Smart Bro killer?

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

IT wasn’t too long ago when Globe Telecom was hyping HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) on laptops, which meant Internet anywhere you go — as long as there’s 3G coverage, of course. The same technology Globe is now selling for home use.

Instead of a little USB modem or PCMCIA card, this one uses a wireless HSDPA access terminal that looks like an ordinary wifi access point, which is connected to Globe’s cellular network. Data access alone (at 512 kbps “promised” speed) costs P995 a month; an optional landline makes it P1, 295.

Though Globe officials I talked to won’t admit it, this wireless broadband bundle clearly competes with Smart Bro by rival operator Smart (P995 monthly at 384 kbps according to Smart’s webpage). The obvious difference is you don’t need to hoist a receiver up your roof because unlike Smart Bro, HSDPA access does not require line of sight.

Eventually, every new technology available like HSDPA can promise broadband access, whether wired or wireless. What the consumer can hope for — short of excellent service — is network coverage.

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