Broadband Digital Mobile Phone

Cell phones aren't just for voice calls anymore and that's partly why you may be interested in a broadband digital mobile phone. These handsets are so much more than just telephones. They're comprehensive information and communication computers!

First off, it may be prudent to describe exactly what a broadband digital mobile phone is. In short, it is a cellular phone that makes use of 3G technology for a faster wireless data connection. A good example of this would be the iPhone 3G. This Apple cell phone, available through Rogers Wireless and A&T, can surf the mobile web a lot faster than the original iPhone. As you know, the iPhone is used heavily as a mobile Internet device, so you'll want the fastest cellular connection possible.

This is the primary reason why someone would be interested in a mobile phone with wireless broadband technology. Sure, there are a number of smartphones out there that come with Wi-Fi, but you may not always find yourself in a Wi-Fi hotspot. The point of a mobile phone is that it is exactly that: mobile. With 3G high-speed data, you are able to achieve nearly the same data speed as ADSL or other forms of broadband Internet.

Even though there are smartphones that come with rather large displays, these still don't quite provide the same Internet experience as that found on a notebook computer. With laptops, you are usually restricted to Wi-Fi (or a wired Ethernet connection) to gain access to the Internet, but it is also possible to use cellular phone technology as well.

Various mobile operators, such as AT&T, sell PC cards that serve this purpose. These are designed specifically to work with laptops, but not everyone needs this kind of functionality all the time, nor do they want to pay for a separate plan. That's why "tethering" a broadband digital mobile phone to a laptop is such a great solution.

By connecting the phone to the computer, either via a cable or Bluetooth, you are able to use the cell phone's wireless data connection on the laptop. Make sure that you have an adequate data plan before proceeding, but you can see how wireless broadband is a quantum leap in robustness above older wireless technologies like GPRS/EDGE.

Not all cell phones are capable of tethering. Furthermore, tethering can some times be in violation of your Terms of Service with your chosen wireless provider. For example, the iPhone data plan being offered by AT&T cannot be used for tethering purposes. Should AT&T "catch you" using the iPhone in a tethering situation, it has the legal right to charge you for violating your contract. That's why iPhone applications like NetShare and PDAnet are essentially against the AT&T Terms of Service.

For now, most wireless carriers in Canada and the United States offer some kind of 3G data. For example, both Fido and Rogers Wireless offer HSDPA with a theoretical maximum speed of 7.2Mbps. Typical performance, depending on a number of variables, is probably closer to the 1Mbps to 2Mbps range. CDMA-based operators, like Telus in Canada, offer 3G in the form of EV-DO.

Sprint is one of the first companies to offer what is known as 4G wireless technology, or the fourth-generation of cellular technology. Sprint has branded its WiMAX network as XOHM and it offers wireless data speeds that even surpass that of HSDPA. At the time this article was written, there was not a single XOHM-equipped broadband digital mobile phone being sold, but that will change soon.

A competing 4G wireless technology that will coincide with GSM-based providers is something called LTE or Long-Term Evolution. The technology is still being developed, but the promised speeds will be significantly faster than HSDPA or HSUPA. For now, the developers are looking toward an LTE launch some time in 2011. That date may or may not change, depending on market conditions and circumstances in the world of technology.

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