Would You Consider Replacing Your Home Broadband with 4G

Hi Guys, new poster here.

I'm currently with Three on AYCE and can get as much as 5.5MBs DL speeds and uploads speeds of not much lower.

At the moment I can stream HD content via iPlayer and tvcatchup via tethering from my mobile to my laptop, which is quite good. Ping times are still very high though.

I recently found out that Samsung will be installing Three's 4G network and that it should be operational some time in the second half of next year (until then they are going to install DC-HSPA which will double current speeds).

When 4G does come along, won't it effectively compete with the established home broadband providers? The ping times will come down and Three's data allowance is already larger than some other home broadband suppliers.

Thanks

Al

If everybody prices 4G like Orange (EE) do then it will not be a competitor.

Using a package like 3 All You Can Eat data is fine provided you are in a well covered area (I have 3 AYCE on my phone and coverage is very marginal) and provided that you leave the phone all the time, the person with the phone is the only internet user or you invest in a data dongle.

4G cannot compete with a 78Mb/s FTTC connection which is shared by multiple family members, SKY box, Smart TV etc.

Obviously different if only one internet user, no broadband coverage etc but these are special cases.

I replaced my land line with Three 3G in 2011, my main issue now is what I replace my E367 Dongle with when that contract expires in March 2013 or move it over to PAYG for backup use only and then consider what to replace my Samsung Galaxy S2 with when that renews in May 2013.

I'm hoping by then there will be some hardware which is both 4G and HSPA+ 42 compatible, particularly if I'm going to be signing a two year contract, but the current 4G tariffs and allowances make 4G a non starter.I think the Galaxy S4 will be out by then, so I'll wait to see if that's the one to go for.

I'm currently considering replacing the Dongle and another older PAYG Vodafone mobile with a SIM free Nexus 4 and get the Three card only AYCE and tethering tariff for £25/month. Then I'd have two smartphones, one for my pocket and one to leave in the home office.

In reply to a post by pcoventry76:

Where is this tariff? I thought the one plan was the only one that you could have.

Or do you mean a sim only deal?

I mean the SIM only tariff on the One Plan for £25 month which allows tethering and buying a SIM free phone so I'm not necessarily tied into some hardware for two years....... the hardware is the issue really but I'm sure there will be several choices by next spring which will have 3G and 4G connections.

I rarely keep the phone my contract came with. I'll be swapping my Xperia T for the Xperia V when it comes out this month, simply because it is pentaband LTE 4G, which is more future proof.

I rarely keep the phone my contract came with. I'll be swapping my Xperia T for the Xperia V which has pentaband LTE 4G and so it more future proof.

Although, I'm hoping there is the option to disable 4G in case there are issues with battery life.