Connecting to the internet on the road leaving you frustrated? Learn more about mobile broadband.
Business travelers have intimately experienced the frustration of connecting to the internet on the road. In the days of dial up we were all banished to our hotel rooms and hotel conference rooms if we were hoping to do any research or even answer a few emails.
Then came Wi-Fi which was fantastic in the confines of a secure business location with impenetrable password protection or, at best, at any other of the more convenient locations such as a local coffee shop, hotel room, or more appropriately the airport.
The next evolution of wireless networking was introduced in 2007 called Mobile broadband. Mobile broadband, ideal for people on the road, allows users to browse the Web from anywhere with a mobile signal. This means no more searching for random Wi-Fi hotspots as cell phone signals are much more wide spread.
It is possible to connect to the internet using mobile broadband via some cell phones. An easier on-the-go exterior solution is to use a hardware device (mostly USB) that plugs into your computer allowing a connection to mobile broadband. There are also various data cards available that can be built-in or not
The next development in using mobile broadband technology is the concept of creating a personal private (secure) cellular-based Wi-Fi hotspot. This is done by a mobile broadband wireless router which converts the cellular signal into an ordinary Wi-Fi signal accessible by any laptop with an internal or external wireless card.
If you have a team that travels together this hotspot will allow the entire group to securely connect to the internet. There are multiple hardware devices available that will allow you to achieve this type of personal hotspot connection. This avoids each member paying $9.99+ every 24 hours for the hotel's unsecured or mildly secured internet connection. Tradeshow convention centers often charge $100+ per day for internet access. The mobile wireless router and the associated services will likely pay for itself with a two day tradeshow and/or if you have a team of 4 working through a 5 night hotel stay.
Mobile broadband has many benefits even for applications that do not deal with travel. It can serve as a backup to any home or office fixed line connection. Because a mobile broadband connection is not tied to any physical location it is often the connection of choice for those who move frequently such as various contractors, project managers and college students.
However, mobile broadband has its limitations and is not comparable to home broadband connections. A mobile broadband connection is not acceptable, depending on your connection requirements, for streaming video or downloading large media files because it is slower than its home connection counterpart.
Before choosing a broadband package, decide what kind of internet user you are by asking yourself these questions. Do you regularly video conference via the internet? If so you should probably look at an internet service provider to supply a standard hardwired connection. If you mainly use the internet for emails, and would enjoy the convenience of the on-the-go aspect then a mobile connection would be an excellent choice.
To learn more how managed IT services can help you with the benefits listed above click here!
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