Mobile Broadband

This is where it all started. The term mobile broadband refers to a cellular service provider or other company that offers wireless internet anywhere — much like a cell phone. These services are usually offered on the same terms as a cell phone contract. They typically require a device, such as a USB dongle, in order to connect to the network. Increasingly, netbooks have started coming with mobile broadband modems pre-installed.

Carriers are constantly changing their mobile broadband plans and policies, and it’s important to stay on top of these matters if you’re going to find the best value for your needs. In this category we examine these issues so you can make the most informed decision.

T-Mobile argues for mobile broadband stimulus

June 10, 2009

One thing which has kept the broadband industry abuzz has been how it will divide the $7.2 billion allocated by the federal stimulus plan. Various entities are submitting proposals, and while many of them likely contain provisions for mobile broadband, Wireless Week features a bit from T-Mobile regarding the importance of mobile broadband. How would [...]

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Sprint now offering $40 mobile broadband plan

June 9, 2009

This isn’t the best sign of robust competition in the mobile broadband space, but it’s something. Verizon Wireless recently increased the data cap on their $39.99 mobile broadband plan from 50 MB to 250 MB, while also cutting overage costs. Meanwhile, Sprint didn’t even have a lower-tier plan. That changed as of yesterday. Sprint announced [...]

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What to do about the network capacity issue

June 3, 2009

If I had more room in the title, it would have read: “Mobile operators offer devices with advanced features, but not enough network capacity to take advantage of them.” This has been an issue related to smartphones across all major networks, but perhaps none as prominent as the iPhone on the AT&T network. These users [...]

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Verizon brags about network speed, LTE

June 1, 2009

Verizon Wireless loves to toot its own horn, especially when it comes at the expense of rival AT&T. This time Verizon’s talking about mobile broadband speeds. Specifically, of course, that theirs is the best. A couple of studies say otherwise, one noting that AT&T actually has the fastest speeds. Apparently Verizon drive 250,00 miles to [...]

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Is Sprint really the fastest mobile broadband?

May 27, 2009

The marketing team at Sprint might not like this development so much. Back in January a Gizmodo report claimed that Sprint had the best mobile broadband service. This was based on tests in eight major U.S. markets. Sprint has since used this study in their TV commercials, noting that they have the fastest broadband in [...]

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Promise of a broadband future still not guaranteed

May 26, 2009

Recent developments in the wireless Internet space might lead consumers to believe that the future will operate without ethernet cables. Whether it’s Clearwire and WiMax, mobile operators and LTE, or cable companies and Wi-Fi, it seems that companies are attacking the wireless Internet solution from every possible angle. Yet what seems to be is not [...]

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Mobile broadband still raking in cash

May 18, 2009

How much is $10 billion? It’s a tough number for consumers to truly understand, since it is of no practical use to us in every day society. Yet when we’re talking about an entire industry, $10 billion is easier to wrap our heads around. It’s the number that U.S. operators collected for mobile data service [...]

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Verizon relaxes overage rate on mobile data

May 13, 2009

Like most mobile operators, Verizon Wireless puts a hard 5GB cap on its data services, with per-megabyte overage rates for cap offenders. This is a change from policies as recent as late 2007, where data was termed as unlimited (though Verizon did terminate contracts of some who consistently went over the hidden 5GB cap). The [...]

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Verizon getting in on subsidized netbooks

May 11, 2009

It looks like the subsidized netbook phenomenon is going to catch on. AT&T, the nation’s second largest wireless operator, started doing it. Now Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest, will get in on the game. They’ll kick things off with the HP Mini 1151NR, pictured above, which should hit stores on May 17. This is the [...]

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3G broadband to lose its luster in Europe?

May 6, 2009

WIth mobile broadband services still in the early stages of development, one would think that it’s still ripe for massive growth. According to at least one analyst, this is not the case. Ronan de Renesse, senior analyst at Screen Digest, thinks that at least in Europe, the growth rate will decline over the next two [...]

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Will mobile VoIP cut into traditional voice?

May 5, 2009

If you’re reading this, you know the name Skype, and likely use its services. The VoIP provider serves tens of millions of Internet users worldwide, providing them with free voice chatting service and cheap phone calls. They caused a bit of a hoopla recently when they started migrating to the mobile platform, using 3G data [...]

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Mobile broadband users cost more to support

April 28, 2009

Carriers these days are raving about their growing data revenues, but are they turning a profit on those numbers? It’s easy to associate one with the other, but it’s not always the case. If we’re to believe this study — and all studies should be viewed with a skeptical eye — then mobile broadband customers [...]

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AT&T ramping up 3G network speeds

April 21, 2009

It’s always a glorious day when ISPs and mobile operators decide that they’re going to increase network speeds. This week we got such news from AT&T, which will double their network speed to 7.2 Mbps. Dslreports.com speculates that this is in anticipation of a video-centric iPhone, supposedly dropping in June. No matter the motive, it’s [...]

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Average European mobile broadband users over 5GB/month

April 20, 2009

In the States, the big mobile carriers have determined that 5 gigabytes of usage a month is plenty for their mobile broadband subscribers. For the most part that is reasonable; there aren’t many stories anymore of people’s service being terminated because of excessive usage. It doesn’t mean the cap is right, though. In fact, with [...]

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