The phrase used to describe Internet access (wireless communications) that is obtained through a portable modem or other device, such as a mobile phone. Different types of wireless network standards support a wide range of bandwidths but most are suitable for sending and receiving small bursts of data, such as e-mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data.
Mobile broadband is a phrase that is typically used by a wireless carriers to describe its mobile Internet access service that uses the mobile phone infrastructure, or cellular network. A number of network standards can be used for mobile broadband including:
See also 802.11 for a complete overview of the IEEE 802.11 specifications for wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients.