When Mobile Isn’t Mobile: Why Wi-Fi Will Drive Better 3G Connectivity
by Ewan Spence
Wi-fi.
Simple as that. The inclusion of Wi-Fi connectivity into the modern smartphone has opened the eyes of people to the capabilities of these small devices. Rather than relying on the data plan supplied by a network, at the price determined by the network (and a price designed to extract as much revenue as possible), regular users can now access all the data services, applications and tools of their mobile computers, without having to hand over 30 pieces of silver.
For a long time, carriers have been afraid of one thing – becoming little more than data pipes, a commodity delivery service to be exchanged and bartered so users hand over as little revenue as possible. The clamor of Wi-fi has grown so much that you no longer see ‘crippled’ versions of smartphones in the US market (Nokia’s E62 enterprise device was identical to the E61, except with no Wi-fi you had to rely on the network’s data connection and billing). But I think by freeing up the devices so they are not always ‘mobile’ but sometimes ‘wi-fi-ing from home,’ the networks will increase both the value of the handset to the customer, and therefore the value of the customer to them.
There will always be a place for the mobile data connection, but with a direct comparison to the speeds available on Wi-Fi, people are going to be looking for 3g connectivity, for fast data plans, all for an easily understandable cost – that means flat rate data connectivity n advanced networks. Because the users will know what their phone can do with a connection, they’ll be more likely to want to do this while mobile; the initial problem of acceptance has been overcome. Flat rate data simply means they are not going to get a shock when they open their bill, just because they’ve been surfing, buying music, or sending twitter messages through the website. Wi-fi will drive the uptake of mobile data, and strangely will see people rely more and more on the connectivity to the point that being in a Wi-fi hot spot may soon be something of no consequence.
I’d also expect handsets to transfer between the different types of connections automatically in the future – working on behalf of the users to always stay on the cheapest option available is important now, but should decrease as time goes by as connections become more ubiquitous and a de facto requirement for any mobile.
