True 3G networks transfer data at 384 kilobits a second, the speed of a home broadband line or fast office connections, and allow video clips and even person-to-person video calls, opening up, operators hoped, new and lucrative revenue streams.

EDGE nestles in between these. It works at 80-160 kilobits per second. It may not have the magic features touted for 3G, but could offer basic video or high- quality audio streaming