A Discussion of Mobile Broadband For Laptops

Does mobile broadband work well and how fast is it?

At its best, it works very well, and can do almost everything that home broadband can, e.g. streaming videos from YouTube. However, to manage this you will need to be in a strong 3G signal area for your service provider, and there must also be adequate network resources for the number of people trying to use the service. I use Vodafone Mobile Broadband, and on a recent trip to London’s Docklands found that mobile broadband worked well for general surfing and catching up on e-mails. However, whilst you can usually get 3G coverage in large cities, if you are out in the countryside then often 3G will not be available, in which case your mobile broadband service will revert to GPRS, and this is extremely slow, much slower than old dial-up and not much of a surfing experience.

Mobile broadband speeds quoted in advertising are the maximum speeds theoretically possible. So, whilst you may hear speeds of 7.2 Mbps quoted, which is a similar speed to home broadband, the reality is that the actual maximum speed you will manage will be a lot lower, say around 2.5 Mbps, and typical speeds will be even lower than that. If you decide to get mobile broadband then have realistic expectations about the speeds you will obtain. When in a 3G area it will usually be fast enough for general surfing and checking your e-mail, but more intensive tasks such as video streaming or VOIP may not always be possible. Mobile broadband also has a slower response time than fixed line broadband, which means that the ping (time taken for data to go from your computer, to the server, and back to your computer) is longer. This is particularly noticeable for online gaming, which means playing demanding action-intensive online games may not be feasible with your mobile broadband, although adventure games such as World of Warcraft would still be viable.

How Do You Get Mobile broadband on Your Laptop?

Technically speaking, enabling your existing laptop for mobile broadband is relatively easy when compared to installing home broadband. All the major UK providers, i.e. Vodafone, 3 Mobile, T-Mobile, O2, Orange and Virgin Mobile provide USB modem sticks and usually it’s simply a case of plugging in the USB stick to your laptop and the necessary connection software installs itself. Most of these USB modems are compatible with both PCs and Macs. Just like with a mobile phone, the modem holds a SIM card which identifies you on the mobile network. If you are in the market for a new laptop, then you can now buy new laptops with integrated mobile broadband. Dell is leading the way for the manufacturers, having partnered with Vodafone.

Providing you are in a 3G area then mobile broadband often provides the easiest way of obtaining a fast internet connection because unlike home broadband you don’t have to wait until you have a fixed telephone line installed and then wait again for that line to be activated for broadband.

How do you decide on a mobile broadband provider?

Firstly, see if the provider has won any industry awards. For example, Vodafone was voted Best Wireless ISP in the UK at the 2008 ISPAs, an award voted on by industry peers. Secondly, check expected signal coverage in your area by using the mobile broadband coverage maps available at the providers’ websites. Thirdly, you can get an indication of 3G signal strength on up to date mobile phone handsets, so check on yours or your friends’ to get an idea of signal strength in the area you will be using mobile broadband the most. Lastly, ask around your friends in the area for their experiences because some mobile broadband networks can be subject to capacity problems, meaning that your connection can be unsatisfactory through too many people trying to use inadequate network resources even though the signal strength is good.

Once you have mobile broadband, you’ll be able to get some work done on the train (although you will go in and out of 3G areas!), keep a closer eye on your eBay auctions and keep up with your friends on Facebook more easily. Just remember though that whilst it’s great to have mobile internet, you should still take a break from the computer every once in a while!

Chris High is a Technology Expert writing for Best Mobile Broadband UK

Author: Chris High
Article Source: EzineArticles.com