Posted on 09/25/2005 3:57:33 AM PDT by alessandrofiaschi
The term "3G" proclaims the next revolution in wireless technology. It refers to the much-ballyhooed third generation cellular network services, currently available in the United States from Verizon, Sprint and Cingular. But after all the hype, is 3G living up to its broadband promise?
Cellular wireless networks were originally created for voice-only communications. As their popularity grew, cellular network providers began to piggyback data on their networks. At first, this was great for simple text messages, but the masses soon clamored for full-blown Internet and e-mail access.
Voice communications over cellular wireless networks has remained somewhat constant over the years (except for digital improvements) but "3G" refers to the massive renovations made to the networks to enable them to handle more data fluidly and efficiently.
BRING ME MY CELL PHONE AND WEB SITE, PLEASE
Many mobile phone users today are probably not even aware their phone is capable of sending and receiving text messages or surfing the Internet. Even if the phone is physically capable of data transmission, most folks neglect or refuse to pay the additional cost to access the data network.
There are a few of us, however, who enjoy the extra access to the Internet through our phones, and regularly retrieve maps, directions, news and stock quotes on our itty-bitty screens.
Some of us take the whole idea a step further and even connect our mobile phones to our laptop computers. Just like a regular dial-up connection, where you plug your computer into a landline phone with a modem, we use our mobile phones as "wireless modems." The nerd-meter starts to peak when you can connect to the Internet from anywhere that your mobile phone works.
Sound too good to be true? It has been, to some extent -- the best speeds you could expect until now would embarrass a 14.4kbps modem. While it's great to have the freedom to surf the Internet from anywhere, it can take several minutes for a single Web page to download -- hardly a productivity booster.
For years now, cellular providers have promised we would see the rollout of "3G" networks, with speeds equaling that of cable modems, or DSL lines -- broadband speeds just like we see in our homes and businesses, but available anywhere.
HOW MANY G'S DOES IT TAKE?
A quick bit of history is necessary to truly understand where 3G networks come from.
Way back in the 1980s, the first mobile telephones were based on an analog system. These phones were the size of bricks. The analog system was referred to as "Advanced Mobile Phone Service," or AMPS. This was known as the first generation of mobile telephony, or "1G."
In the early '90s, cellular providers switched over to digital networks. In the United States, cellular vendors chose two different proprietary networks. (Europe and Asia, on the other hand, came to early agreements on a cellular standard, which is why mobile telephones and networks there are so much more advanced than they are in the U.S.)
In simple terms, you have the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks on which Sprint and Verizon work, and the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks on which Cingular and T-Mobile operate. These networks allowed for data access, but it was painfully slow. This phase of mobile telephone history was known as the second generation, or "2G."
In the late '90s, as customers roared for more data access on their mobile phones, cellular vendors "enhanced" their basic networks with faster "2.5G" improvements. On the GSM networks, vendors provided GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), which allowed data to be transmitted and received at around 30Kbps to 40Kbps. On the CDMA side, the 1xRTT (Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology) networks provided data at rates between 60Kbps and 80Kbps.
If all of this alphabet soup is frying your brain, you're not alone. The "2.5G" mess was meant to pacify data demands until the quicker and more exciting 3G networks could be rolled out, which has seemed to take an eternity.
On the positive side, it looks like 3G promises have finally been fulfilled, and to me they're everything they've promised to be.
EDGY 3G
Out of the few players in the 3G arena, Verizon Wireless is clearly the frontrunner. With its "BroadbandAccess" service rolled out now in more than 50 cities nationwide, it leads Cingular and Sprint -- the only other two contenders.
To fully appreciate Verizon's BroadbandAccess service, I liken it to the days I first discovered Wi-Fi. I installed a PC card in my laptop, found a Wi-Fi hotspot at my local coffee shop, and relished the titillation of surfing at broadband speeds without the "leash" of network cable.
Today, with the Kyocera KPC650 PC card and Verizon's VZAccess software, I don't need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot -- I can enjoy the same high-speed Internet access anywhere in the city. It doesn't matter if I'm in a hotel room, a city bus or sitting in the park.
My illustration above focuses on using a PC card to take advantage of 3G networks, but I don't mean to downplay the excitement that 3G speeds bring to capable mobile phones/PDAs like the XV6600 from Verizon Wireless. This is a smartphone based on the Windows Mobile platform that can surf the Internet and receive e-mail just the like the mini-computer that it is. Similar units are arriving daily, like the Samsung SCH-i730.
All of this excitement is obviously not without a price, although I see a cheaper light at the end of the money tunnel. When Verizon Wireless first announced its 3G BroadbandAccess service, they were charging $79 a month for unlimited access. That's on top of the $150-$200 you were already shelling out for the PC card, or the $400-$600 you would lay down for a smartphone.
Recently, however, Verizon lowered its monthly charge to $59, although you need to already have a voice plan through Verizon and must sign up for a 2-year agreement. You can also find PC cards for $99 or less.
Mind you, that monthly charge can sound steep, but it is for an unlimited plan. In other words, you're not being charged for every minute you're on the system, or every megabyte you download. You can stay on as long as you want.
Also, as fellow legal technology professional Paul Unger, of Henley March & Unger Consulting, pointed out to me recently, you would be paying $10-$12 a night for wired broadband access at a hotel. So, for frequent travelers, the Verizon Wireless BroadbandAccess service could pay for itself in about a week.
WIRELESS'S FINEST HOUR
I believe that 3G networks are going to revolutionize our access to the Internet in this country. While free, public, and paid Wi-Fi hotspots are popping up everywhere today, they are limited to small footprints of access, and they are rife with reports of hackers.
Third-generation networks like Verizon's are safe and secure, and are not limited to close proximity to a Wi-Fi router. While it is possible to siphon information off a cell phone connection, it is nowhere near as easy as with an open Wi-Fi connection. And because 3G networks work on an encrypted cellular network, it's difficult to intercept data.
The freedom of a 3G network alone is worth the price. In my testing of Verizon's BroadbandAccess service with the Kyocera card, I used it in coffee shops, convention centers, airports, city buses, park benches and hotel lobbies -- all without having to worry about finding an available Wi-Fi network.
For legal professionals, the addition of a 3G smartphone or PC card to your arsenal of mobile tools can be a tremendous productivity enhancement. Whenever I thought of looking something up on the Internet, or checking my e-mail, or working on a time-sensitive document, I just opened up my ultraportable laptop, fired up the VZAccess software, and I was up and surfing on Verizon's 3G BroadbandAccess network within five seconds. It took longer for the laptop to wake up than it did to connect to the network.
If you often find yourself longing for a broadband wireless connection, then seriously consider joining the 3G generation.
Verizon Wireless is the solid choice in the market today because it has a tested network that covers the most cities. While Sprint and Cingular are stepping up their rollout to compete, neither has anywhere near the number of cities that Verizon offers. But I'm sure that will change soon.
PING!
Do you have a full data flatrate (= unlimitted http, nntp etc. access) for this $5 extra? I can't believe that. Aren't you talking about something like the "T-Zones" from T-Mobile where you have a flat for certain sites of your mobile provider?
I'm only online with 3G myself. I cancelled my fixed line connection for stationary phone and dsl last year. For my 3G (384/64 kbps down/up) data flatrate I pay about $50/month.
I have never had any problems going to any site on the net, FR/NASCAR.com/.gov sites/etc.
All across the country where Sprint has service this works. Got it from my BIL and he had it for about a year before I started using it and that was over 1 1/2 years ago.
Just have the SprintVision turned on to the existing phone service.
Now my BIL has my phone on his 4 phone contract that he gets an IBM Corp discount from Sprint so I don't know what the regular service costs but I pay $35 a month total for 500 anytime mins/unlimited Sprint to Sprint/unlimited nights & weekends (7pm-7am m-thur & 7pm fri till 7am mon) and that includes the internet (SprintVision) service.
I don't even have a land line as that would cost me $75 a month.
What OS are you running?
...you have the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks....
They forgot to mention D-AMPS and TDMA, which were all the rage in the mid 90's.
I'll hear from my BIL if there are changes because I never even see the bill. I'm in TX and he is in NC.
I've been using this everyday for over 1 1/2 years and somedays I'll be on till the battery in the cell needs charging (6-8 hours) and will be on multiple times a day.
I think I understand now. Basically the $5 extra allow you to choose wether you want to spend your minutes talking or surfing the web. It's not a real flatrate which would allow you to be online and download 24/7 without any strings attached, right? That's what I have.
Nope the $5 is for unlimited internet access, it uses the Vision data link and the system thinks it is transfering pics.
As posted above somedays I'm online w/the cell & LT until I have to charge the cell battery back up.
If the phone did not use the same plug to hook the USB cable and the charger I could plug in the charger and be online at the same time.
If I have the Vision service turned off then I would be paying by the minute for the net access.
> I could plug in the charger and be online at the same time.
That's my setup. Pure torture for the cell battery.
Can you talk and surf at the same time, like you can do with a DSL line?
No, data transfer takes up the whole bandwidth of my phone.
However, the car charger plugs into a different socket on my phone than the AC charger and data line, so I can charge while I surf with Sprint in a car or RV.
Yes, no problem.
Win2K. Others have reportedly gotten it to work with PIMs.
As much as I dislike windoze xp I have a 230.4 connection with it and with windoze98se it was only 115.2 when running it.
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