Buying Guide: 3G USB Modem or 3G Smartphone?

3G is a well known 3^rd generation of data-transmission technology (wirelessly), in simple terms, you can browse and download internet data at higher speeds and you can make video calls without any lags or interruptions, also known as, transmitting greater data (bits of signals for video calling) in smallest amount possible (nanoseconds).

For this article, I would be telling you about what you should prefer: 3G USB Modem or Stick or Data Card over 3G Smartphone or Handset?

• 3G USB Modem is a device that is capable of delivering 3G wireless-broadband to your laptop or desktop computer that is not 3G-ready because they don’t sport sim card-slot (however, new ones do).

• You can experience same speeds on laptop and desktop computers via USB port and there is no clutter of wires and modem or router.

• Many operators in India offer 3G USB Modem, like Airtel, Aircel, BSNL, Tata Docomo, Vodafone, Reliance, etc. So, there is always a possibility of getting confused over what you should get or in which operator you should invest your money for USB modem.

• I have tested nearly all USB modems and found them very unreliable and less dependable than 3G Smartphones. Recently, I have tested Tata Docomo 3G USB Stick, HSUPA, 7.2 Mbps. So, you could say that I’ve tested the middle member of 3G USB modem family of Tata Docomo (they are 3.6 Mbps, 7.2 Mbps and 21 Mbps).

• This stick wasn’t able to completely absorb or receive 3G signals and used to switch between 3G to 2G, and vice versa, a lot. The worst part was, ‘disconnection’. If you are in a middle of an internet transaction, then ‘disconnection’ is that one thing you would hate most.

• I came to this conclusion that Docomo 3G stick wasn’t reliable, when I inserted the same 3G sim card in my Nokia N8 that I’ve recently bought and my old favorite N73 (capable of delivering 384 Kbps on 3G) and I was amazed to see the difference (not between phones).

• N8 picked up signals of 3G where USB Modem couldn’t. I also leveraged the fact that N8 is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 ready Smartphone. It’s true that in some place you don’t get 3G signals if your device (whether USB modem or phone) is lying down. So… I put my phone on my shelf and turned on Wi-Fi in N8 (Bluetooth in case of N73) and again, it picked up 3 bars and it was more than enough to get comfy in my bed and blog about my day (also checking mails and watching YouTube videos without buffering).

• So… my point is… I could not have done it with USB modem unless I had a USB range extender, means another clutter that we want to avoid (that’s why we opt for wireless modem and not wired broadband).

• With my experience on Docomo 3G HSUPA device, it is now clear to me (and to everyone else) that Smartphones do cost a lot, the usb device comes for only Rs.2000/- and N8 cost me Rs.26700/-, means a lot expensive. However, I was going to get N8 anyway and if you are not into those high-end Smartphones, then you can always get a Rs.10,000/- which is powerful enough to satisfy your 3G needs.

• Another benefit of having a 3G Smartphone is you get to check every 3G sim you can. Find out what works best for you according to tariff and performance and stick with it. You can always unlock a 3G USB modem but think about my experiment above and you’ll know that it’s not worth it.

So, this was my experience on 3G USB modem and a 3G Smartphone and I hope that I cleared your confusions up to some extent. However, rest is yours to decide, after all it’s your hard earned money that you are going to spend and you certainly would not want to regret your purchase.