The one issue that held mobility back was the availability of mobile networks that were actually useful. Until recently, surfing the Internet on your mobile phone (all other things aside) was like surfing on a dial-up connection or worse. Currently, there are two available mobile data networks: 2G (also called the Edge network) and 3G.

The 2G network transfers data at about 360 Kbps or less. That’s not terrible, but for web sites that are built for broadband and large displays, it does create a slower — sometimes maddening — experience. Still, even a 2G network is tolerable on a mobile platform when working with web sites that are designed for mobile surfing.

The 3G network can be considerably faster. In some areas, the data transfer rate can be as much as 7.2 Mbps, and most of the major wireless carriers now offer 3G network speeds, which reduces much of the irritation that users experienced in the past with mobile Internet access.

Increased network speeds also mean that you can offer your mobile users a richer mobile experience. However, keep in mind that mobile is still not the same as broadband, and the richness of the mobile Internet experience is derived from better features and functionality, not flashier graphics and bandwidth-eating applications.