another interesting article, this one comments on the...

another interesting article, this one comments on the reliability of current wireless hotspots saying that wireless broadband is the increasingly popular alternative. the key in this article is



All of this mobile broadband activity is pushing the 3G networks to their limits, causing congestion and drop-out that's been an issue for Optus and Vodafone. Both carriers continue to boost the capacity of their networks.

with reliable wireless hotspots its clear that there will be less activity on the 3G networks removing congestion. i dont actually know that this is a problem for telstra only optus and vodafone i know have had issues.



Internet on the go David Flynn
July 6, 2011
Enjoy the web and keep in touch with your friends when you're out and about, writes David Flynn.


Most PC owners have a notebook to unshackle themselves from the desktop. The next step is a high-speed mobile broadband connection so you can enjoy fast anytime-anywhere internet access.

Advertisement: Story continues below Free wireless hotspots may suit the casual 'cafe set' but you can't rely on finding a handy hotspot every time you're out with your notebook or tablet.

The increasingly popular alternative is mobile broadband: a high-speed wireless Internet service which piggybacks onto the 3G mobile phone network.

Competition for mobile broadband continues to drive the costs down to the point where it's hard to imagine why anyone would bother hunting around for a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Optus, Telstra and Vodafone all offer plans with 4-6GB of data for a low $30 per month on a contract, including a free USB modem that connects to your Windows or Apple laptop.

That's almost half the price of those same plans just two years ago, with a newly-competitive Telstra making the biggest cuts.

Pre-paid mobile broadband is also winning over people who need a more flexible solution, with some 'starter kits' as low as $30 including a free USB modem plus 1GB of downloads in the first month, before you buy more data and recharge your account.

However, the best value starter kits sell for $80-$100 and give you a lot more data ? 3GB to 6GB ? and three months to use that by.

A new trend is pocket-sized prepaid modems which turn the 3G mobile broadband signal into a personal wireless hotspot for your notebook or tablet.

The Wi-Fi signal is password protected to stop anybody else hitching a free ride on your connection, and these pocket-sized delights run for around four hours off a rechargeable battery.

In fact, if you have an iPhone 4 or one of HTC's Android smartphones you may already have a hotspot in your hand. Both of these phones include software that creates a low-power Wi-Fi hotspot at the touch of a button.

Sales of notebooks with inbuilt or 'embedded' 3G modems rather than a snap-on USB modem are also on the rise.

?The main benefit is that there's no dongle to damage, leave behind or lose,? explains Toshiba Australia notebook marketing manager Matt Tumminello. ?You also get better performance because the antenna is built into the laptop's lid, so it's up higher, and the use of diversity antennae reduces dropout and gives you a stronger more reliable signal.?

All of this mobile broadband activity is pushing the 3G networks to their limits, causing congestion and drop-out that's been an issue for Optus and Vodafone. Both carriers continue to boost the capacity of their networks.

Telstra is already testing a new superfast 4G service code-named LTE in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, which will go live by the end of the year and roughly double today's NextG wireless connection speeds.


http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/internet-on-the-go-20110706-1h1n7.html