If you've ever lived in a legitimately rural area, you probably understand the pain of trying to get a decent broadband internet connection. With so many of our villages and communities located far from telephone exchanges - and very far down on the fibre-optic roll-out to-do list - there aren't many suitable solutions for bringing high-speed internet access to the countryside.
One of the most promising ideas is to use 3G - or ideally 4G - mobile networks and one company has just released a practical solution to make this a reality. Deltanna has announced that its WiBE hotspot is now available and will bring previously unheard of internet speeds to isolated communities.
The system works by connecting into existing 3G networks and creating a Wi-Fi hotspot that any device can connect to. Though many areas have relatively poor wireless reception, the WiBE automatically increases the gain in the direction of the strongest signal, greatly boosting its strength. It will also give preference to radio masts that are carrying less data traffic when selecting which to connect to.
The manufacturer claims that this allows reliable speeds of more than 2Mbps with a much better range than a normal 3G modem. In fact, the company claims that the technology will allow the device to pick up a signal even when a 3G dongle wouldn't be to find one.
Obviously only real-world usage will determine if the WiBE is as good as the manufacturer claims, though it certainly looks promising. For anyone who wants to test it for themselves, the device is initially being offered in the UK by Buzz Networks and is available to purchase now. The hub itself will cost £499, with monthly data plans being offered on top of that. However, there are various bundles available that will make the unit slightly cheaper.
