Is Mobile Broadband Ready For Prime Time?

The hardware inside the Autonet Mobile device is essentially the fusion of two existing technologies: a cellular modem and a wireless network router.

Cellular modems (whether in the form of a dial-up capability in a cellular handset or a specialized PC card) have been around for a while and deliver performance almost on par with a DSL modem.

Wireless routers became popular as a way to share a high speed connection with multiple computers in both home and office settings. Consumer electronics companies have then in turn responded by adding wireless networking capability (often branded "Wi-Fi") to everything ranging from laptops, PDAs, media players and even digital cameras that allow them to tap into the growing crop of wireless networks.

The idea of connecting these two technologies has been done before: People have been home-growing these things for a while and some companies have offered specialized routers (such as those made by Linksys and Junxion to name just two) that allow you to plug in a cellular data card to create a portable hotspot.

A Different Focus

Autonet Mobile strikes me as unique because their approach and consumer focus appear to be aimed at taking in-car broadband from being a parlor trick of the technically inclined to something that really expands the automotive entertainment and communication options for the average electronics consumer. One difference is that it appears to be a lot easier to set up. We haven't gotten our hands on one of these devices yet (they don't ship until spring) but it appears that it is designed to just plug into your car's 12 volt accessory outlet and you've got instant internet access.

Another and potentially more important distinction is that Autonet Mobile – not your cellular carrier – acts as your Internet Service Provider. You subscribe to their service and they support you. In my opinion this is a good thing, whether or not your current cellular provider offers high speed data services already.

Price: When I checked three of the major cellular carriers offering high speed wireless access in January of 2007 their unlimited data plans were priced higher than what Autonet Mobile is offering (either $59.99/mo. for Sprint or $79.99/mo. for AT&T and Verizon versus $49.95/mo. from Autonet Mobile).

Freedom: Aside from being pricier the cellular carrier plans above are also quite restrictive in terms of what you can actually do with their consumer data services. At the risk of generalizing a bit, many practices common to broadband users today such as downloading movies or music from a legal service of your choice, playing networked online games or watching streaming video are usually prohibited under the usage terms for the cellular carriers listed above,– especially if their captive entertainment offerings are not involved. To see what each specifically restricts, you can check Sprint here, AT&T here and Verizon here – you'll need to scroll through to the section where they describe the permissible uses of their data services.

From an automotive perspective, web browsing and email checking are important but the entertainment related uses involving music and video will be equally so. Standing in stark contrast to the carrier offerings, Autonet Mobile's marketing seems to encourage creative uses. From the Autonet Mobile website:

In designing our service we also knew it was important to enable a wide array of wireless electronics devices to get connected. Since most electronics devices use Wi-Fi, we decided to turn the car into a Wi-Fi hotspot, just like at the local Starbucks.

By doing this we can connect devices ranging from laptop computers to mobile media players like the Fujitsu P1610, from Wi-Fi cameras to Wi-Fi phones like the VoIP Skype Phone, and from stationary videogame consoles to handheld gaming units like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS.

Link

Autonet Mobile is suggesting precisely the kind of devices and usage that require the persistent, high bandwidth connections that the Verizons, AT&Ts and Sprints of the world seem afraid to support in their consumer data plans. I personally like the way they Autonet Mobile is thinking and hope they can execute the concept well. Autonet Mobile is likely running on at least one of the cellular networks I have listed above so I'll be watching closely to see how they manage around the conflict with the carriers' higher price points and restricted usage terms.

The Next Big Thing?

Putting aside the professional road warriors who already subscribe to cellular data services, will a typical electronics consumer pay $399 for a little black box and a monthly $49.95 subscription fee just to have broadband access from a car? I think some will if they can find enough utility on a regular basis. Fortunately, Autonet Mobile's potential extends well beyond the car.

Anyone with access to a 12 volt power source, whether from an AC adaptor, a solar panel or a battery pack can have a sharable high speed internet connection more or less wherever they want it. In-car surfing, entertainment and gaming are natural starting places, but I would be equally happy to have such a device in my backpack while waiting an hour in line to register my kids for the next session of our local swimming class. I'm sure organizations that meet outside the reach of typical internet connection options will think of many other uses.

I am eager to try it out. If Autonet Mobile's service works as advertised and they include a subscription plans that support the scenarios described in their marketing copy, I believe people will think of many uses for these little black boxes that will make our automotive (and non-automotive) experiences more interesting.