With the caveat that "averages" typically conceal as much as they reveal, where it comes to Internet metrics, Long Term Evolution mobile networks, on a global basis, now offer "average speeds" faster than Wi-Fi, according to Open Signal.
That might explain recent data suggesting that reliance on LTE access has caused a decline in Wi-Fi access in South Korea, for example, where "average" LTE speeds are close to 19 Mbps.
Speed was one reason many users started using Wi-Fi instead of 3G. But price is the other key variable. Using Wi-Fi usually occurs with no incremental cost, and without usage against a cap.
If Wi-Fi experience starts to be perceived as slower than mobile access, users will rethink their behavior, at least to some extent. And that will set up an interesting test: to what extent will users use mobile access, instead of Wi-Fi, even if it "costs more," because LTE offers a better experience?
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
How Will Users Rank Speed and Cost When Comparing Wi-Fi and LTE Access?
Gary Kim has been a digital infra analyst and journalist for more than 30 years, covering the business impact of technology, pre- and post-internet. He sees a similar evolution coming with AI. General-purpose technologies do not come along very often, but when they do, they change life, economies and industries.
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