Mobile broadband

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A mobile broadband modem in the ExpressCard form factor for laptop computers

T-Mobile Universal Mobile Telecommunications System PC Card modem

Service mark for GSMA mobile broadband

Mobile broadband is the marketing term for wireless Internet access through a portable modem, mobile phone (called "cell phones" in North America and South Africa), USB Wireless Modem, or other mobile devices.

Description

Although broadband has a technical meaning, the phrase "mobile broadband" is a wireless carrier marketing term for Internet access. Bit rates of broadband support voice and video as well as other data access.^[1]:3 Devices that provide mobile broadband to mobile computers include: PC cards also known as PC data card or Connect cards, USB modems, USB sticks often called "dongles", and portable devices with built-in support for mobile broadband (like notebooks, netbooks and Mobile Internet Devices). Notebooks with built-in mobile broadband modules are offered by many laptop manufacturers.

The GSM Association of telecommunication manufacturers, mobile phone producers, integrated circuit manufacturers and notebook manufacturers have joined forces to push built-in support for mobile broadband technology on notebook computers.^[2] The association established a service mark to identify devices that include Internet connectivity with devices not usually associated with it.^[2]

Development

In 2002, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) established a Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) working group.^[3] They developed the IEEE 802.20 standard in 2008, with amendments in 2010.^[4] Another working group, IEEE 802.16, produced standards adopted in products using the WiMAX trademark.^[5]

A barrier to mobile broadband was the coverage the mobile phone networks can provide. In many areas customers will not be able to achieve the speeds advertised due to mobile data coverage limitations. In addition, there are issues with connectivity, network capacity, application quality, and mobile network operators' overall inexperience with data traffic.^[6]

Demand from emerging markets fueled growth in mobile broadband . Without a widespread fixed line infrastructure, many emerging markets leapfrog developed markets and use mobile broadband technologies to deliver high-speed internet access to the mass market.

The global Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of standards - which includes GSM, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA and LTE – is the most widespread way to deliver mobile broadband. 3GPP standards are serving about 90 percent of the world’s mobile subscribers.^{[citation needed]}

After mobile broadband subscribers hit 500 million in 2010, at the end of 2011 Ericsson predicted it will be doubled to a billion. 400 million come from Asia Pacific region, followed by North America and Western Europe with more than 200 million subscriptions each.^[7]

In the United Kingdom, a steering group known as Digital Britain was set up, with the aim of promoting digital telecommunications in October 2008. The conclusion of the steering group was a recommendation that the government took up, namely to have 100% broadband coverage, with a minimum speed of 2Mbps in the United Kingdom by the year 2012. Mobile "broadband" using 3G is now not expected to be able to ensure 2Mbit/s broadband coverage to the more remote areas of the UK as coverage is too poor and contention too high. Another suggestion is Ka Satellite for Rural areas, which may be very cheap by the end of 2010 if Eutelsat's KA-SAT is successfully launched. There is also a smaller Ka Sat in 2010 from Avanti. However Satellite latency is about 790ms.^{[citation needed]}

Types of devices used

• PDA
• smartphone, Mobile phone
• USB flash drive, (dongle)
• Compact Flash
• PC Card, ExpressCard
• SDIO
• MiFi

Service providers

There are competing common carriers in most nations. Some of these cellular networks and the carrier's service plans are:

North America

Central America

Oceania

Africa

• South Africa providers
  • Vodacom
  • MTN
  • Cell C
  • 8ta
• Zimbabwe providers
  • Econet Wireless

Europe

Asia

Device manufacturers

Technologies

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wireless modems

Some Comparisons between Dialup (narrowband), Mobile (Midband) and true always on Broadband: [1] linking to OECD, FCC and Irish Government Definitions. Explanation as to why mobile performance is often 1/10 of the advertised speed, drops connections and may not connect [2] at all.