An astute reader posted the following question on my recent post about Verizon's 3G service:
I heard that a number of peole have dropped the verizon service, saying that it's barely faster than dialup. Any reason why results might vary by computer, geography?
I think this is a great question, and I wanted to comment on it a bit further. Based on my experience, I'd guess these folks fall outside the target audience for 3G service. Let's clear up some details about the real-life performance of the service.
For starters, let's be clear about the performance: it is typically 400-700kbps. Fast, but not speedy when compared to fixed-line options such as cable. It's also definitely faster than dialup in the cities where I've used it (Portland, OR; Minneapolis; NYC; Atlanta). Second, 3G is not always-on like cable and DSL. You have to dial in with the included software. I also understand that the cards go into a bandwidth-saving mode when not used for a period of time, and it can take them a few seconds to re-acquire the spectrum for communications. Finally, the BroadBand Access service is only available in major metro areas -- outside of them it degrades to something slower.
So given all of that, why would anyone still want to shell out $60/month for this service? In a word: mobility. 3G is slower than my Time Warner cable connection at home, but all the speed of my cable connection is useless if you're in one of the many airports where broadband is not available. It's pricey, but far cheaper than the connections offered in many hotels. And again, it works everywhere -- I've even used it from the passenger seat of a car. 3G takes the guesswork out of getting on the Internet. You don't have to find a Wi-Fi hotspot or a telephone jack. You don't have to have a local access number. Simply put the card in, hit the Connect button and go. If you ever find yourself in a position where you absolutely must get on the Internet now, you'll find this valuable.
I think we could make a quick map of the types of people who might love 3G service:
- Salespeople -- no more fiddling with the prospect's firewall to get the demo working
- Consultants -- continuous productivity in spite of the customer's infrastructure quirks is worth the price
- Frequent Travelers -- they know how difficult it can be to get online on the road.
And people who will hate it:
- People who replace their home broadband connection with 3G
- Infrequent travelers
- Anyone who would use it from a desktop PC
In short, Verizon is marketing this to mobile professionals for a very good reason. I'd bet money the people dropping the service simply misunderstood what they were buying.
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