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Wireless Internet, known as WiFi, is part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. This number is assigned to communications taking place over certain frequencies: 2.4, 3.6 and 5 gigahertz.
The standard itself has evolved through four generations. Released in 2003, 802.11g moves information at a net speed of 54 megabytes per second (Mbps). An N standard will be released in 2009, with a net speed of 600 Mbps. - The 3G protocol is classified as the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) 2000 standard. The third generation of wireless has been commercially available in Europe and Asia since the early 2000s. It was introduced in the United States in 2007. The IMT-2000 spectrum has different outbound and inbound speeds for users. Downloads typically run at 1 Mbps while uploads and outgoing information runs at 150 to 200 kilobytes per second (Kbps).
- The 3G protocol started catching steam as a consumer-level product in the United States in 2008. The major cellular phone manufacturers began offering 3G for smartphone users and Blackberry devices. They also began offering wireless antennas connected through the universal serial bus (USB) or communications ports. The cards draw power from the PC and pick up a signal from nearby cellular towers.
- Wireless Internet became part of the commercial landscape in the early 2000s. Apple was the first consumer computer manufacturer to integrate wireless capabilities in its hardware, including AirPort/802.11a cards in its iBook and Powerbook computers in 2000. The company put receivers in its iPhone, released in 2007. The phone uses 3G capabilities for its data and voice features, but flips to VoIP and wireless Internet standards when in range of an open network.
- Together, 3G and WiFi present a cooperative product. An exclusive 3G device misses out on accelerated speeds near an open wireless network. Phones or portable computers without 3G receivers lack the ability to gain Internet access unless near an open network. When paired together, 3G and WiFi present an imposing tandem for cellular phone users or individuals who need Internet access at any given moment.
