A wide area wireless network for data is typically provided by the cellular carriers. Also called "wireless broadband" or "broadband wireless," wireless WANs (WWANs) use cellular towers to transmit a wireless signal over a range of several miles to a mobile device compared to wireless Wi-Fi LANs (WLANs), which span only a few hundred feet and generally to only stationary devices.

In the U.S., the EDGE and EV-DO technologies are used by cellular carriers to provide wireless communications to cell phones, laptops and Windows Mobile PDAs.

A WWAN differs from a WLAN (e.g. wireless LAN) because it uses cellular network technologies such as WIMAX, UMTS, GPRS, CDMA2000, GSM, CDPD, Mobitex, HSDPA or 3G to transfer data. It can use also LMDS and Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet. These cellular technologies are offered regionally, nationwide, or even globally and are provided by a wireless service provider such as: AT&T Wireless, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile or Verizon for a monthly usage fee. Various Windows Mobile computers now have integrated WWAN capabilities (Such as the Intermec 761 and CN3 and the Motorola (Symbol) MC70. This means that the system has a cellular radio (GSM/CDMA) built in, which allows the user to send and receive data. There are two basic means that a mobile network may use to transfer data:

Packet-switched Data Networks (GPRS/CDPD)
Circuit-switched dial-up connections

Since radio communications systems do not provide a physically secure connection path, WWANs typically incorporate sophisticated encryption and authentication methods to make them more secure.