What is a Wireless Broadband Network?

Virgin Mobile Broadband gives you high speed access to the internet through the Optus 3G wireless broadband network. Unlike traditional ADSL broadband, wireless doesn't use your phone line to send and receive data. Instead, it sends data through the air, in much the same way as your mobile phone.

Your computer 'talks' to your modem, and your modem modem 'talks' to the nearest mobile signal tower - a tower that also transmits mobile phone calls. This tower, in turn, 'talks' to millions of other towers that are all connected to computers. The massive global network of computers is the Internet, which your computer then looks at using a browser program like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Because the cost of using a wireless broadband network for voice calls is much lower than the cost of using traditional phone lines, your Internet Service Provider (e.g. Virgin Broadband) can afford to deliver both broadband internet access and phone calls at a fraction of the price you're used to,. In fact, many customers will find their broadband bundle costs about the same as their existing phone bill, sometimes even less. This means they're effectively getting their broadband internet connection for free!

In addition to being cheaper than traditional telephone networks, wireless broadband networks also tend to be more reliable. But it's important to remember that not all broadband bundles are created equal. In particular, you have to consider the sound quaity of your voice calls and the provider's ability to maintain their infrastructure as traffic increases. Virgin Wireless Broadband uses the Optus 3G network. This means voice calls will sound identical to regular Optus 3G mobile calls, and that the infrastructure is backed by Optus' extensive resources and commitment to Australian telecommunications.