NEWS
A significant proportion of UK households have ditched the traditional landline in favour of a mobile-only connection - now it seems broadband could be getting a similar treatment.
According to industry watchers Analysys, around one quarter of broadband homes will be pulling the plug on fixed-line DSL and connecting over 3G - so-called mobile broadband - by 2013.
The increasing number of mobile-only broadband users, say the analysts, will be prompted by declining mobile broadband prices, giving them a "headline rate" often under their fixed-line rivals.
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Will all these new mobile broadband users overload 3G networks with their capacity demands? Apparently not. Around half of DSL users consume as much data on their fixed line services as their average mobile broadband using equivalent, suggesting capacity demand will remain level as people switch services.
Nevertheless, as more web users go mobile, the operators will need to expand network capacity and changing their backhaul to an aggregated IP infrastructure, says Analysys. On the retail side, mobile providers are advised to bait their hooks with pay-as-you-go offers, capped plans and fixed mobile bundles to lure light users.
Analysys also predicts fixed line broadband operators will hit back by larding their plans with features and high speeds, but may still lose out to mobile operators who can promise a more flexible type of broadband.
Comments
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1. Roy Corneloues
No if someone was to come up with a 3G router for the home that would be a potential DSL killer...
Households with multiple PC's, Games Consoles and STB's will need to share the 3G connection.
It's in these areas I feel that mobile will tend to loose out.
2. anonymous
As a regular user of 3g broadband for work, its great when you have no other connection - but unless you live under one of the masts, don't expect to get faster-than-copper connections - they sometimes leave a lot to be desired.
Unfortunately a lot of the people who, because of the "digital divide", cannot get DSL broadband also live in rural area's where 3g reception is also patchy - so they won't be switching.
I certainly won't be swapping my 16mb DSL connection for something around 1/4 of the speed.
And Roy, try googling 3g router - you'll be surprised.
3. Lee
Hmm, I've been out of the Telecoms IT side for a couple of years and I'm flummoxed by these "technical" terms:
changing their backhaul to an aggregated IP infrastructure.
backhaul: maybe you mean back-end infrastructure
Analysys also predicts fixed line broadband operators will hit back by larding their plans
larding: is that related to the fat lard, i.e. overloading
When did eNglish techy speak get so generic slangy, maybe I'm getting too old for the game. Think I'll stay in Thailand and teach scuba diving.
4. anonymous
T-Mobile has just introduced just such a device.
5. anonymous
T-Mobile has just introduced just such a device.