UK to get 100kbps+ over cellular phones in June

evilandi writes "Cellnet, British Telecom's cellular division, has officially announced that GPRS will go live on 30th June 2000 with 99% UK population coverage (including most rural areas). GPRS, General Packet Radio Service, provides always-on packet-switched ISDN-like bandwidth over a mobile telephone. This will be a boon to mobile office workers and rednecks like me who live out in the sticks (as my wife points out), out of range of ISDN, DSL and cable. The price, has yet to be announced. " Wow. I want. And I was even thinking about moving to the UK for a while anyway.

The price is certain to be extortionate

This is BT we're talking about. I'd guess the price will be of the order of 5pence a minute+connection.

(FYI: 100 pence / pound, one pound ~ 1.6 US$)

And cellphones were a problem before..

Now you'll be able to get ultra fast data transfers over them. How many accidents will be caused because the driver was surfing while driving to work?

"I'm sorry, Officer, but this porn site just popped up, and my eyes left the road.."

I mean, people already read (while driving) to work..
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Cellnet = British Telecom

British Telecom come out with new and whacky marketing ideas about as regularly as intel do. This sounds remarkably like the DSL/ADSL promises that BT made about 2 years ago, and many other promises besides.

ADSL via BT was promised at 2MB down 512Kb up, they trialed, it went down to 1MB down 128Kb up, they trialed again, it went to 2MB down, 128Kb up, but shared between you and the rest of the city.

Now they are about ready to launch, but only if you live in sidcup and you have a bit of string long enough to stretch to the exchange, it doesn't go over a puddle and it doesn't endanger the lifes of any pigeons that may live in your area.

BT wouldn't know broadband if it jumped up behind them and pumped a rocket into their ass. They are incompetent mi-managed and generally wasteful!

I won't hold my breath, and I certainly wouldn't move country for it!

:o)

BT Monopoly and Competition

BT's doing something cutting edge and interesting? I have my doubts but will check it out later. (looked at Cellnet's website today but didn't notice anything). IF this is true, then it is happening because there is real and murderous competition in the UK cellular market. Prices are really competetive and investment levels really high. 4 companies compete in that market and BT's Cellnet is by no means the largest (2nd and worst rep.) This is in stark contrast to the wired market where BT's monopoly in the local loop means that we can forget about ADSL for the near future (if ever!!) and ISDN is exhorbitantly expensive. Well, either way, I hope it is true though given the state of Cellnet's present network (bloody awful) I have doubts. Bye

Higher Wireless Speeds in the USA

Basestations use a ds0 56K frame relay connection. AT&T will have to upgrade all the cell sites with new hardware and more bandwith. At 250K cost per site, usage is a big priority factor. (*Note - Bandwith Bandwith Bandwith)

When AT&T upgrades the basestations at the end of this year to GSM we will start to see 3G products. Speeds will start at 128K then upto 768K.

WAP/Hdml will stick around for phones, but people want to view websites with html,java, vscript, shockwave, etc... 1 Bit bitmaps and text doesnt cut it.

Also if you cant wait for wireless data, check out the new CDPD phone from Mitsubishi. Its the same size a nokia, has Indeglo screen, 10 Lines of display, and a jack to hookup your laptop, 128bit encyrption.
http://www.mobileaccessphone.com/products/index.ht m [mobileaccessphone.com]

You can use this phone with AT&T Pocketnet CDPD Service. Its the one I use. (Oh yeah, ask about the Unlimited access)
Personal @ http://www.attws.com/personal/pocketnet/index.html [attws.com]
Business @ http://www.attws.com/business/pocketnet/index.html [attws.com]

Hey, if Slashdot ever has an HDML page, Alot of us mobile junkies would love it. (If I just had time to get the darn html-hdml convertor working..)

GPRS out loud

Please tell me that's pronounced "jeepers".