So you think 7.2Mbps cellular data networks are fast?

*Chart property of Gizmodo*

I’m sure most of you have seen at least a dozen commercials from the likes various cellular service providers all advertizing the hell out of their network.  The claims often include such things as “We’re the fastest”, “We have the biggest network”, etc.  With the iPhone 3G S launch today, the big focus was speed.  Ignoring the upgraded processor and focusing on what really matters to mobile data users, the new support for higher network speeds has been heavily marketed in Apple and carrier networks’ (for this article and region: AT&T) commercials.  The average joe (or jan) will see the 7.2Mbps plastered across their screen and think to themselves that they could be using a screaming wireless network.  Oh dear digital newbie, don’t forget the ever important placement of decimal places and powers.

You see, that 7.2Mbps (Mega bits per second) isn’t really that speedy as more real world usage will reveal speeds traveling at roughly 0.8-0.9 megabytes per second (800-900 kilobytes per second)  Many people get angry or frustrated when they see such numbers displayed on screen and then get angry when they check their connection and don’t see a number that comes anywhere close to matching what the TV says.  Why? 

A bit is a simple “1″ or “0″.  Often people will confuse bits with bytes — the latter being a much bigger number.  A byte as some of you may know consists of 8 bits.  Now you see where the vast speed difference comes in.  To make it easier:

• 7.2Mbps = (7.2 x 10^6 [1,000,000])
• 7.2MBps = 8 x (7.2 x 10^6 [1,000,000])

See, the claims on TV while technically true, are misleading as they play on the general publics lack of knowledge concerning digital measurement terms.  

Moving back to the iPhone 3G S, cellular network data speeds, and the future of mobile data speeds, what we currently have available is like molasses on a cold December day in comparison to the technologies and accompanying speed increases we will be experiencing in the near future.

In conclusion, looking at the chart above, one can see how long the human race has been wallowing in sub-par mobile data speeds and just how fast the near future is going to be.  While theoretical speeds and actual speeds will vary greatly because such factors as network overhead, multiple users, and device speed among others, the future of mobile broadband is about to get a swift kick in the digital behind.  Are you ready to finally experience fast mobile data?  100Mbps + speeds…here we come!

Source: Gizmodo