Mobile broadband and Wi-Fi networks meet different needs.
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, as of May 2010, 59 percent of U.S. adults access the Internet via a wireless connection, through mobile broadband service or Wi-Fi. Both services have distinct advantages and limitations.
Technology
Mobile broadband refers to a range of wireless, high-speed Internet solutions. Users go online via smart phones and external or embedded modems. Wi-Fi, as a standards-based technology, lets users connect to individual networks with compatible laptops and smart phones. Each Wi-Fi network, or "hot spot," has an access point and Internet backhaul connection.
Coverage
Mobile broadband offers ubiquitous Internet access throughout a specific region, usually a major metropolitan area. Users access the Internet while moving within the designated coverage area when using a modem, smart phone or other device. Wi-Fi users, however, must remain within a hot spot, usually no more than 100 feet from the access point. Hotspot-Locations.com estimates more than 34,000 hot spots exist worldwide as of August 2010.
Cost
Mobile broadband monthly subscriptions average $40 to $60, according to Broadbandexpert.com, plus incremental and sometimes substantial equipment costs. Wi-Fi access, in contrast, often comes at low or no cost. Most laptops and some smart phones have embedded Wi-Fi capability, requiring no additional equipment.
Speed
Mobile broadband speeds range from 1.4 Mbps to 6 Mbps, reports Broadbandexpert.com. Most Wi-Fi networks support connections of 11Mbps to 54Mbps, depending on the capacity of the hot spot's backhaul connection.
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