdpa connection speeds are still slower than either Bluetooth or USB, so they will not bottleneck your speed. So as long as your battery isn’t about to run out, you can connect however you choose to.
3G HSUPA is Third Generation High-Speed Uplink Packet Access – a 3G mobile telephony protocol, which offers increased data transfer speeds and capacity of up to 3.6 Mbps on the downlink and up to 1 Mbps on the uplink, under ideal conditions.
3G HSDPA 3.6 is a 3G High-Speed Downlink Packet Access mobile telephony protocol, which offers increased data transfer speeds and capacity of up to 3.6 Mbps on the downlink and up to 348Kbps on the uplink, under ideal conditions.
3G – Third Generation High-Speed Downlink Packet Access – offers increased data transfer speeds and ables customers to access the Internet and email from their cellphones.capacity of up to 1.8 Mbps on the downlink and up to 348Kbps on the uplink
EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) or EGPRS provides data transfer rates significantly faster than GPRS or HSCSD. EDGE increases the speed of each timeslot to 48 kbps and allows the use of up to 8 timeslots, giving a maximum data transfer rate of 384 kbps.
HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) enables data to be transferred more rapidly than the standard GSM (Circuit Switched Data) system by using multiple channels. The maximum number of timeslots that can be used is four, giving a maximum data transfer rate of 57.6 kbps (or 38.4 kbps on a GSM 900 network). HSCSD is more expensive to use than GPRS, because all four slots are used simultaneously – it does not transmit data in packets. Because of this, HSCSD is not as popular as GPRS and is being replaced by EDGE.
GPRS – General Packet Radio Service is a mobile data service available to customers with GSM cellphones. With a GPRS connection, the phone is “always on” and can transfer data immediately, and at higher speeds: typically 32 – 48 kbps. An additional benefit is that data can be transferred at the same time as making a voice call.
I would recommend using USB as it is faster then Bluetooth. You will not have a bottleneck created by the bluetooth link.
Regarding the underlying technology …
When you phone is connected to a 3G network it will be using W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) W-CDMA is the higher speed transmission protocol as used in the UMTS system, it is a third generation follow-on to the 2G GSM networks deployed worldwide.
When you phone is on 2G GSM it is using a form of TDMA (time division multiple access).
Again …. the main message is this: Wherever possible, simplify and make it convenient for you!
By: Michael Lemm
