Today Telefónica presented at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the 3GBox prototype, a 3G USB modem which is the first in the world to connect to broadband mobile networks and which allows users practically unlimited storage capacity, through cloud computing technology.

It looks just like a pen drive, but instead of content being stored locally (on the device itself) it is uploaded to the web. The user is thereby guaranteed that his or her data is correctly stored in a repository with a capacity that is far larger than a traditional pen drive, but which is used in the same way.

Uploading content is virtually instantaneous, thanks to the HSPA+ connection of the 3Gbox, which has download speeds of up to 21 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5.76 Mbps in Spanish cities where Telefónica has already rolled out the HSPA infrastructure on the 3G network. In the rest of Spain, upload speeds would be up to 2Mbps while download speeds would be up to 10Mbps.

The device has a 3G connection, which allows users to download and upload easily and safely. Its intelligent cache system improves the user experience and its alternative access channels (web) allow users to share their content with each other.

With Telefónica’s 3GBox prototype, users can choose the storage capacity that best suits them. They may share content with their contacts, watch, via streaming, videos uploaded to their web folder, or listen to music, without having to download the entire files to play the media.

The use of the 3GBox is extremely simple, given that the installation of the appropriate software and the connection to the 3G network is automatically activated when the pen drive is inserted. Furthermore, it has an automatic updating system for new versions and patches.

The 3GBox project was developed by Telefónica I+D, in collaboration with other business and innovation units in Telefónica, as part of the Group's Global Innovation Plan.

This product was developed based on the users needs, following a design method which allowed us to test our concepts with real users, starting from very early development stages. The company has already initiated the process for obtaining a patent on this groundbreaking technology.

This device was developed in collaboration with Sierra Wireless, a company which also created for the Spanish multinational the first HSPA+ modem to navigate at a velocity of up to 21Mbp.

With this pilot project Telefónica seeks to address the primary needs of users: to have practically unlimited storage capacity and not have to worry about the correct functioning of the USB, or its possible deterioration, in short, to save content in such a way that the data is also stored on the web.