People are indeed using 3G and are even incorporating it in their daily lives. They will continue to do this until…

the telco starts charging for it.

I remember the early days of GPRS. A lot of techies rushed to buy GPRS-enabled phones and used/abused their GPRS connection. A lot of people (me included) use it to check mails, do IM and check websites. People connected their phones (via cable or bluetooth) to their Palm and PCs and they were actually using the facility until…

both telco started charging for GPRS access. Based on the people I know and interact with (both personally and online), they stopped using GPRS cold turkey! The reason: access was too expensive and their per kilobyte charging scheme made it impractical for daily use. Since then, I have yet to encounter a person who actually use GPRS daily.

Will 3G follow the fate of GPRS?

It’s about time for the Philippines. 3G has been active in the UK for 5 years now. Though like SMART and GLOBE, it also was a slow start with people not willing to let go of their GSM phones at first.

Currently, all mobile phone operators have shifted to 3G and it won’t be too long when GSM, just like its “analogue” predecessor will be extinct. 3G is just what we need right now with all the features that make up a true wireless society. Add up the convinience of on-the-spot information right in front of you and access to internet and GIS (street maps) etc.

Mobile phone providers charge and average of 30£ per month with perks like free mobile phone per contract (usually 12-16 mos) on a 500 anytime any network minutes, 100 text messages, 30 minutes video calling, 30 minutes video messages, and UNLIMITED music and MTV downloads per month (usually £1.50/DL)! To make it more attractive, they will give you 50% cheque back per quarter so basically you are just paying 15£, half the price. On a standard rate, the charge 3G gives to its customers is the same as GSM.

The mobile phones they give away are top of the range. I got a Nokia 6630 on my first account and when I renewed it again I got an N70. I don’t know exactly how they do it BUT it sure is one heck of a package.

Be patient, maybe just like here, in a couple of years time the Philippines can follow suit (well hopefully, if the only Sun will go 3G as well and charge the common Pinoy cheap rates!)

Personally, I think 3G is definitely here to stay. It is the next evolution to mobile technology and the download rate is a lot faster than your standard dial up internet connection. 1 mb per 20-30 seconds here in the UK! Surfing wil charge you 2£ only if you reach 2mb and that is a lot already! Internet connection via your PC is just plug and play even by using bluetooth. Simply amazing!

3G will be successful in the Philippines if the companies concerned will give consideration the cost they will charge per customer. Then again it will boil down to how many providers will do 3G. The more companies involve, the better for competition. So Juan dela Cruz, keep your hopes high coz 3G will revolutionised mobile phone history in the Philippines as well as it did here in UK and the rest of Europe, Middle East, Australia and other Pacific rim countries.

Good Luck Pinoy!

@ Naps Austria, Not anymore ! 3G will be definitely be out of scene in the coming years especially in the developed countries, now that the Japanese is already developing “HIGH SPEED DOWNLINK PACKET ACCESS” (HSDPA) which will increase download velocity up to 4 mbps. In fact Samsung is already ready to introduce in the market cellphone of this type this year. But for the meatime you are right that 3G will be definitely here to stay, because for the meantime only 3G is the choice for faster web surfing.

@ Alfred

You are right, 3.5G is here to stay and in fact they have been using it in the Isle of Man (UK Isle off the coast of Liverpool). it’s basically just a smarteer 3G connection with it’s ability to distinguish users who are near the cellsite to those who are at the end (with the farthest getting move frequency than the nearest). the download rate is a magnificent! by early 2007, it will be the mainstream here in mainland UK… and mind you as you may have known now already, Globe will be using 3.5G soon right? the beauty of competition, i just wish that the prices there will stay constant.

When will 3G be available in our area, somewhere in the province of Cotabato? So far, only in Kidapawan City we can possibly access internet via 3G.
Anyway, we’re just hopeful in our hometown, Tulunan to enjoy also this third generation technology.