There are already plenty people on three using the Mifi devices & dongles for their home internet and it's currently doing ok. Some with higher limits than 15GB.

Seems they have limited it to areas that have had upgraded backhaul and HSPA+ so that congestion isn't a problem.
I've found plenty areas where they are not allowing it be sold

I noticed that and could not find anywhere near me with availability so in a selfish way that suits me!

HSPA+ or not I still wonder what effect these would have if they became common. Their existance would make me think twice about signing up for a 24 month contract with a high spec smartphone on a mobile network competing for fixed line broadband customers. When you are shelling out £800 or so over 24 months you want to be sure you have the best chance of being able to make full use of your service.

By the time these become common (if they do...) i'd have thought they would have added extra capacity if there are issues.. By then though LTE will be just around the corner and also the Fibre networks will be cheaper and allowing crazy speed downloads so although the mobile networks have caught up as it's easier to cover a city with wireless technology and much harder/slower to fibre the same area. Once it's done and the costs paid back, Fibre will put wireless back in it's place.. for a wee while at least.

Latency is always going to be an issue with UMTS so online gamers will not be signing up to this cube.. so that cuts out a large percentage of the possible customers.

Latency is not something your average BT Total Broadband user knows about when they get pitched 15GB a month for Internet use (when they only get 10GB) for £15 a month on a contract. If they can save £9 a month then thats a good incentive to get a WebCube and no doubt they will expect it will do the same as their BT Broadband connection. I'm sure the sales people will assure it will.

So 3's UMTS 2100 bandwidth will have to cope with smartphone consumption, dongles, MiFi, but mains connected devices competing with fixed line services. That could be plausable but for the fact that 3's CEO stated that the network would experience difficulties by the end of 2012 if the company did not win more spectrum in the 850/2600 auction. That being the case why have 3 embarked on a land grab of domestic fixed line broadband subscribers when they have flagged up they will have issues serving their mobile customers by the end of this year with the spectrum they have?

Are 3 UK gambling that if they max out their bandwidth, even at a loss in the short term with loads of customer discontent they will be rewarded with favourable terms for additional spectrum? Looks like it.

To be honest I would have said that about three in 2004 Not anymore though.

Anyway, atm web cube seems to have a very limited launch. Non in my area so I think its in only a very few places.