We message, browse Facebook, play games and send emails constantly from our tablets and smartphones. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is a slow internet connection. If the providers are to be believed, that will soon be a thing of the past: 4G is on its way! It promises mobile internet up to ten times faster — faster browsing, Facebook and email downloads. Watch a video uninterrupted on the train? With 4G, you can. Stream HD video and music without stuttering? No problem. It sounds fantastic, but perhaps a little too good to be true?
I am looking forward to 4G too, and the first test results look promising. Not every provider is equally far along, or willing to share its plans yet. T-Mobile is still working on its schedule, Vodafone is starting its rollout this summer, and KPN promises coverage across the Netherlands from March 2014. All you need is a device that supports 4G, and superfast, frustration-free internet is yours. Naturally, there is a price tag, and 4G roaming agreements will only begin towards the end of 2013, so we will have to settle for 3G abroad for a while.
But hang on: what about superfast Wi-Fi? How convenient would it be to have a fast, free Wi-Fi connection everywhere, at home and abroad? No endless forms with personal details just to get an hour of free access, but an automatic connection to the nearest open network. Of course, expecting Wi-Fi always to be free is a very Dutch attitude. Nor is it available everywhere, although there are already initiatives to offer free Wi-Fi in several cities.
Imagine Wi-Fi eventually outperforming 4G. Operators might include it in their packages, but then it would no longer be free. T-Mobile is already testing Wi-Fi in Rotterdam’s Koopgoot shopping area, in a way that means subscribers do not notice whether they are using 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi. All this to reduce pressure on a 4G network that is barely available yet… It gives you food for thought. Time will tell which network works best, and whether the Dutch are willing to pay for a network that has generally been free until now.
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