Who needs High Speed Packet Data

The growth in High Speed Data Services over the mobile network is moving exponentially towards the sky. The demand for such services is growing faster than what the networks can deliver. If you look at the data packages currently offered by all UK networks, you will find a common theme which is unlimited data packages for a fixed monthly price. The networks are busy building their infrastructure to support data services and meet their customers need. However there are many obstacles in the way and if you have bought one of these USB dongle or something similar to connect your laptop then you may be surprised by the level of service you receive.

High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a new feature offering data rates of 14Mbps over the mobile network. The reality is that most networks will struggle to offer more than 1.5Mbps on average across their network. For a start most networks have not yet activated this feature and have gone for a lower rate of 3.6Mbps and some of them are currently upgrading them to 7.2Mbps. Let’s assume that they have activated 14Mbps data rate on all their mobile base stations, this does not mean you will get that rate because:-

1. You will be sharing this resource with other users
2. The data rate you are offered is dependent on your location and quality of coverage
3. The transmission capacity deployed may be limited to a lower rate
4. There may be capacity issues or congestion

If we consider some of the issues above and assume the cell supports 7.2Mbps data rate then you may be able to get that rate provided you are the only user and your coverage quality is very good (i.e. you are very close to the mobile base station). Of course as more users start demanding the same resource it will be a different story. What I forgot to mention is that in order to support this high data rate the operator will need to install at least four E1 lease-line (each supporting 2Mbps) transmissions which are very expensive. The transmission requirements for this high data rate services are resulting in operators looking at cheaper alternatives such as Ethernet. While we wait for cheaper solutions the average user should consider their options carefully as majority of the cell sites will have one or two 2Mbps transmission capacity.

Putting aside all these issues, I think the mobile data services have come a long way and for people on the move it really does offer a real solution. There are also new features coming through such as High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) which will improve data transfer in particular where you are sending e-mails with large attachments.

I am a regular user of mobile broadband services and though the service quality may vary, you can rest assured that it is not all doom and gloom.

The future is looking bright as higher data features are enabled by the networks and supported by cheaper Ethernet transmission pipes your data service can only get better. So if you haven’t tried one of these USB dongles, then I would suggest you pay a visit to your local network dealer and get a demonstration.