Wireless broadband at home, do you do it?
I have used wireless broadband since back in the old 1xRTT days, the slow precursor to the EV-DO Rev. A I currently enjoy. There’s something to be said for the ability to jump online no matter where you are, and today being able to do that at high speed is even better. I have been thinking a lot about my EV-DO connectivity lately and wondered if it’s something I could live with at home. The speeds are nowhere near the cable broadband I have at home but more than fast enough for everything if push came to shove.
Just last week Kevin and I were trying to troubleshoot a network problem we’ve been having using iChat for video and to test it out we had several video chats using EV-DO. We both use Verizon’s wireless service and we were both blown away how our video sessions were indistinguishable from the super-broadband equivalent. That’s about the hardest thing you can do to tax the wireless service and it held up admirably, even when we were using it on both ends of the call. This drove home the fact that if either (or both) of us decided to drop the expensive broadband and stick with the EV-DO service at home we could easily do so. It’s not something that I’m likely to do, I loves me some broadband for sure. It does gets me to wondering though, do any of you use 3G only even at home? If so leave a comment and share what your experience has been. Sometimes mobile comes home to roost, you know.
UPDATE: GigaOM looks at this issue today in response to a survey that shows there are in fact quite a few folks using 3G at home.
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If you and Kevin do this James, I hope you’ll post your experience and insights.
I’ve thought about going all EV-DO, but I’ve worried that with streaming, downloading, and other bandwidth-intensive activity, I’d be over the 5GB limit very quickly.
I’ve also wondered if it would turn out to be a hassle to keep a live signal going to multiple Tivos, Slingboxes, computers 24/7, even when I’m not home.
I do have EV-DO, but there is no way I could go EV-DO only.
3 servers, 2 desktops, 1 laptop, 2 Tablets, 2 XBOX 360′s, and the occasional family member visiting. I couldn’t share all of that on just a EV-DO connection.
I was considering dropping my cable internet and living with my EVDO at home (I have a router that converts the EVDO to WiFi) when Sprint unilaterally changed my service from unlimited to 5GB/month. If I can’t trust my carrier to honor a contract I can’t rely on it to be my sole source for internet access
Having used a 3G Modem as a my sole internet connection for over a month , I have to say that current speeds and prices are no where near enough to tempt me to do that full time.
While 3G ability to get you online everywhere and anywhere in enviable, the price and Data limits are not.
The 3 to 5Gb bandwith limist are nowhere enough unless the only thing you are dooing is email and web surfing, and that to not too much at media heavy sites like You Tube.
And what about when you need to do some installation and /or troubleshooting.
Just from and example, trying to do a windows update for a machine I just reinstalled resulted in about 700-800 Mb of downloads.
And as we move more and more towards the cloud, what happens when you want to backup you files to a online backup service, or when you need to redownload it.
What about when you want to consume content from the net, may it be You Tube, iTunes, Netflix, Pandora, etc, they all consume bandwith.
Also, what about other people in a house. are they going to share the connection or are they going to have to get their own connection. not to mention Kids.
What I feel is that because you often use our home DSL or Cable connections for the heavy stuff, you may be underestimating how much actual bandwith you actually use.
I have HAD to use it sometimes when the signal went out (as you did, when your cable was out for a month, uh few DAYS.
The EVDO in my mogul powered everything, web sessions, slingboxes, VUDU even, and internet surfing of course for a home worker and another worker. I COULD rely on it, but prefer to have more BW for more services.
Your video chats were good because they probably cap out at 200kps MAX for streaming. Most video uses even less than that for normal video conferencing, so your DEMAND was low. IF you pilled on a VUDU, server, webex session, email and anything else, the whole thing would most likely just come to an end.
A lot depends, as many have said, on what it is you’re actually doing, and whether the carrier sticks to their plans and does not change the rules mid-game.
Back in 2003, I was using Verizon mobile internet with a pcmcia card. The speeds were slower than EVDO, but for $80/month I had unlimited access and could do WHATEVER I wanted.
Today the scenery has changed. While prices have come down to around $60, most providers will only give you 5-20GB to use per month, cheerfully slapping on the excess charges thereafter. I don’t know if there still is an option for an unlimited plan out there, but this is again another “two steps forward one step back” approach the telco companies have decided to follow.
I would use EVDO at home only as a back-up access if the primary lines went down. A friend of mine just installed EVDO wifi in his RV and it rocks! I’ve been seriously thinking of doing the same on my Escalade.
Interestingly, if you have a phone with T-Mobile, you can add a data plan for just $20/month, and it gives you “unlimited” downloads. Great if you have an EDGE device that you can tether to your laptop and want to get online, or decide to pop the SIM card into a PC card modem.
I think if people had meters to see how many GB they in fact use every month with their DSL/Cable, the numbers would shock a lot of us.
I have used a Sprint 3G card and router hooked up at my home network for about a year and a half now. It is the only service I can get other than satellite which I refuse to sign up for. It works well most of the time but now that Sprint has changed their “unlimited” plan to “5 Gig max” I have to be more careful about what I use it for. For heavy downloading I trot down to my local library with my x61T and get what I want. Can’t wait till Wimax gets here.
Don’t forget the terms of service. I think Verizon used to explicitly forbid streaming audio/video for example, so video conferencing is probably a no-no! Also, don’t forget that you may need to download larger quantities… e.g. an ISO image. That may eat up your 5gig limit very fast. In fact, I think they had a description that even said it was not meant to replace a wired internet connection, but don’t remember if that was formal or descriptive.
I’ve been using a Verizon Aircard myself recently (gee, I suppose I should check the TOS), but mine is a corporate account which I think doesn’t have a specific gb limit.
Still, I have to admit I’ve thought about wireless connection only, but the thought passes quickly when I think about total data limits, and the difficulty of sharing across the home with other users.
James,
I just bought a 3G USB modem for the times when I’m away over the summer months, its Pay As You GO and a lot cheaper than using my phone as a modem. I have to say that in areas where I get good reception I have been very impressed. I live in a rural location and depend on a community wireless project as I am too far away from the local telephone exchange (like a lot of people in my area). Unfortunately, its 2G only here so the community project is a lifesaver. However, last week whilst visiting friends in the west of the country I learnt that they have a similar problem excpet they have 3G coverage. They use the exact same modem as me for all of their broadband and are very happy with it. Granted they mostly email and browse the internet but I still think its great that they can enjoy a similar experience to most other homes in the UK all be it through a different technology.
*Time Out!*
WTF is that graphic illustrating that post?!!? Where do you dig up these things?!