3G

[mayennaise]

Can someone please explain in non tech language what happens when I turn the 3g function on on my phone. I understand that I can access the internet but what else happens and does it cost ? ?

[Jomlett]

3G is short for third Generation, is the third generation of mobile telecommunications technology. It's the norm now for mobile phones.

[chrissa1]

You will have a certain amount of capacity on your phone for use when you are out and about. When you are at home, the phone will use your router so this doesn't cost anything.
If you go over your limit, you will have to pay for extra capacity.

[237SJ]

On my phone I imagine the signal as a two-branched tree. One branch gets the signal for me to use my phone to chat and receive texts. The other branch downloads data (in the form of words or pictures) from the internet. That is not the same as locking onto your router at home as that is wi-fi which is something different. The 3G comes over the mobile signal. So the mobile phone signal is in two parts (if you want to think of it like that). The data (3G) part of it tends to be quite expensive which is why you want to switch it off when you go abroad. The amount of 3G data you can download is included in the deal you get from your service provider.

[chrissa1]

Didn't I just say that? Sort of?

[hc4361]

You did, chrissa, but looking at the times of the posts 237SJ was still typing when you posted.

maye, how much data is in your allowance? My allowance is 1GB and I never exceed it.

[chrissa1]

12 minutes between them, hc.

[mayennaise]

\thank you all for your very comprehensive answers - I now understand it all!. The question arose because we are spending Christmas with the aged MIL who has no internet connection and I was wondering about taking the laptop and 'tethering' it to my phone. I have 1GB of internet usage per month allowed from my provider, included in my package. Would this be enough to spend a couple of hours a day, on the laptop, connected to the internet via my phone for a few days?