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PLEASE NOTE: This guide gives you a small insight into the related broadband technology, how it works, what it is and how much it'll cost. A wireless service provider (WSP) is a company that offers transmission services to users of wireless devices (handheld computers and telephones) through radio frequency (spectrum) signals rather than through end-to-end wire communication. Generally a WSP offers either the cellular telephone service, personal communication services or both. The term also seems applicable to satellite television and Internet access providers. High-bandwidth allocation for wireless will make possible a relatively low-cost access for future broadband mobile phones and computer connections. At present GXNetworks are the only British operator offering national ISP > PC broadband wireless Internet access, most other technologies (UTMS, EDGE, Wi-Fietc.) are being developed for mobiles or local (hotspot) access only. Presently speeds of up to 2Mbps are possible, although future networks could see this rise significantly toward 50Mbps and onwards. Most 'fixed' residential ISPs offer upwards of 256Kbps. Note that most wireless services are symmetric (same speed both ways), unlike the majority of asymmetric ADSL and cable operators.
Costs & Hardware Costs tend to vary, although prices are more or less comparable to similar fixed-line (ADSL, Cable Modem etc.) access (£20 to £25 for 512Kbps). Hardware generally tends to consist of either a standard network/ethenet (NIC) card for 'fixed' providers (as pictured above) or a standard Wi-Fi PCI/PCMCIA card or USB device for LAN hotspots.
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