Do you remember 3G modems?

Depending on the country where you live, this was one of the few ways to access the internet decades ago. It still exists today—though it’s now 4G and works much better—but it’s generally used by people who need internet access while away from home, such as streamers who film "IRL" (in real life) content. So, while it’s still in use, it serves a very specific purpose—unlike in the past, when it was used as a primary home internet solution in remote areas where no other connectivity was available. Do you remember this? Did you ever use it, or do you still use it today? For instance, it’s quite useful when you’re away from home—at an internet café, a restaurant, or an airport—and want to avoid the security risks of connecting to public Wi-Fi; you simply connect via a 4G modem, and you’re all set. Why use a dedicated modem instead of your phone? The signal is much more stable, it doesn’t rely on a battery (you just plug it in and go), you can use it for as long as you like, and the upload and download speeds are generally faster than what you’d get by using your phone as a hotspot for your laptop.

I had a 3G modem. It was not easy to use those modems. They were very slow in connectivity. But nonetheless, it helped us to connect to the internet before fibre optics. We have really come a long way in internet connectivity.

On Oct 19, 2026, Fidelia said:

I had a 3G modem. It was not easy to use those modems. They were very slow in connectivity. But nonetheless, it helped us to connect to the internet before fibre optics. We have really come a long way in internet connectivity.

Actually, it also depends on the area where you lived; in my case, the 3G modem was incredibly fast—I never had any issues—though it was extremely expensive, since it used the internet service from the mobile carrier you were subscribed to.

I still remember dial up LOL although it was phasing away slowly.

On Oct 19, 2026, Gizmo said:

I still remember dial up LOL although it was phasing away slowly.

It’s a good thing the internet has advanced; it would be a real headache if the only way to get online at home were via a 3G modem—you’d constantly have to buy new data packages because you’d keep running out. 🤩

Yes I had it for my browsing and uploading of files . It was really helpful them for me instead of using my phone hotspot I used the 3G modem. It was one of the tool for me as a writer.