Yeah, it was exciting to hear the news when we all found out that now we can all use our cell phones for internet activities like email, document sharing, web browsing, instant messaging, downloading ringtones and all those other cool things.
While it was kind of an added convenience, it was a mixed blessing since most cell phones are alphanumeric pads and micro tiny display screens. The Internet was not yet being massively consumed through mobile devices, but the birth of the iPhone would change all that.
With the invention of the iPhone, it was only a matter of time before other phone manufacturers got involved and did the same with the new line of cell phones known as the smartphone. With the growing demand for smartphones increasing, the use of the Internet through the phone has also seen growth to the delight of all the numerous operators. The only issue was still portability vs. usability problem regardless of the advances made with phones, due to the size and design of the interface. The mobile internet solution would have to land elsewhere for those who would need more productivity while away from home and it found its place with the laptop using wireless internet cards offered by cell phone providers.
The benefit
The final benefit for wireless Internet card users is the ability to access the web over broadband when other methods fail or are unavailable, such as Wi-Fi access points and physical Ethernet connections. To be mobile and productive these days, you need to be able to access information and be accessible. Such demands and requirements for business or personal use include email, blogging, document sharing, FTP, and more. By doing this on the go, cellular broadband cards give users the advantage of additional connection options in their communication capabilities of up to 3 Gbps.
The bad news
The bad news isn’t really a matter of technical issues but rather the billing/planning process for broadband Internet access. It’s unfortunate and it’s not entirely clear why, but operators currently only offer flat rate usage plans that can’t exceed 5GB of monthly transfer. These plans don’t block access after the 5 GB limit has been exceeded, but instead start billing for each new Mb of internet use, which can easily add up to 5 cents per MB quickly. Larger allowances and variations in plans would be nice, yes, but since there aren’t any, you now have to decide if buying a wireless card subscription makes sense.
Ways to avoid overage charges
If you download 2-hour videos, tutorials, or movies, you’ll have easily exceeded your monthly quota in just three instances that month. It is important to monitor and realize what use is necessary when you are away from home or the office. Plan to use Wi-Fi when available and only switch to your wireless internet when no other connectivity methods are available. If you have employees who use a card to go online, be sure to share the appropriate usage limits with them. You may even need to penalize abusers’ use of the Internet if it becomes a problem.