BBC reports on how the use of 3G for data is increasing really fast.
This graph from 3 shows how fast 3G data usage is rising.
Why is this, well according to Rory Cellan-Jones of the BBC, the reason is simple.
So what’s behind the sudden explosion of data use? One word: dongles, those plug-and-play devices that give your laptop mobile broadband wherever you go.
3, T-Mobile and Vodafone have been pushing their 3G USB dongles hard over the last few months, and the monthly cost of such services has dropped considerably.
When I first used 3G in June 2004, I was paying £100 per month, now you can get 3G for just £10 per month, and as part of a phone plan it can be as little as £5 per month!
Also we are seeing an explosion in speed (just don’t tell O2 who are still stuck on 128Kbps), back in 2004, I was lucky to get 384Kbps, today with my Vodafone 3G dongle I can achieve 7.2Mbps (well I can in London, less so in Gloucester).
These fast speeds start to make 3G a viable option for many people.
With more people using 3G dongles and laptops, suddenly they will be able to access media-rich learning content where they like, mobile learning starts to become more real and accessible.
Of course as noted in the BBC, problems start to arise if you exceed the fair use limits of these 3G services.
