Mobile Broadband

The future of mobile broadband

Mobile broadband has become hugely popular in the last couple of years, with millions of people across the UK logging on to the internet in cafes, on trains and even in the park.

How does mobile broadband work?

Mobile broadband uses the mobile phone network to get you connected to the internet anywhere that you can get a signal - so you're no longer tied to your home wireless network and can take the internet with you wherever you go.

Simply plug your dongle into your laptop to be online within minutes.

How fast is today’s mobile broadband?

Today’s mobile broadband providers use the 3G network to bring you speeds of up to 3.6Mb and 7.2Mb, though Vodafone Mobile Broadband (www.Vodafone.co.uk) announced in 2009 that it had boosted some parts of its network to speeds of up to 14.4Mb - the fastest top speed in the UK.

However, like fixed-line connections, a wide number of factors can affect the actual speed you receive and research has shown that average actual download mobile broadband speeds are only around 1Mb.

Even when it announced its 14.4Mb speed upgrade, Vodafone warned customers not to expect to receive anywhere near their headline speeds. “Customers can expect to see typical speeds of anything between 1Mb and 4Mb with a practical maximum speed of 10.8Mb,” said the ISP.

HSPA+

Mobile broadband devices currently use HSAP (High Speed Packet Access) to connect you to the internet at existing UK speeds of up to 14.4Mb.

However, this technology has the potential to deliver speeds of up to 28.8Mb - though again, various factors such as your distance from the nearest mobile phone mast, how many other people are using the 3G network at the same time as you and even things like walls and trees that are blocking your signal.

Manufacturer Ericsson also showcased new superfast HSPA technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February 2010, offering speeds of up to 84Mb, which could completely change the mobile broadband market.

Long Term Evolution - the future of mobile broadband

Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G as its also known is the future of mobile broadband, allowing massively faster download speeds, more stable connections and bigger download allowances.

LTE offers potential testing speeds of up to 1Gb, and while it may not be available in the UK yet, the first 4G mobile broadband network went live in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway at the end of 2009, with real-world downloads of between 20Mb and 80Mb.

O2 Mobile Broadband (www.O2.co.uk) began trialling LTE in December 2009, reaching superfast speeds of 150Mb. However, when it was tested in a real-world environment, using a multi-player PlayStation 3 game online, it achieved actual speeds of around 8Mb. While this is a lot lower than the testing speed, it is much higher than current mobile broadband speeds and would allow customers to use applications such as online gaming, internet TV and movie downloads that are almost impossible today.

Although no UK mobile broadband providers have announced plans to launch LTE services here, things do look promising; O2 has been conducting trials and Three (www.Three.co.uk) has plans to launch a 4G network in Scandinavia in 2011.

Wireless Hotspots

If you can’t wait for the next generation of mobile broadband speeds but find that your current connection is too slow at times - or if you simply want to save on your precious download allowance - hotspots are a great alternative.

There are thousands of wireless hotspots dotted around the country; some are free and offered by independent coffee shops and book stores while others are offered by major mobile providers such as BT Broadband (www.BT.com) with its Openzone network, O2 and T-Mobile Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk).

Although hotspots can be costly, mobile broadband customers - and mobile phone customers on certain networks and tariffs - receive free wifi minutes from their providers.

You can also buy monthly subscriptions from providers like BT, T-Mobile and Freedom4wifi (www.Freedom4wifi.co.uk), cutting the cost of going online if you regularly use wireless hotspots.

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