The Internet via the cellular phone

The Internet via the cellular phone

Question: I spend hours in my Kijang every day. I usually connect my notebook to my cellphone with Bluetooth. It is very slow. How can I get a decent speed from my cellphone? -- GN, Jakarta

Answer: You did not specify it in your first email, but I assumed that you were using your cellphone to dial your ISP access number, much like using your fixed home telephone.

In your second email, you confirmed my suspicion. Using the cellphone in this way will only give you a very limited bit rate. The Bluetooth is also another bottleneck, as it is not designed for Internet connection.

As I write up my reply to your question, I am in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Here, Maxis' 3G Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network is already running on a user- trial basis. I am very lucky to have gotten the chance to try it out, although only for a short time.

A PC-Card 3G adapter was inserted into the PC-Card slot of a notebook that was lent to me. I was then able to get a speed in excess of 300 kbps. The connection was always on, so it was very much like the broadband (cable or ADSL) connection to your home.

I was free to move around the city as long as I still had Maxis' 3G network coverage, and I was always connected.

The PC-Card adapter is actually a cellphone. It has a slot for a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), which could be taken out from the device and inserted to the SIM slot of a cellphone if you want to make a phone call. There are adapter models that can even handle voice calls as well using a Bluetooth headset.

Now you may wonder how much the service will cost the subscribers once it becomes fully commercial, I have been told that Maxis will charge a flat rate of 120 Malaysian ringgit (equivalent to USD 31.58) if they register before June.

The flat rate is guaranteed to remain the same until the end of the year. That is a very attractive offer, and once the operator's competitor has its network up and running as well, it is quite unlikely that we will see a significant price hike for the service.

So, instead of using your cellular phone to dial your ISP number, this is the setup that you should look at to get Internet connection while your driver is fighting Jakarta's traffic. Very unfortunately, however, it seems that we will have to wait for some time before the 3G service becomes available here.

Not to worry, though. You still have several alternatives. Mobile-8, which is a cellular operator that uses CDMA2000 1x instead of the WCDMA technology, is one of them. On the market, there are several PC-Card products using this technology that can connect your notebook directly to the Internet.

A Sierra Wireless PC-Card adapter, for example, will cost you around Rp 3 million. These PC-Cards have a slot for a Removable User Identification Module (RUIM) instead of a SIM card.

Our beloved PT Telkom also provides data service through its Flexi network, which is based on the CDMA2000 1x technology. However, with Flexi, you cannot roam to other cities because it is supposed to be a fixed wireless service. This would not be a problem if you seldom use your notebook outside the Greater Jakarta area. If you do, you may have to choose Mobile-8.

Or, you can use the older technologies such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or the faster Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) that are available from GSM operators such as Telkomsel, Indosat and XL.

There are PC-Card adapters for GPRS and EDGE out there as well. They will give you a decent speed, and you may be able to roam to other cities in the world where your operators have a roaming arrangement with local operators.

If you have questions related to the use of information and communication technology, please email zatni@cbn.net.id.