There are many different ways to take advantage of broadband cellular for internet access. For the next few articles, I’ll cover some pros and cons of internet connections via:
- an internet-enabled phone or “PDA” (Personal Digital Assistant) like the Sprint BlackBerry 8830
- embedded data device in a laptop like certain Dell Laptops with Mobile Broadband Technology
- dedicated data device directly attached to computer, like the Verizon UM150
- sharing the internet connection with many computer using a 3G router like the Cradlepoint MBR1000
Many consider today’s feature-rich cellphones and high-end PDA phones (Personal Digital Assistant) to be the easiest way to access the internet while ‘on the road’. Hard to argue with those who make that claim since these devices are relatively small, self contained and many have nearly all the same functionality of a small laptop computer. With one of these high-tech beasts you can send and receive email, chat via instant messenger and surf web pages and so much more… albeit, on a small screen.
Most PDA’s are fairly expensive, even when discounted by lengthy carrier contracts. Many modern cell phones are less expensive and still offer the same capabilities of the more expensive PDA’s. If all you need is occasional access to the internet, using a cell phone or PDA might just be the proper purchase.
Not satisfied with the tiny screen on their phone, many folks take the next logical step that is available with most internet-enabled phones and choose to ‘tether’ their phone to their computer via USB cable or even wirelessly via ‘Bluetooth‘. When the phone/PDA is tethered properly, the computer will have internet access using the phone’s connectivity.
Sounds great so far, right? What’s not to love about accessing the internet with your phone, or tethering that phone to your computer?
Not much really… but enough to be real deal-breakers for the hard-core internet junkies. The first issue is speed. Most of today’s phones are designed as phones first, and data devices second. Sometimes not even second… the data side of the phone may have been an after-thought or last minute decision by the phone manufacturer.
The brains (processor) of a phone are typically nowhere near as fast as you’d find on a real computer. Neither is the phone’s internal ‘data bus’, the parts that allow for transfer of raw data. On top of these design deficiencies, most phones do not have data chipsets that are compatible with the fastest available cellular networks like HSPA and EVDO Rev-A, simply because those chips consume a lot more battery life, and we all know that short battery life on any cell phone is a really bad thing. In fact, many folks with data-enabled phones that don’t ever use the data side, are trying to find ways to disable the high-speed chips to get longer battery life when they use their phone, as just a phone.
As far as speed is concerned, the best internet-enabled phones with the best high-speed chipsets will only average about one-third the speed of a dedicated data device operating from the same cell tower.
Those wanting to tether their phone to their computer and get the best speeds, will have to use a USB cable. Wireless tethering via Bluetooth is certainly going to be an option for those with that feature on both their phone and computer… but most phones (and older computers) are still only using BlueTooth version 1.x radios which have less bandwidth than high-speed cellular internet. For most users, BlueTooth becomes a bottleneck that prevents getting all the bandwidth you are paying each month for.
For the RVer who only needs infrequent internet access to retrieve email a couple times a week, an internet-enabled phone on its own, or tethered to a laptop will be fine. For those RVers who consider the internet to be like air (or diesel?), the compromises that are associated with internet via cell phone, just aren’t acceptable.
Here’s another potential problem that some can’t live with — EVDO phones like those from Sprint/Verizon/Alltel cannot be used for data service and phone calls at the same time. Sure, you can use a 2nd phone to talk to clients and surf at the same time, but if you’re a single person, owning two phones probably makes less sense than owning a phone and a dedicated data device.
One last issue that might affect a phone/PDA for internet access is available coverage area. Some carriers (like Verizon) don’t allow data access in some extended/roaming coverage areas using a phone, but will allow it using a dedicated data plan.
In life, everything is a compromise. Using an internet-enabled cell phone or PDA might be perfect for some RVers with infrequent need to access the internet… but for most, the compromises are just too compromising.
If you have questions about this article, feel free to join the discussion I’ve started on RV.net’s technology forum by clicking on this link.
Next week, I’ll discuss accessing the internet using a data device that is built-in (embedded) into a laptop.