Posted by Charlie on 8 February 2012
Three, the smallest of the major UK mobile phone networks, has just announced a new product to be tested in this country. The device, which bears the unusual name of WebCube, will allow home computer users to access the internet. WebCube uses a SIM card so that users can connect as many as five separate devices, such as computers and tablets, to the Three mobile phone network.
The system provides the data access that Three customers can already get on their mobile phones, but extends that access to other types of technology besides the phone itself. Currently, the WebCube system is being piloted in three cities: Leeds, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Customers living in these areas who are interested in getting home broadband services from Three will need to purchase the WebCube. This is a one-time expense, but afterwards there will be a monthly fee for access. Three's conception for mobile broadband home access includes a specified amount of data rather than unlimited data. Right now, Three is offering two levels of access, with data limited to either 10GB or 15GB per month.
The trial period in the three test cities may be as short as a few months. Three has not yet announced when the WebCube might be launched to the rest of the country, but industry analysts speculate that this move will not happen until the company has collected enough data on performance and other issues to feel comfortable extending the service outside the test cities.