As both cellular technology and Internet technology have evolved, the intersection of the two has grown more and more inevitable. At first this combination showed itself in little things: text messaging on the phone, then e-mail, and finally the first phones with web browsers. Of course, in order to support this, cellular technology had to develop in order to better support the modern Internet. With the new generation of phones and other cellular products, that gap between the two technologies shrinks even more, with true mobile broadband speeds available through cellular technology. One company offering this new advancement is Sprint Mobile Broadband.

The EV-DO Advantage

Sprint Mobile Broadband service takes advantage of evolution-data optimized, or EV-DO, technology for its systems. EV-DO is a wireless standard that is part of the new phone networks coming in place today, designed specifically to handle faster speeds. What you'll find using EV-DO technology is that Sprint Mobile Broadband does achieve true broadband speeds with their service, ranging from somewhere around 1 Mbps transfer rate to about 3 Mbps transfer rate. Such speeds are much faster than speeds achieved on the older, GSM networks, which are closer to dial-up speeds.

Speed At A Price

Are there any drawbacks to Sprint Broadband Mobile service? Sure, and most stem from the fact that the technology used is still relatively new on the market. Sprint Mobile Broadband isn't yet available everywhere in the United States, though it does exist in most major metropolitan areas and in areas with airports. This means despite the wireless nature of the service, there are still rural customers who may not be able to have coverage. In addition, because the service has only been around since 2004, it's still in the early-adopter stage; it's still relatively expensive, at prices well over $50 a month. For those on a budget, it's not the best service to have.

Who Is It Good For?

Some may wonder, given the price of the service, who can benefit from Sprint Mobile Broadband service? The clear winners are businessmen who travel a lot, whether it's flying in and out of airports or driving around the city while on-call. A mobile Internet service allows these people to continue to be productive, enjoying the benefits of a virtual office wherever they go. But whether this service will evolve into something the average consumer will want to use or not, Sprint Mobile Broadband is one of the Internet services helping to forge new developments in helping Internet and cellular technology work with each other.