What is a Broadband USB Modem?

What is a broadband USB modem you ask? That is a great question as all the major wireless carriers are offering a broadband USB modem to their customers. And frankly, the USB modem may very well, in several cases, be the best option for wireless mobile broadband Internet for many potential customers.

But before we get into the advantages or disadvantages or a broadband USB modem, first let's break the term "broadband USB modem" down into its three parts.

As I have discussed in past posts, mobile broadband refers to high speed internet access and for the purposes of this blog we will concentrate on mobile broadband - or high speed internet - offered by wireless carriers ( i.e. Sprint and Verizon).

USB, or universal serial bus, refers to the connection port on your computer that you plug all your peripherals (i.e. cameras, printers, USB modem, etc.) into. Nearly every computer on the market currently has at least one USB port. USP ports are the standard connection for electronic devices and it only makes sense that modems should be made to plug into this type of connection as well.

Lastly, a modem is a device that enables information sent between a computer and the internet to be converted into a format that is usable to the end user. This is a hugely simplistic explanation as a modem is a very complex item and further explanation is beyond the scope of this post.

So now that you have an basic understanding of the term "broadband USB modem" we can move on.

A broadband USB modem is a device that plugs into the USB modem of a computer that enables the computer to have wireless internet access wherever there is cellular coverage provided by their wireless carrier.

Because the device plugs into a USB port, the broadband USB modem can be used with any computer, whether it be a laptop or desktop. This "universal" connection ability makes the broadband USB modem the first choice among customers who would like to use their wireless internet connection on more than one computer. It should be noted that only one computer will have internet access at a time unless a broadband router is used, but again that is beyond the scope of this post.

A new feature that is being offered on a few newer broadband USB modems is a Micro SD card slot. This enables your broadband USB modem to double as a Micro SD card reader for easy transfer of pictures, documents, video or whatever else you want to transfer from your micro SD card to your computer or vice versa.

There are a few disadvantages to this type of modem, however. In my opinion, the fact that the broadband USB modem plugs directly into the side of your laptop in and of itself is a problem. What I mean by this is that the USB modem is very vulnerable to being bumped or broken off because it is sticking out a couple inches from the side of your laptop. This is not a problem with a desktop because of the immobility of the computer tower. But with a laptop, having something sticking out the side or back of your machine can be a real nuisance.

However, as long as you are careful or maybe take advantage of the enclosed USB cord, potential damage to your broadband USB modem can be avoided.

What is Mobile Broadband?

So, you want to know what Mobile Broadband is, huh? Well, basically it's wireless internet access. Generally, mobile broadband is a term that is associated with internet access that is provided by a wireless carrier such as Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.

You may already know about wireless internet networks that can be set up relatively easily at your home. Keep in mind, however, you cannot move beyond the reaches of your network and continue to access the internet.

For the purposes of this blog, I am going to concentrate on mobile broadband that is offered by the wireless carriers.

Since we are talking about internet access, generally the first thing people want to know is "Which company has the fastest mobile broadband?"

Excellent question because there is a difference in speed between the major carriers. It's not like broadband offered by the home phone providers because they are dealing with landlines and they can provide you with any speed you want. The wireless carriers on the other hand, are limited to the maximum speed of their respective wireless network. So, if you are looking for the fastest internet access anywhere, the internet access you can aquire from a home phone provider will be your best bet.

However, if you are interested in accessing the internet from nearly anywhere, you will need to sign up for mobile broadband internet access from your wireless phone provider.

Back to the question: "Which company has the fastest mobile broadband?" In order to answer this question properly some background information on the major providers needs to be given. For example: both Sprint and Verizon run off of a CDMA (code division multiple access) network and AT&T and T-Mobile run of the GSM (global system for mobile) network. Each network type has is advantages, but for the sake of mobile broadband, CDMA is quicker. I will explain in another post why this is, but for the time being, just take my word for it.

Sprint and Verizon both offer the fastest mobile broadband wireless internet using cell towers. Notice I mentioned "cell towers" which means that if you do not have service on your cell phone, PDA, or broadband card, you will not have access to the mobile broadband. However, unless you live far off the beaten path, most everywhere in the US is covered by either Sprint or Verizon and therefore, you will have access to mobile broadband.

Basically all you need to do now is decide if you want mobile broadband from Sprint or mobile broadband from Verizon!

Mobile Broadband for Beginners

Welcome to Mobile Broadband for Beginners. This site provides information for people who are interested in mobile broadband for laptops and other wireless devices. Many people are not aware that wireless internet using cell towers is available and could help improve productivity by accessing the internet via a broadband card. I hope to provide some insight and basic information to help you decide if mobile broadband is right for you.

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to email any questions you may have to crhwebsites@gmail.com.