Smartphones offer applications that require more data transfer than traditional phones.
With the explosive popularity of smartphones, people are using cell phones in ways that move a tremendous volume of high-speed digital data for activities such as Internet browsing, texting, games, sending and receiving videos, watching movies, or accessing GPS information. The competition for available resources for transferring all this digital data affects networks, slowing data-transfer speeds. To control demand, some cell phone providers such as AT&T stopped offering unlimited data transfer in 2010.
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Definition
Data transfer is the movement of digital information from place to place, whether over copper wires, fiber optic cable, or via radio waves. Bandwidth, the rate at which data can be transferred via these various media, is measured in units such as megabits per second. As recent new cell phone technologies have expanded data transfer capabilities, an explosion of new ways to use the added capacity of cell phone networks has taken place. As more devices take advantage of these technologies, data transfer can slow. Cell phone networks track the amount of bandwidth used for various purposes and bill consumers for data transfer usage.
Significance
Cell phone plans and packages usually allocate a customer a specified amount of data transfer per month. If the plan sets a limit on data transfer, the customer must pay extra for data transfers that exceed the limit. If other users are on the same plan, they must share the plan's data transfer allocation. To avoid surprises in their bills, consumers should keep track of their bandwidth allotments and usage. Meantime, smartphone applications may not perform as well as expected when the network is bogged down with traffic. For example, streaming video may stop streaming or radio may become choppy.
Considerations
When cell phones were just phones, data transfer needs were low. When the user is uploading or downloading large multimedia files such as videos or music, more bandwidth is used than when the user is downloading single images or ringtone snippets. Activities such as tethering a cell phone to a laptop to use the phone as an Internet modem uses more bandwidth than simply checking your email. Because of the amount of bandwidth some cell phones can consume, companies may require a data plan subscription with the user's service. For example, information as of March 2011 shows Verizon has a data transfer limit of 75MB per month for feature phones (including camera phones) on their $10 plan, while 3G and smartphones require the $29.99 unlimited data plan.
Sidestepping the Limit
Cellular consumers whose smartphones can connect to wireless (Wi-Fi) networks can bypass their phone company when an accessible Wi-Fi network is within range. When the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it is not using the cellular provider's network and is not subject to the data-transfer limit and speed problems. However, this connection does use some of the bandwidth capacity of the wireless network.
4G and the Future
Data transfer capabilities available to cell phone users are rapidly expanding. A look around in March 2011 shows major cell phone networks in the United States have deployed 4G (fourth-generation wireless) technology in at least some of their coverage areas and are rushing to expand 4G coverage. With 4G, networks are capable of transmitting data at speed of up to 12 megabits per second, a dramatic increase from the 1 megabit per second average of 3G networks. However, as the capacity for data transfer expands, so do new demands on the capacity. To ease this strain on the network, providers have begun phasing out unlimited data transfer plans.
With the explosive popularity of smartphones, people are using cell phones in ways that move a tremendous volume of high-speed digital data for activities such as Internet browsing, texting, games, sending and receiving videos, watching movies, or accessing GPS information. The competition for available resources for transferring all this digital data affects networks, slowing data-transfer speeds. To control demand, some cell phone providers such as AT&T stopped offering unlimited data transfer in 2010.
Sponsored Link
Google Apps for Business
Use Gmail, Calendar, Docs and Sign up Today
www.google.com/apps
Definition
Data transfer is the movement of digital information from place to place, whether over copper wires, fiber optic cable, or via radio waves. Bandwidth, the rate at which data can be transferred via these various media, is measured in units such as megabits per second. As recent new cell phone technologies have expanded data transfer capabilities, an explosion of new ways to use the added capacity of cell phone networks has taken place. As more devices take advantage of these technologies, data transfer can slow. Cell phone networks track the amount of bandwidth used for various purposes and bill consumers for data transfer usage.
Significance
Cell phone plans and packages usually allocate a customer a specified amount of data transfer per month. If the plan sets a limit on data transfer, the customer must pay extra for data transfers that exceed the limit. If other users are on the same plan, they must share the plan's data transfer allocation. To avoid surprises in their bills, consumers should keep track of their bandwidth allotments and usage. Meantime, smartphone applications may not perform as well as expected when the network is bogged down with traffic. For example, streaming video may stop streaming or radio may become choppy.
Considerations
When cell phones were just phones, data transfer needs were low. When the user is uploading or downloading large multimedia files such as videos or music, more bandwidth is used than when the user is downloading single images or ringtone snippets. Activities such as tethering a cell phone to a laptop to use the phone as an Internet modem uses more bandwidth than simply checking your email. Because of the amount of bandwidth some cell phones can consume, companies may require a data plan subscription with the user's service. For example, information as of March 2011 shows Verizon has a data transfer limit of 75MB per month for feature phones (including camera phones) on their $10 plan, while 3G and smartphones require the $29.99 unlimited data plan.
Sidestepping the Limit
Cellular consumers whose smartphones can connect to wireless (Wi-Fi) networks can bypass their phone company when an accessible Wi-Fi network is within range. When the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it is not using the cellular provider's network and is not subject to the data-transfer limit and speed problems. However, this connection does use some of the bandwidth capacity of the wireless network.
4G and the Future
Data transfer capabilities available to cell phone users are rapidly expanding. A look around in March 2011 shows major cell phone networks in the United States have deployed 4G (fourth-generation wireless) technology in at least some of their coverage areas and are rushing to expand 4G coverage. With 4G, networks are capable of transmitting data at speed of up to 12 megabits per second, a dramatic increase from the 1 megabit per second average of 3G networks. However, as the capacity for data transfer expands, so do new demands on the capacity. To ease this strain on the network, providers have begun phasing out unlimited data transfer plans.
1 comment:
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