| Author |
wi-fi or 3g? |
jplacson
Joined: Apr 21, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Philippines
PM, WWW
|
The down fall of 3G is that EVERYONE is trying to say "We've got the best 3G standard" ... they totally missed the core essence of why GSM was such a HUGE success over the 'technically superior' CDMA.
To a certain extent, consumers want all the bells and whistles... within reasonable prices that is. Not to mention everyday convenience.
3G requires end users to buy new handsets... now, that's fine for tech geeks like us here at Esato... the top 1% of the handset buying market... but what about the rest of the world? Most people are happy with the functions of the T68i, and T610. MOST people don't need anything more... and more importantly, most people don't want to be FORCED into buying a new handset... that's the feeling that 3G gives consumers... that they HAVE to buy a new handset. Instead of making them WANT to buy a new one. There's a VERY big difference in consumer psychology there.
And the prices they are charging telcos for the license... and in the end, us consumers... is just way too high. And for what? Faster internet? But not as fast as wifi? Video calls that only work if the other party has a video phone as well? So that adds up to about 5 people? I'm sure in the future it will become more widespread... but not in the next 5 years. By then... better handsets will be out... as well as the next generation wireless network.
Right now, 3G networks are just trying to recover their losses... 3G is dead and they know it. Just like the Iridium network, and the other "Holy Grail" satellite networks that promised "One World, One number"... it's good technology... it's just not needed.
|
|
|
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@jplacson
I disagree. 3G has undeniably had its share of problems in being launched, but I think we are on the cusp of 3G's time. The most crucial factor in making 3G a success is the massive cost of it all. The networks have spent so much money on 3G that thye have to make it a success.
Not everyone needs Wi-Fi speeds, most business users simply need to be able to send and receive e-mail whilst on the move, 3G speeds are perfectly acceptable for that. Wi-Fi usage is also dependent upon hotspots, which limit its overall appeal.
The ideal solution, in my opinion, is a mixture of the two, Wi-Fi and 3G. 3G is progressing very quickly indeed, if one compares the implementation of 2G and 3G, one would no doubt find that 3G is now moving at a faster pace. Handset troubles are being solved and the latets models are far superior to the initial handsets we saw when 3G was first launched. As handsets improve, customers will buy them because they will be just the same as the 2G handsets they use now, except for the fact that they will have more features.
I don't see such a process being five years, rather I see it happening within the next two years. 3G services are already starting to make a big impact in the UK, not to mention other countries. I don't think we should be so quick to write off 3G.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
julioinocencio
Joined: Nov 01, 2003
Posts: 26
From: QC, Philippines
PM |
ooo. mixed reactions i see. well, im eyeing on five phones. xda IIi, mpx, 9500, hp 6300, 6630. Prices are (if i can remember correctly) 58k, 43k, 39k, ??? respectively. All have wi fi 'cept for 6630...i really need the connection and the PDA functions and might scrap out 6630...anyway, i really appreciate all your replies. I dont have much knowledge on 3g to start with. maybe wifi/gprs/edge would be best as of now....thanx guys |
Aivar
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Estonia
PM |
I'm sure, there are lot's of countries in the world who will not launch 3G at all. There are also many other countries who are just starting to discover GSM in nowadays.
I guess GSM have ahead a long life to live - despite of WiFi, 3G, 4G or whatever. |
masseur
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
PM |
I'm a big advocate for wifi and 90% of my normal daily life is now covered by either my home wifi setup or street hotspots etc and its MUCH cheaper than GPRS or 3G data
I'll always keep GPRS or 3G data as a backup but as more hot spots go up and wi-max becomes more readily available I won't be using data-through-phone anywhere near as much as I have in the past
|
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@masseur
I use a mixture of GPRS and Wi-Fi. Admittedly Wi-Fi is better when I am able to use it, but until we have city wide Wi-Fi coverage I don't see myself giving up GPRS.
I think a single, global standard would be the ideal solution, one that allows both data and phonecalls. I wonder how long we will be waiting for that?
_________________
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
[ This Message was edited by: scotsboyuk on 2004-12-08 15:50 ] |
masseur
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
PM |
I have seen technology sometime this year that supposedly lets you auto switch from gprs to wifi and back but I haven't heard anything recently about it actually being available.
when I get some time, now that I have all this wifi coverage, I really want to check out VOIP (voice over IP) and see if I can't save a bit more money using that. worth a go anyway
|
Aivar
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Estonia
PM |
Quote:
|
On 2004-12-08 16:48:06, scotsboyuk wrote:
I think a single, global standard would the ideal solution, one that allows both data and phonecalls. I wonder how long we will be waiting for that?
|
|
Good comment! But maybe it will never happen, because industrial (technical) enterprises wants make money. More products (solutions) give more chance to earn... |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@masseur
That sounds rather interesting, the GPRS/Wi-Fi switching I mean.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
Leks
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sweden
PM |
Just a noobish Q:
What is WiFi 
|
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@Leks
Wirleless broadband internet.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
lazn
Joined: Oct 01, 2004
Posts: > 500
PM |
too bad that the 4G will only start developing at 2010
my fried works for a new company in russia ....they are suppling the networks in japan the info & stuff about the 4th G .....
the equipment for the antanas & for the networks server will be avilable to other suppliers & companies only in one year .....
i expirinced the 4G in japan ( when i went with my friend too japan .. )
& they succeeded to reach 123 Mb's ( downloading ... ) .i think that the way for a trully 4G is still far away in it will be "OK" only at 2011 ... |
sranjanm2002
Joined: Jun 15, 2005
Posts: 271
From: Jaipur , Rajasthan , INDIA
PM, WWW
|
See i think Mobile Internet or 3G here is better then wifi as far as coverage is concerned. You can surf Internet while travelling but in case of wifi you have to be at one place. Wifi is also not free inmost of the cases and free wifi is always comes with the stream of viruses etc.
_________________
[ This Message was edited by: sranjanm2002 on 2008-01-05 08:20 ] |
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
Wifi or 3G? I'd say both!
I have a 3G phone (V630i) and make video calls only to people within my Account plan. These calls are free within my plan.
I also have a 1GB/month 3G data plan to provide HSDPA to my laptop but not to the V630i I intend to get a Vodafone 3G Wifi Router and Wifi compatible phone one day so that I can take advantage of internet on mutiple devices at home plus publicly accessable Wifi which is slowly arriving here in NZ.
Basically, find a good Network provider and keep in regular contact with them through Customer Services and thier Website.
|
Dogmann
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: London England
PM |
Hi all,
Wow this was s seriously old thread and as we know 3G is now rolled out by many Networks in fact we are now seeing HSDPA being rolled out by most Networks and in the UK we already have 3.6mbps and 7.2mbps is being rolled out now which really is starting to offer us Broadband speeds on our Mobile devcies.
Marc
_________________
Nokia N95 8GB, SU-8W, Fring, Vox, Tom Tom 6, Shure EC2g
Honoured to have won BEST DEBATER
[ This Message was edited by: Dogmann on 2008-01-06 02:42 ] |
|
|
Posted: 2004-12-05 19:38
