Motorola have begun their trials of 4G mobile broadband, testing their new technology in their facility in Swindon on Monday. Motorola are conducting the tests using long-term evolution technology (LTE) which is supposed to be faster and more reliable than the well known 3G network. This isn’t 2009′s first step in providing faster mobile broadband to the UK market. Vodafone have claimed that they successfully tested their new HSPA+ mobile broadband service, reaching speeds of 16Mb/s.
As mentioned by Simplifydigital, Vodafone was obviously going to create a large ripple in the mobile broadband market place with their announcement and we assume that Motorola’s announcement is first in a long line of companies reacting to the change in the waters. Motorola are claiming that if successful, they will be able to offer theoretical speeds of 100+ Gb/s (Thats gigabytes NOT megabytes!). This is obviously a huge increase on what consumers currently receive on either their mobile broadband or traditional ‘fixed line’ broadband service. So it begs the question, with so many laptop deals out there, combined with superfast mobile broadband been more widely available, is ‘fixed line’ broadband fast becoming the ‘dial up’ of broadband offers?
Is traditional broadband being circled by the sharks?
Mobile broadband offers the customer more freedom than the name suggests. Many providers currently offer ‘pay as you go’ mobile broadband plans with consumers preferring not to be locked into a lengthy contract at a speed that may soon become ‘prehistoric’. Mobile broadband is also seen as a more social way of connecting to the web with the user not restricted to their family’s droll computer room. Cafe’s and even pubs are fast becoming populated with laptop users browsing the web in between latte’s or pints. Students and professionals are able to do last minute research on their next project on the way to school or work and computer gamers can get some much needed sun whilst playing online in the backyard!
So with Motorola’s latest announcement, we wait for the next ripple and perhaps the entire broadband market’s tide to change?
If you want to see what mobile broadband offers are currently out there why not give us a call on 0800 466 1047 or click here.