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Mobile broadband wireless for laptops and smartphones

What is mobile broadband wireless?

Mobile broadband wireless is a technology that provides mobile access to the Internet using laptops and smartphones via wireless cellular phone networks. The range of mobile broadband wireless is much greater than the limited range of WiFi hotspots that have traditionally been used for wireless Internet access.

This increased range enables users to roam without having to worry about finding Internet access in a hotel, library or café, even allowing continuous access in moving vehicles such as automobiles and trains.

Additionally, cellular mobile broadband wireless signals are generally encrypted between your laptop or smartphone and the cellular system to somewhat protect the contents of your transmissions, unlike many unencrypted WiFi signals in public spaces. Moreover, snooping attempts on cellular signals are less likely because they generally require more elaborate equipment.

Mobile broadband wireless access is especially useful to those who regularly rack up bills paying for hotel and coffee shop Internet access on the road. Additionally, users of online software may consider mobile broadband access as a back-up Internet connection in case the connection for the office goes down temporarily.

Types of mobile broadband wireless connections

Cellular telephone network providers offer mobile broadband wireless service. The newest batch of mobile broadband wireless networks are called “3G” (third generation) networks. Currently, EVDO is the most common type of 3G network in the United States, provided by Verizon and Sprint.

Another type of 3G network, HSDPA, is provided by AT&T and is used for the iPhone. T-Mobile also offers 3G HSDPA in some markets, but plans to expand its service nationwide in late 2008. Until then, T-Mobile’s 2G EDGE service is widely available.

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Necessary hardware

There are two primary ways to access 3G mobile broadband wireless networks on your laptop: using PC Cards/AirCards or using a cellphone/smartphone as a broadband modem.

PC cards/AirCards connect to a laptop via a PCMIA/PC card slot or a USB port, but several laptops already have them built in. Upon signing up for a mobile broadband wireless plan, wireless carriers often supply a card at a reduced price, sometimes for free. Mobile broadband wireless PC Cards/AirCards can typically cost from $50-$200 depending on the model and the wireless plan you choose. Laptops with built-in PC cards include the HP Compaq 6910p, the Lenovo T500, the Dell Inspiron 1525, the Dell Latitude line, the Toshiba Portege R400 and the Sony Vaio TZ.

Connecting a cellphone or smartphone to a laptop is another way to gain mobile broadband wireless access. This process is called “tethering.” Tethering may be available as a fee-based option, added to your mobile plan; but some providers do not support it. Even if you have a data plan that allows Internet access on your smartphone, many providers consider tethering a completely different type of connection. If tethering is not supported by your data plan, connecting to the Internet in this way can result in an extremely high mobile service bill. Be sure to check your data plan carefully.

3G-enabled smartphones should not need any additional hardware—just activate your phone with an appropriate data plan.

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Mobile broadband wireless data plans and provider information

Mobile broadband wireless data plans come in a few varieties, such as data-only plans for laptops, data-only plans for smartphones and combined voice and data plans for accessing both data and voice services using a smartphone. Tethering may be another option that is usually available for an additional fee. Currently, pricing can start at around $30 a month for various data-only plans and around $80 for combined voice and data plans.

Some plans specify “data caps” that restrict the amount of users’data traffic on the network per month. Certain providers automatically restrict access without the imposition of extra fees for going over the data plan cap, but others don’t, which could result in unexpectedly high mobile plan bills.

Roaming charges, which incur when using a mobile voice or data device outside of standard coverage areas, such as use overseas, can also result in unexpectedly high wireless plan bills. The New York Times reported about a man hit with $852 of roaming charges because his iPhone automatically downloaded his e-mail messages while he was traveling in Europe—he didn’t know that he should have disabled the automatic download feature before going abroad. In another story reported by the LA Times, a man was surprised by a $400 mobile bill. His plan offered free roaming for calls received in Canada, but he did not realize that this did not cover the calls he made from Canada. The bottom line: be very careful when checking your mobile plan for details regarding roaming charges if you think you will be traveling out of your standard network coverage area.

3G mobile wireless data plans are currently offered in the U.S. by Verizon/Alltel (EVDO), Sprint/Nextel (EVDO) and AT&T/Cingular (HSDPA) for both individuals and businesses.  T-Mobile currently provides a 2G EDGE network nationwide, but plans to upgrade its system in fall 2008.

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Benefits and drawbacks

Mobile broadband wireless affords users a much farther range of mobility than landlines and WiFi Internet access—users are not constrained by a local ethernet cable or by the typical WiFi hotspot range of 100-300 feet. Mobile broadband wireless service is more akin to cellphone service, covering wide areas and affording non-interrupted service where coverage is adequate, including in moving vehicles. However, keep roaming charges in mind when traveling across borders.

A potential drawback to 3G mobile broadband wireless is that maximum access speeds are several times slower than the maximum speeds offered by WiFi and landlines.

With plans starting at around $30 a month for data-only service and with PC Cards available for free or at a discount when you sign up, a mobile broadband wireless data plan may start to pay for itself. In some cases, the monthly cost may be less than the cost of purchasing Internet connections at hotels and cafes a few times a month. Possible productivity gains from the convenience of 24/7 Internet access without scrambling to find an Ethernet hookup or a WiFi hotspot can also enter into the value equation. A mobile broadband wireless connection may also function as a backup Internet connection in case your main connection fails, providing further value to your practice.

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