A Guide to Mobile Broadband

There are three main ways to connect to the Internet when you are away from your home.

Wifi Hotspot

Many Public places these days have a Wifi Hotspot where if you have the correct equipment you can get access to broadband Internet.

Dedicated Server

You can plug a mobile broadband adaptor (Dongle) into your notebook and sign up for a service that provides dedicated broadband access from high-speed mobile networks.

3G

Some Mobile phones and handheld PCs come with built in access to fast Internet using 3G cutting out the need for a Dongle, a Hotspot or even a computer.

Many public places such as café's, train stations, Government buildings and shopping centres now have Wifi-Hotspots and all that you would normally require to access broadband internet from a Hotspot is a wireless ready device, a notebook PC, a Wifi capable Mobile phone or even a Playstation Portable, if your equipment doesn't have built in Wifi networking then it is very cheap and very easy to add it with USB or PC card Wifi adapter for around $20.00.

Some wireless hotspots are free to use but most will incur a cost, an hourly fee which is usually paid via a credit or debit card, some providers, like BT Openzone in the UK even offer a prepaid card to customers.

Frequent users can also benefit from unlimited usage for a monthly fee.

The speed of Wifi hotspots can be affected in various ways, the type of connection used by the host, the type of Wifi being used, the number of people connected to the hotspot at any given time and the wireless reception quality, but most wireless hotspots are reasonably fast.

The biggest downside of Wifi Hotspots, is that hotspots are dependant on location, you need to find one before you can use it.

A more permanent method of mobile broadband is to sign up with a dedicated server; this method involves installing a small piece of hardware, either a PC card or a USB receiver commonly known as a Dongle.

The same companies who offer mobile phone services usually offer dedicated servers; they usually require a monthly subscription fee.

Before choosing this option though it is advisable to shop around, most companies do have a download limit that if you exceed could cost you a lot more.

Mobile broadband services use the same 3G networks that mobile phones use and as such they have the same restrictions, you are more likely to find a 3G signal than a wireless hotspot but some areas are not covered by it and don't have access, it is possible to find out if your area is covered by visiting each of the providers websites and entering your Zip code.

Having 3G broadband in your area, means that you don't have to carry your notebook around with you every where you go, if your mobile phone is 3G compatible, you can receive broadband Internet on your phone without the need for a hotspot or a dongle.

Many mobile phones come with built-in web browsers with email applications and other online features but because of the screen size of the phone it can feel restricted compared to a computer.

A1.5 inch low-resolution screen isn't really the best way to experience the Internet.

These days though phones with much larger screens are appearing on the market, The Blackberry curve is a handheld computer as well as a mobile phone, it is designed as much for sending and receiving email as it is for making phone calls and it comes with a 2.5 inch screen.

The apple iphone has a 5.5 inch touch sensitive screen that is perfect for surfing the net.

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a technology that transfers data between mobile devices, but it cannot really be called broadband, most 3G devices revert to GPRS, if 3G coverage is unavailable, it can transfer data at up to 114Kbits a second.

Edge sits between GPRS and 3G with theoretical data transfer speeds of up to 384Kbits a second, edge is the data standard used by the first generation Apple iPhone.

3G stands for the 3rd Generation of mobile data and refers to a number of different technologies that allow faster wireless data transfer.

Standards such as HSDPA (High-speed downlink packet access) and currently allow speeds of up to 14Mbits per second but this could soon rise to up to 42Mbits a second in the near future.

Wifi refers to wireless networks in public places that allow users of Wifi enabled devices to connect to Internet services as they would on a home network, speeds are governed by the equipment used and the number of users.