Twice the speed on Mobile Broadband

In a few months, both Vodafone and Three Mobile are expected to offer mobile broadband download rates of 7.2 Megabits per second (Mb/s), twice as fast as the present download rate.

In a few months, both Vodafone and Three Mobile are expected to offer mobile broadband download rates of 7.2 Megabits per second (Mb/s), twice as fast as the present download rate. A spokesperson for Three said that the mobile operator expects to be “first” to market with 7.2Mb/s broadband, but couldn't confirm a date.

An engineer working with Vodafone said that the increased download rate will probably be delivered across Ireland on a “staged basis”, starting with urban areas and then moving into rural areas. The engineer said that Vodafone is also working to increase the upload rates possible over mobile broadband to over 1Mb/s using High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technology.

These mobile speeds would bring faster upload and download rates than those possible over some fixed-line services, which vary depending on factors including the quality of the copper entering a building or estate, to the upload and download rates provided by fixed-line broadband operators. Ireland lags most developed countries by several years in terms of fixed-line broadband, but mobile broadband is said to be nearly level with other countries.

O2 says that their engineers are working on providing 7.2Mb/s, but no plan has been made for its release in the near future.