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getting online
Just how much faster is Wi-Fi than EDGE? Well, network speeds are measured
in kilobits per second (which isn't the same as the more familiar kilo
bytes
per
second; divide by 8 to get those).
AT&T's EDGE network is supposed to deliver anywhere from 70 to 200kbps;
a Wi-Fi hotspot is capable of delivering 6,500 to 2,100 kbps. You'll never get
speeds near the high ends of those ranges--but even so, you can see that
there's quite a difference.
The bottom line: getting online via Wi-Fi is
awesome
,
and getting online via
EDGE is...well, not so much. That's why the iPhone always prefers, and hops
onto, a Wi-Fi connection when it's available.
Sequence of Connections
The iPhone isn't online all the time. To save battery power, it actually opens
the connection only on demand: when you check email, request a Webpage,
open the YouTube program, and soon. At that point,the iPhone tries to get
online following this sequence:
First, it sniffs around for a Wi-Fi network that you've used before. If it finds
one, it connects quietly and automatically. You're not asked for permis-
sion, a password, or anything else.
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