As it currently stands, 3G wireless services are used mainly on two devices: cell phones and laptops (including netbooks). This is mainly due to limitations of 3G networks. Yes, they can cover large areas, but they’re limited in speed and capacity. This has led to a number of restrictions on their usage — companies limit both the types of devices which can connect to the network and the consumption levels of end users, usually capping them at 5GB per month. That could all change with more widespread 4G technology.
While it’s exciting to think about how a 4G network can power your camera, your ebook reader, or even your car, it’s even more exciting to think about how this will change pricing schemes. As Sprint president of network operations Steve Elfman notes, “You’re used to paying full price” for gadgets like digital cameras. If cell phone companies can no longer tie you to their network with a subsidized handset, the opportunities for connectivity can grow.
(And if AT&T can prove price fixing in the LCD screen industry, we could see a drop in handset pricing, too.)
It’s still easiest to think of 4G as having better coverage and faster speeds for laptop data, but it can be so much more than that. With higher capacity networks that run faster, developers can hook all kinds of devices up to the Internet. It will create a new level of connectivity that could spark even further innovation.
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