The Revolution of Mobile Broadband Rumbles On

Nearly half of the countries internet users are now accessing the web via mobile connections according the Office for National Statistics.

In 2010 only 31% of people surveyed were using their mobile devices to access the internet, that figure is now up to 45%.  The most significant increase affected 16 to 24-year-olds who use mobiles. 

The popularity of 3G broadband did not necessarily mean that more people were going online overall.  Most interestingly, the ONS survey also found a dramatic rise in the use of wifi hotspots - a seven-fold increase since 2011 - suggesting that the rise of 3G has done little to slow demand for free and paid-for wireless access.

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A Milestone in Mobile Communications at 17,000ft

Nepalese telecoms firm Ncell, has launched the world’s highest internet service on Mount Everest.  Climbers can now surf the internet and make video calls through a 3G network says TeliaSonera, the Swedish broadband provider, which owns Ncell.

The company has installed eight 3G base stations along the route to Everest base camp.  It is thought that the wireless network will help the thousands of tourists who visit Mount Everest every year. To date, climbers and trekkers have had to rely on satellite phones and a voice-only mobile network.

At present less than one third of Nepal's population have access to telecommunication services.  TeliaSonera have also announced that they will be investing more than $100m (£63m) in the next year to improve mobile coverage in the country.

The mobile phone that goes around your wrist!

They have been around for a few years, but were never taken seriously enough for the mainstream. However, it seems 2010 could be the year of the SWAP phone, as a renewed interest and a great performance at this year’s Gadget Show Live at the NEC has got people talking about them.

The Smart Phone and Watch (SWAP) may look like something straight out of James Bond but this is a new concept in mobile communications and is far less fantastical than it was.

They boast a plethora of features that you might find on an ordinary smart phone such as Bluetooth, high quality digital still and video camera, MP3 and MP4 compatibility, text and calling facilities.

At a UK retail price of £300, the watch is marketed as more of a gadget than a handset replacement. The success of the notepad, the iPhone, the iPod shuffle shows that we like to slim our lives down, we would much rather carry one gadget rather than a separate phone, camera, computer etc. But do we really our phones strapped to our wrists? Is that really practical? So is it a must have or just an object of desire?

I’ll leave you to decide. Before you do, bear in mind that they are bringing out a range of new designs later on this year!