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