Mobile phone technologies called GPRS and 3G are bringing the world's poorest population Internet access. No where is the impact of these technologies being felt so much as in Nigeria, India and China. The case of Nigeria is indeed remarkable. Just 6 years ago, Nigeria had less than 400 000 fixed lines for a population of about 130 million.
But with the coming of the major GSM networks, MTN, ZAIN, GLO and others, the number of subscribers exploded to over 50 million. Currently, there is a surge in demand in mobile internet access which has been made possible by various packet data access technologies like GPRS, 3G, and HSPDA.
The most surprising thing at the moment is that the cost of access has also gone down dramatically. This means that in countries like Nigeria where about 8 years of democracy has led to the emergence of a new middle class, anybody with a pc or laptop with an appropriate mobile phone can now chat, browse websites, check email, trade stocks, and take online classes even in remote rural areas.
What are the requirements for accessing the Internet wirelessly using mobile phones?
Step 1
You must have a phone that supports packet data access. Mobile phones makers like Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung offer a wide range of cellphones varying in sophistication and cost.
Step 2
You must have packet data enabled on your mobile phone network. In Nigeria, MTN, GLO and Zain offer a mix of GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 3.5G or HSPDA.
Step 3
Your phone must be configured for mobile Internet browsing. This is can be done manually or automatically depending on your service provider and the model of your cellphone. Usually, you request the settings from your mobile access provider and either save it automatically or enter it manually.
Step 4
Once you are through with Step 3, you can browse on your cellphone using the default browser it comes with or with a third party browser like Opera Mini, UC Web or Teashark which you install.
Step 5
These packet data-enabled mobile phones are capable of acting as modems for either your PC or laptop. You can either connect your cellphone wirelessly to your PC/laptop using Bluetooth or with USB cable.
Either way, some PCS and laptops may already have the necessary drivers installed. But even if they don't, you simply install the necessary drivers and enter some settings and you are set to go online.
The steps above applies to mobile internet access anywhere in the world, not to just subscribers MTN, GLO or Zain in Nigeria, provided what you are using is a cellphone.
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