Comments on: Pokey Mobile Broadband Isn't Cutting It in the New App Era http://gigaom.com/2010/02/26/pokey-mobile-broadband-isnt-cutting-it-in-the-new-app-era/ Sat, 25 May 2013 23:27:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Dave http://gigaom.com/2010/02/26/pokey-mobile-broadband-isnt-cutting-it-in-the-new-app-era/#comment-242200 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:02:07 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=101885#comment-242200 More than speed, the usage context affects the length of time users spend in a mobile app or web site. Whether you are on the couch at home or on a street corner, the interaction may be exploratory (linger a bit and discover interesting content that I wasn’t even looking for), or more goal-oriented (get what I want and get out) respectively.

A user connecting via WiFi is more likely to be stationary with a leisurely or exploratory usage style, whereas a user connecting via a relatively slow carrier data plan may be waiting in line outside a club, riding in a car, or in any number of scenarios that favor brief goal-oriented device interactions.

Truth be told, it is tough to know which affects the duration of use more (speed or context). At the very least, I would argue that it is a mix of both, not one or the other.

]]> By: Innovation is Calling « BroadbandIgnite http://gigaom.com/2010/02/26/pokey-mobile-broadband-isnt-cutting-it-in-the-new-app-era/#comment-242199 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:40:43 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=101885#comment-242199 [...] volumes on mobile networks are surging, and this article from GigaOM points out that 3G networks aren’t keeping pace. If consumers don’t get a fast, quality [...]

]]> By: Nick67 http://gigaom.com/2010/02/26/pokey-mobile-broadband-isnt-cutting-it-in-the-new-app-era/#comment-242198 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:28:10 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=101885#comment-242198 It isn’t just a speed issue. It is also a latency issue–and a massive one. Just as satellite internet bites for RDP, webcam and voice apps because of the unavoidable light-speed delays, mobile ‘broadband’ bites too. Doing a tracert with my provider shows up to nine hops of .16 to .25 second each in a 10.x.x.x address space before the requests finally hit the land-based backbone. Brutal. Speed is nice, but apps that do low volume chit-chat like RDP just don’t work well with that high a latency. THAT has to get fixed first.

As for Tetherberry, I’ve looked at that. My provider charges $0.60/MB for tethered charges. Yes, Tetherberry is SUPPOSED to ensure that I don’t get a $10000 phone bill–but I don’t trust the app or the provider enough to take that risk. The telcos have a lot more money for lawyers than me. It ain’t worth the risk of the telco saying “oh by the way, you violated the service terms by using tetherberry for the last 18 months. 90 GB. 92160 MB. $0.60/MB. That’ll be $55296 plus tax. NOW. Please.”

Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll pass on tetherberry.

]]> By: Dave http://gigaom.com/2010/02/26/pokey-mobile-broadband-isnt-cutting-it-in-the-new-app-era/#comment-242197 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:55:58 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=101885#comment-242197 May I suggest to those who travel and carry more than one to three devices in order to connect to the web. I had tried purchasing the data and voice plan before with my wireless provider. I currently purchased the “tether software” program from the Blackberry Apps World and enjoying the connection speed to my laptop with my Storm 2. There is no limits to the usage since I already subscribe to data plan with my Blackberry. I can easily allow my calls to be answered by my voice mail. If it is “really important call”, I can interrupt the connection. I can easily connect to the web again. Why would I subscribe to additional data plan when I am able to connect to the web without limitation of usage….. May be the wireless provider will catch up and charge a much higher rate for their “required data plan” for Blackberry/Smartphone devices.

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