[Ben]

This, boys and girls, is what it's all about.

Ok, so the colour in itself isn't that exciting. They had a green LED for 2.5G, a blue one for 3G, and saved a few bob by turning them both on at the same time to indicate 3.5G/HSDPA/3G Broadband.

What is exciting, however, is that I have HSDPA coverage on Vodafone now! Nothing exciting about that? Well, at least two masts where I live have been upgraded within the last couple of weeks, and if Vodafone can upgrade my village then I'm pretty sure their HSDPA rollout must be going hell-for-leather.

I'm currently getting download speeds of around 1.2mbps with variable signal, 0.3mbps up. The only thing not better than a 1mbps ADSL connection is the latency, but at around 125ms it's a vast improvement on standard 3G which can see at least double that and then some.

Annoyingly, HSDPA still 'switches off' when the connection idles, I assume to save air interface capacity (?), meaning a pause when you try and use data again. I get around this by leaving a ping running, but Vodafone have to kill this 'feature' because it ruins the experience when browsing. Another thing Vodafone have to kill is image compression - on 2.5G maybe, but come on, 1.2mbps really doesn't excuse making websites look like they have been photocopied and then faxed via Yemen!

Now, oo in wonder, at the colour of 3G Broadband...

[3g-g]

Another thing Vodafone have to kill is image compression - on 2.5G maybe, but come on, 1.2mbps really doesn't excuse making websites look like they have been photocopied and then faxed via Yemen!

On my data card, there's a setting to change the image compression, so if you want you can have the full download, or if you're not sure of what your coverage will be like opt for the safe "Yemen fax" option. Quite a novel feature I thought, must save a few bob on data download too! :)

[Ben]

It's a fraud to make mobile data seem faster than it is, that's what :p I sincerely doubt image compression had anything to do with saving the punter money!

[3g-g]

I sincerely doubt image compression had anything to do with saving the punter money!

No not at all, it's all to make the experience seem faster than it actually is, I suppose that is fraud then eh!?

[Ben]

In my twisted little world, yes! ;) And an unnecessary one by todays standards. AFAIK Vodafone inserts JavaScript into web pages that allows image quality to be improved by shift+clicking on an image or something like that. If the system could detect 3G and 3.5G connections and stop pratting about with my web pages as appropriate then that *would* be clever.

Anyway, I can't moan too much. I have HSDPA! :D I could kiss Vodafone. Now I don't have to lust after T-Mobile.

[Ben]

Well, I'm now seeing that lovely colour while being transported at 70ish along the M2. I'm pulling over 1.3mbps at the moment, even while moving at these speeds, so I think it's safe to say that 3G Broadband has absolutely arrived.

How long will it be before we're building computers with net access into car headrests rather than just DVD players and playstations?

[Hands0n]

1.3Mbps? I thought that the limit on the M2 is 70!! You speed maniac, you..

That is rather impressive seeing as what we've all grown up to love and hate. No matter what anyone says, 1.3Mbps while mobile is [by any standard of measurement today] gobsmackingly excellent. If HSDPA ever delivers the heady heights of 8Mbps that will be a glorious time.

To answer your question - I'd say quite a while unless, that is, the mobops decide to build out to true 100% nationwide coverage rather than population density. But it is an intriguing thought that this technology could actually solve the awful issues of accessing content (i.e. TV) using regular terrestrial means - both analogue and DVB/DAB.