Poll: WiFi or 3G for mobile usage?

My latest entry on the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic sparked a nice little debate on people’s preference and usage behavior between WiFi and 3G on mobile phones.

I thought it would be good if I asked my readers here which of the two modes of connectivity they often use.

So our poll for this week — WiFi or 3G: Which one do you often use with your phone?

wifi vs 3g

As usual, I’ve added a poll at the sidebar so you can submit your votes there but please leave a comment if you want to share your own usage behavior and why you chose one over the other.

As for me, even if my place is full wireless, I think most often use 3G on my phone. I access 3G on the road, while driving and outside the house — with my phone, that would be about 90% of the time.

There are 2 factors that affected my usage behavior in favor of 3G — one is that I have allocated 3G minutes on my postpaid account and, second, 3G internet is pretty cheap and fast nowadays that I don’t really bother looking for free wifi whenever I’m in public places.

Update: I’d like to clarify that this poll is not about which is better or faster. It’s a survey which of the two modes of connection you often use despite the advantages of one over the other.

Let’s look at an example:

Mobile 3G on Phone: 90% coverage area of Metro Manila, 100 – 300Kbps speeds
WiFi on Phone: 1% coverage area of Metro Manila, 256Kbps – 3Mbps speeds

Is the mobility of a 3G connection more suitable for you or the speed of WiFi? And by the way, WiFi speed is also dependent on its source. If you’re using WiFi on dial-up connection, your WiFi is still going to be slow.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

55 Comments

rjca says:

16 years ago

I don’t have an unlimited data plan and the most I go without internet is 8-10 hours, if I need to check something important like a transaction I need only to go to Mcdonalds or at the cinemas area in my usual mall which both have free Wi-Fi.
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Vance says:

16 years ago

I choose Wifi!

1.) 3G in Manila is still immature. It is unstable. Lacks development. Thirdly, only one company offers unlimited data plan.

2.) Speed. Wifi is much faster then 3G (maybe here in Manila)

3.) Readily available on all gadgets… especially mobile phones.
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ERWIN:-) says:

16 years ago

I don’t have a 3G phone (haha!). But I always use WiFi at home — on my netbook or my PSP. But after Yuga explained how useful and cheap 3G is, I’m so eager to try it. I’m just waiting (and drooling at the same time) for Nokia E52. :)

If most people prefer WiFi on their mobile phone, it would be because WiFi is free. I think, 3G rate is at 10 pesos for 30 minutes.
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crestfallen says:

16 years ago

i’m a cheapskate so i choose wifi! :p
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Glenn Santos says:

16 years ago

3G is nice and all but most of the time it doesn’t come out of the sim and you have to set it up. With WiFi, it’s just there – much simpler and it’s also less complicated than 3G usage for netbook and laptop owners.

Plus iPod Touch toting peeps love the free WiFi mooch (like me!) :)
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Ardz says:

16 years ago

3G for me. WiFi is too limiting for me. If you need to do a quick check on the internet using your phone, you can do it immediately since 3G is available almost anywhere (even in the provinces) whereas WiFi hotspots are scarce in locations outside the metro and impossible to use while on the move.
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Jumal says:

16 years ago

Wifi for me.. Free is always better not unless you need the reliability of 3G.
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Abe Olandres says:

16 years ago

Hi guys!

Thanks for the comments. I was actually asking which of the 2 you often use (not the one you prefer) on a regular basis.
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Adrian says:

16 years ago

I think WiFi.
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paul says:

16 years ago

i use both. kinda location dependent. if i’m in a place where there’s no wi-fi access, then 3G’s my daddy. rates now are really dirt-cheap. but if there’s a free wi-fi hotspot in the area, i’d definitely use it.
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