Broadband ‘in the sticks’
1 min read
A device to deliver broadband to rural areas has been launched by Deltenna. The Wireless Broadband Enabler uses the 3G mobile network to create a 2Mbit/s web hotspot, even when a 3G mobile phone cannot register a signal.
Andrew Fox, Deltenna's ceo, said: "There are still millions of people for whom fast broadband is a myth. WiBE seeks out distant base stations and, like you would with a set top TV aerial, adjusts and fine tunes its antennas to get the perfect signal."
In areas of weak signal, WiBE is said to deliver a data throughput 30 times greater than a 3G USB modem dongle, with a range of up to five times that of the dongle.
The device tests each mobile cell in range to determine the fastest available download speed, then configures itself to achieve the best possible connection. It will also block interference from other basestations.
While the device's maximum throughput is 7.2Mbit/s, tests in the UK have shown an average download speed of 2.8Mbit/s.
Deltenna plans to release a 4G mobile network device in 2011, which will use offer broadband speeds in excess of 50Mbit/s.
