What is wireless broadband?

Once upon a time, the radio fascinated all who came across it. People wondered how those posh voices could be translated into invisible waves that came into your living room via a little wooden box. Fast forward to television and the birth of the Internet – communication has come a long way. What’s next? You guessed it: Internet without the cords – access via radio waves. It’s called “wireless” and here’s a brief guide to what wireless Internet is, who can get it and how.

What is wireless Internet and can I get it?

To receive a wireless Internet signal a wireless modem is connected to your computer and then communicates by way of a radio signal to a receiver in your area. Don't confuse this with wireless networks set up in a home or office by way of a local area network (LAN). (LAN signals travel much faster but over a smaller area – such as an office). With wireless, there's no need to worry about cabling or unsightly antennas on your roof as the modem features a relatively compact receiver. It is also very mobile – take your modem with you, attach it to a laptop and you really can surf the Net from wherever you like, assuming your provider has signal in that area. You can’t get it everywhere, though the coverage is currently expanding out from cities and towns. Some providers are more widely available than others. The big providers, and others such as iBurst, provide lists of viable reception areas on their websites. Although the potential cost and hassle savings for rural areas are obvious, wireless hasn't quite made it that far yet… but the wheels are in motion.

Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPS)

Funnily enough, wireless Internet providers are known as WISPS. There are not many of them but that may actually be a good thing – there are enough providers to give consumers a choice, but not so many that it’s a headache selecting one. Predictably, Telstra, Optus and Vodaphone offer wireless Internet but so do other less familiar names such as Unwired, iBurst and Big Air. If you were concerned that the costs may be prohibitive for this type of technology, you needn't worry. Unwired's base plan “Switch On” costs just $15.95 a month for speeds of 64/32kb, with a download limit of 200MB. Of course, that’s not that fast but speeds of 1024/256kb are also available. Big Air can also provide you with download speeds of 1024kb ($199 a month if you are a residential customer), while BigPond's Super G Fast plans go right up to 1500kb, with a limit of 3GB per month, for $149.95.

For the home user, speeds of 256/64kb to 512/128kb are probably fast enough (depending on the type of user you are) and are well priced.

Unrestricted access

There is one other consideration: open access. With wireless Internet it is possible for others to use (steal) your wireless connection without your permission. This can affect your download speeds and costs. It is possible to restrict access though, so ask your service provider for assistance. (You will need to set up a password). For more detailed information the Broadband Buddy “article search” function will help you find related articles about preventing theft.