Mobile
Broadband
Mobile
Broadband is the name that is given to the 3G (third generation)
services that allows mobile phone users to connect to the Internet
and download and upload data.
Mobile
Broadband in the UK is continuing to grow in popularity as prices
continue to drop and the technology becomes more readily available.
It's popularity will primarily grow amongst broadband users who
are on the go and need access from different locations, such as
business people or people who rent places to live and often move
around so don't want to have to worry about getting an fixed land
broadband connection that they may not be able to take with them
when they move without hassle doing so. Mobile broadband means that
whenever the user has a mobile phone signal they can connect to
the Internet via a broadband connection such as on their laptop
(some mobile broadband deals offer a free
laptop with broadband), all they need is their mobile broadband
subscription, a mobile
broadband modem and network coverage from your mobile
broadband provider.
Mobile
Broadband is still a relatively new technology and is unlikely to
replace home broadband connections anytime soon but with the way
broadband is developing there is no reason to think that in the
future mobile broadband won't become much more widely used and even
start to replace some home broadband connections.
Another way where mobile broadband could become popular is for those
people who do not have a landline in their home or those who don't
make use their landline other than just for the Internet. Getting
rid of a landline can save on monthly line rental charges that may
not really need to be being paid.
Students
can find that mobile broadband is an ideal way for them to have
Internet access, many live in rented accommodation and need Internet
access for research and study and also for keeping in contact with
family and friends if they are living away from home.
MiFi (Mobile WiFi) is another recent technology that has developed off the back of the popularity and availability of mobile broadband. MiFi is a device that allows users to create a WiFi cloud from a mobile broadband 3G network connection. The device simply needs to be turned on and up to 5 devices that are within the radius (around 10 meters) can make use of the mobile wireless (MiFi) connection.
Mobile
broadband speeds tend not to be as fast as standard wired broadband
connections into the home, although in some cases where there may
be a poor line quality and great distance form a telephone exchange
then then mobile broadband could possibly be faster. Use our broadband
speed test to see what speed your broadband is working at.
For
those who do not want a lengthy mobile broadband contract then there
are Pay
as you Go Mobile Broadband and Pay
Monthly Mobile Broadband deals available where users who
may not need regular mobile broadband access can still make use
of the technology.
3G
technology makes use of HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink
Packet Access) and HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink
Packet Access) which is used to offer 3G
Internet.
Currently
there are 6 mobile
broadband operators in the UK, these are from the big names
in mobile phones:
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