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FCC Fridays originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsOnly few tmnet streamyx us remember the excitement of browsing the web on a 28 kbit/s speed fax-modem or accessing the first dodgy WAP pages from our cell phones in the 90-s. It all seemed to be the maximum limit of the technology achievements. Today all that "top-notch gadgetry" would make a nice addition to museum treasure chest.
The word broadband came to use on or about year of 2000, when using a modem was gradually coming out of fashion. It was not cool any more. However, a question still remains: how to define broadband speed. Initially anything faster than a dial-up modem, i.e. 56 kbit/s, was regarded as high speed internet access. So is 64 kbit/s a decent rate? No, various register streamyx streamyx broadband administrative bodies name different figures but a common rule is to regard speeds of 256 kbit/s and up as broadband.
Mobile broadband is accessible through a HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which is a technology available to 3G cell phones and gadgets. It is a very convenient type of connection that allows to hook up with the web on a laptop or desktop that has no capabilities to access a wired internet cleaner (such as a landline or cable). A computer can be connected to mobile internet via a data card, USB modem and cell phones. Modern laptops frequently come with built-in wireless networking capabilities.
What does Mobile Broadband Speed Hold for the Future?
Despite the recession and overall murky conditions out there, wireless technologies and IT are going strong. In comparison with 2007 the number of mobile internet subscribers has increased by whole 125% within 2008 and now stands at staggering 210 million worldwide. Experts predict that in just five years time the number of subscribers would quadruple and reach a billion. Overall to date there are 400 million people having an access to the full glory of 3G capabilities but only a fraction of them uses it to a maximum potential. The number of 3G phones in use by 2013 is estimated to reach 1.8 billion still this is questionable because chances are we're all going to be on G4 in 5 years.
Currently many networks, even in Western Europe and USA, are on the sub-standard 1.8 Mbit/s mobile broadband speed. This might be enough for checking e-mails and browsing internet. Still, for that feeling of freedom you need more. 3.6 and 7.2 Mbit/s is what is regarded an industry standard for mobile broadband speed. It is not a surprise any more to see 14.4 Mbit/s advertised by some top-drawer telecommunications companies, but what about really fast internet?
Since the advance of HSPA plus technology, theoretically it is possible to achieve mobile broadband speed of 42 Mbit/s for internet stock broker and 22 for uploading. Is this a part of science fiction? Not any more - the fastest wireless internet is offered in Australia. You can get the aforementioned rate at Telstra Next G network. They launched the network in mid 2008 and soon other companies followed. Now similar services are available to people of Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand. It is being tested in Europe but we'll have to wait for it to hit our favourite gadgets.
How Many Bits around the World?
So we have just found out that the fastest mobile internet is available in Australia. What about the good old conventional wired web? As kuala lumpur city tour as it may sound, according to estimation, the fastest internet connection is recorded in Republic of Korea. They're enjoying speeds of more than 17 Mbit/s. Japan and Sweden follows closely. The republics of former Soviet Union are doing brilliantly. Countries like Russia and Moldova look really quick on 7 to 10 Mbit/s. Many Western European countries are really not up to scratch, for example United Kingdom - still on average 4.6 Mbit/s which is even slower than a normal wireless internet connection.
However, there is no need to worry. Technologies advance at a very quick pace and in just couple of years we are all probably going to have a democratic access to a really fast connection to the web.
If you want to learn more about mobile broadband capabilities, visit mobile speed tester to check if you are getting the most out of your connection.
