Wireless mobile broadband provides Internet access via cell towers, allowing users to be mobile within the coverage region. It’s useful for field reps and requires a cellular modem or aftermarket adapter. Buyers should research carriers and coverage, and consider bandwidth limits.
Wireless mobile broadband is a cellular technology that provides access to the Internet via cell towers, allowing the connected user to be “on the go” or mobile within the coverage region. This differs from traditional DSL and cable wireless networks which create “hotspots” of a relatively limited range, the average is 300-600 feet (91.4-182.8m), depending on the wireless protocol used, hardware, environment and many additional factors. If you leave the surrounding area, the signal is lost. Not so with wireless mobile broadband.
Wireless mobile broadband lets you work or play when and where the need arises. Do you have a few minutes sitting in the waiting room of the doctor’s office? Control your actions using your smartphone, internet-enabled mobile phone, netbook or notebook. A long taxi ride ahead? No need to waste it staring at snarling traffic. Lunch at the park or local café? See what’s happening on your favorite web forum or gaming site.
Enjoying unrestricted access wherever you are is especially useful for field reps. Need to access your company’s VPN from a customer site? No need to ask the customer for permission to access the local network – just take out the notebook and get instant access to cloud resources, online presentations, data reports, real-time inventory, VOIP conferencing, virtual offices and more .
To use wireless mobile broadband technology, the Internet-enabled device must either have a cellular modem installed internally or be equipped with an aftermarket mobile broadband adapter. Portable electronics, including smartphones and cell phones, come with a built-in ability to connect to the cellular Internet. Service is usually extra and requires a separate contract with the carrier in addition to standard cell phone service. Carriers commonly offer a bundle package, offering a discount to those who already use the carrier for cell phone service or are willing to switch.
A cellular modem must be branded to a carrier to work with that carrier, so laptop computers generally don’t come with a built-in cellular modem. Some models do, but the buyer of the machine is “stuck” using the cellular company the manufacturer has chosen to market to, unless they wish to purchase an additional external cellular modem. So if you buy a computer with a built-in cellular modem, make sure the modem is branded for the carrier you want to use.
Most computers don’t come with a cellular modem, so you can research cellular carriers, then purchase an aftermarket modem for your chosen carrier. There are two basic types of modem adapters that can be used for wireless mobile broadband: the card-style modem or the USB-style modem.
Some laptops are equipped with an ExpressCard® slot, formerly called a PC Card® or PCMCIA slot. This port is designed to expand the functionality of the machine by accommodating adapters or “cards” that would normally be installed internally. Some cards are designed to add Bluetooth® capabilities, others to control a wireless mouse, and so on. Mobile carrier branded card modems that accommodate this slot, allowing the user to connect to wireless mobile broadband.
Another option is to purchase a cellular modem made to use the USB port on your laptop. This type of modem looks like any other USB dongle. The disadvantage of this type of device is that it protrudes from the machine and can be bumped or bumped.
When shopping for a wireless mobile broadband provider, be sure to ask about coverage, roaming charges, and any discounts that may apply for having the service bundled with standard cellular service. Also, keep in mind the bandwidth limits that apply to each type of plan, as cell phone carriers generally impose limits to keep data hogs from slowing down your network. Plans with lower limits may be cheaper, and if you’ll only be using the Internet to check email and surf the web, a lower limit will probably suffice.
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