Wireless Internet Grows Up

If you're like most people, the internet, and by turns, our mobile devices'laptops, iPhones, netbooks, electronic organizers, PDAs, Blackberries, etc'have become indispensible. We cannot go without them  for any extended stretch of time without feeling somehow lost, or deprived.  Our modern society thrives on the internet. We shop online, we connect to our friends and family, we get things done via the internet; in fact, entire businesses are operated in virtual space. The internet has become something of an extension of ourselves. We need it.

Yet, as wired as we are, there is still a resounding lack when it comes to mobile technology. We've almost come to take it for granted that there are some things we can't do on the go that we can do while we're sitting at home, for instance. And yet, that needn't be the case at all. In all actuality, that won't be the case in the very near future.

For the longest time, 3G was the big thing. It was meant to make our lives so much easier, a much less complicated. We could be connected with the world at the press of a button. Although 3G has been a major improvement over the digital leap that second generation tech standards represented, it didn't quite live up to all the hype that was surrounding it. Speeds were supposed to impress and amaze; connections weren't supposed to drop or become overloaded. Seamlessness as concerns roaming and jumps to other networks was supposed to be a given. However, none of this actually occurred, or if it did it left much to be desired. 3G has done a lot, it's a good start, but it was a start in fits'there still a lot to be said about what could be done.

That's why 4G and its promises of super high speed wireless internet is so seductive. 4G promises download speeds that are comparable to broadband speeds you get at home. Whereas 3G seemed to be an exercise, 4G is actually going to represent a clear response to a number of problems.  It addresses issues of speed, distance and availability.

Mobile users will be able to up their productivity significantly using the mobile, wireless internet connection offered by 4G. Companies are actually developing plans whereby users could supplant their traditional modems for a 4G wireless connection which means users would only have to pay for one plan that would work both on the road and at home.

This new wireless tech will also offer much further coverage. Today's wifi connections are quite reductive in comparison with what 4G will provide: a 30 mile radius of connection. Compare that to the 100-300 foot radius covered by your average internet café's wifi signal and you will be pleasantly impressed. With fourth generation, internet users will be able to do everything they could do with a broadband connection, wirelessly. This means that you'll actually be able to watch videos and load image or media heavy pages on your mobile without any problems.