3G's gift to humankind

Net Results:Connectivity on the move used to be a luxury - if I could get an ethernet line in a hotel, or even wireless, I'd be pretty darn happy, despite the usually ridiculous charges, writes  Karlin Lillington.

If I couldn't, I could still get e-mail and even file stories to my editors using my mobile phone. For a long time I just used O2's XDA smartphone with its portable, folding keyboard accessory rather than carry a laptop, as I could write a story in the cut-down version of Word on the XDA, then send it by e-mail.

Then along came GSM plug-in cards for laptops, which meant you could get e-mail and internet to your laptop anywhere you could get a mobile signal. Those were nice for e-mail, but sluggish for web use, as the smallish bandwidth provided by a GSM connection was less than ideal.

In the past couple of years I'd gone back to using a laptop for travel. On the road, I would get my e-mail and surf the web sporadically, whenever I could get a free wireless connection, which usually meant in the press room at events, or in hotel lobbies.

At least that meant I could download my e-mail directly to my inbox and not have to get it through webmail - webmail is always clumsy, as it would suck all my spam into my webmail account too, making for lots of click and delete work. And I preferred to get my e-mail into my normal inbox.

But it's been a pain when I need to send an urgent e-mail or file a story and am in a hotel room late at night. In the past, either I'd have to pay a big daily fee to use the internet for all of 30 seconds to get this done, or I'd have to run down to the hotel lobby to file and check mail then run back up to bed.

Recently, a true gift to humankind has emerged: the 3G modem. I've been using one from Vodafone for a couple of months now - O2 and 3 also now offer them - and they really are the business.

The modem is about the size of a small portable mouse but much thinner, and plugs into a USB port on a PC or Mac, desktop or laptop. It weighs almost nothing and is thus highly portable - you could tuck it in a pocket. Once you install the software and enable the modem, all you do is plug it in and connect.

If the modem can get a good 3G signal, you'll get download speeds that will likely surprise - generally faster than your home broadband connection (if you have one). If there's no 3G available, it will connect over the GSM network, which is handy enough for any urgent tasks.

What I love about this gizmo is that it will connect anywhere there's a phone signal. No more searching for a wireless network, much less a free wireless network. No more running to hotel lobbies or having to wait until the next day when I'll have access to the press room to get e-mail or send files or do some online research.

The 3G modem has totally changed what I'm able to do and made my travelling work life far more efficient and simple. Now, if I am in the airport, I can get a good chunk of work done in that waiting time and get a story filed (or alternatively, pass time on the net). I can do some research on my destination or fire off some e-mails.

I also can get a connection for Skype, the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone service. I have a handy little USB Skype phone for my laptop and can make low cost calls or send texts. This can be a big moneysaver depending on what roaming charges apply.

3G modems are also a possible solution for anyone who cannot get home broadband. A 3G modem may also provide a better and more versatile solution for some people as your broadband can follow you wherever you and your laptop go. I know a few people who only use a 3G modem for home broadband and it works very well for them.

Some caveats: you won't always get a good 3G signal, roaming charges apply abroad, and there's a five to 10 GB monthly limit on downloads (depending on the operator) before charges apply. Operators all have different offers and pricing plans, so read the small print to find what's best for you if a 3G modem sounds like an answer to your connectivity hassles.

Blog: www.techno-culture.com