With HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) soon set to greatly improve GPRS, EDGE and 3G speeds, it would be reasonable to question broadband`s feasibility.
It is estimated that HSDPA will outperform broadband, which is why it is so important to re-look your options when deciding on the best method of wireless connectivity.
For one, GPRS offers mobility wherever there is cellular coverage as opposed to WiFi, which is quite obviously limited to wireless networks, hotspots and so forth.
Unlike in the past, where the hard part between choosing either cellular and WiFi services was the tradeoff between speed and coverage, you will now be able to benefit from both thanks to the advances made with HSDPA.
Gone are the days where cellular only worked well if users can tolerate sub-megabit speeds.
The coverage is also impressive; in the US alone EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) work in 13 000 cities and towns while GPRS (Generalised Packet Radio Service) is available in about 80 countries where EDGE is not yet available.
In addition to the technology advances made in the GPRS/EDGE arena, pricing has also become a major differentiator. Basically, you only pay for the data you need and don`t have to be tied to a costly monthly contract irrespective of the amount of data you use.
At Duxbury we`ve estimated that the average person uses 500MB of data per month and not 1GB as some service providers claim. Again, this is where GPRS is just a more attractive option as you`re not overspending on data that you don`t need.
Looking at other benefits, GPRS can be utilised by various industries such as Metro Police, emergency services, credit card/debit card machines, people in rural communities or farmers in remote areas and quite obviously, notebook users.
And while moves are being made towards developing dual-mode devices that will pick up the strongest signal, it currently makes more sense to enjoy a technology that offers both speed and coverage.
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