Is 7.2Mbps mobile broadband simply not cutting it these days?

If standard mobile broadband is just too slow for you, help may be around the corner. At this month's Mobile World Congress (MWC), Ericsson is set to demo its new 42 Mbps HSPA+ mobile broadband service. No, that's not a typo of 4.2 Mbps; that would be forty-two.

The service utilizes a new dual-band method of sending and receiving data. The mobile user can receive information on two different channels, effectively doubling download speeds. "With this demonstration, Ericsson shows its continued technology leadership," says Ericsson's Product Area Radio VP Ulf Ewaldsson. "High peak data rates, increased capacity and low network costs are important ingredients for successful mobile broadband services."

HSPA is currently being tested in Australia, where wireless carrier Telstra is operating a 21 Mbps service. During the demo at MWC in Barcelona, that speed will be doubled to 42 Mbps. The service uses base stations, and will also be available for consumers and business via a special router. Such a mobile broadband router would offer a viable alternative to traditional WiFi, although whoever uses the service would need the appropriate hardware on their end.

So when should we expect this kind of speed in the States? AT&T is slated to offer the 21 Mbps service sometime later this year. It may not be the drool-worthy 42 Mbps other countries will undoubtedly receive, but it will be almost three times faster than what is currently available in the American market. Ericsson's technology should compete nicely with the WiMax service being touted by Intel, which also offers upload and download speeds far beyond what current mobile broadband is capable of. WiMax, which can (theoretically) offer download speeds of up to 72 Mbits is currently available in Baltimore, Maryland and Portland, Oregon as well as several international markets.