3G Broadband Coverage

Although 3G broadband is becoming a popular choice for people in need of broadband flexibility,3G broadband wireless connections are not available for anyone who wish to switch to 3G Internet. This is because most broadband carriers offering 3G technologies have been building 3G networksin business districts, major cities, and other urban areas. As such, Internet users living or working in non-3G areas will not be able to take advantage of 3G services. If you don’t know whether your home or office can get 3G Internet, you need to know what the 3G broadband coverage in your area is like.

3g

Wireless broadband coverage varies by region. Just like phone coverage, it will be weaker or even unavailable if you’re accessing Internet in rural areas and in underground locations. Because of this, it is important to determine broadband coverage in your area before buying a mobile broadband card, dongles or USB sticks and applying for 3G services.

If you’re running a business where your employees require Internet access wherever they go, make sure to identify the geographic areas where they live and work, then compare these locations with 3G network coverage maps, so you can get information where 3G connectivity is available. Most carriers offer coverage maps on their websites to allow potential clients to check if they can benefit from 3G Internet should they subscribe to the carrier’s 3G packages.

If 3G mobile phones don’t work in your area, but you went ahead and subscribed to a particular Internet provider, you can’t expect good or existing 3G connections. If you do this, you will likely be disappointed. If a friend recommended their carrier to you because of superb 3G broadband quality, it doesn’t mean that the carrier can provide the same level of performance your friend has experienced should you subscribe with that particular carrier.

When your area has 3G broadband coverage, the speed you will receive depends on two factors – the Internet service provider you’re with and the location where you use your computer. Even if you have the most advanced modem or you are living in an area where broadband coverage is at its peak, it is unlikely that you’ll receive the maximum speed advertised by your carrier. This is because the distance from your house to the mobile mast, trees, buildings and other structures between your location and the mast, as well as the number of 3G network users within your neighborhood will affect the speed of your connection.

While 3G broadband offers mobility for users on the go, it may still not be available in your area. To ensure you will receive the best broadband connection for your needs, budget and location, it is best to check for broadband coverage before you actually subscribe with a particular Internet provider.


Third-generation Technology

3G is the short form used for third-generation technology. There are few technologies in the history of mankind where there has been so much hype, followed by so much dissapointment, but it looks like the 3G providers have finally got their act together in 2008, and have started delivering the 3G mobile broadband services that we have all been waiting for.

According to wikipedia definition:

3G is the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology, superseding 2G. It is based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) family of standards under the International Mobile Telecommunications programme, IMT-2000. 3G technologies enable network operators to offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving greater network capacity through improved spectral efficiency. Services include wide-area wireless voice telephony, video calls, and broadband wireless data, all in a mobile environment. Additional features also include HSPA data transmission capabilities able to deliver speeds up to 14.4Mbit/s on the downlink and 5.8Mbit/s on the uplink.

The first country to start 3G service on a great scale was Japan where by 2005 nearly 40% of consumers used 3G network only. With 2G technology becoming outdated in Japan,almost all the 2G networks have now been shifted to 3G networks.

3G gives the ability to transfer both voice as well as non-voice based Data at a much faster level. While marketing 3G services, video telephony is famously referred as a killer application. 3G networks have not been upgraded from 2G networks and do not function on the same frequency spectrum. For 3G services new networks need to be fitted and new frequencies are allocated to the mobile operators.

When you sign up for a mobile broadband deal, you will usually be provided with a USB ‘dongle’ and a sim card. You will need to insert the SIM card into the dongle and then, when you plug it into your laptop it should self-install. The good thing about the USB dongle solution is that you can install it in a number of machines, so you could take it with you to a meeting and then give it to your partner when they are heading out to a meeting with their own laptop.