Mobile broadband guide – how to find the best deal for you

As the number of mobile broadband users in the UK continues to grow, so do the number of available options. Most major mobile phone providers now offer mobile broadband services, covering a range of contract lengths, tariffs, speeds and data sizes.  With so many options available, it’s important to consider the following when choosing a mobile broadband provider:

What is mobile broadband?

Mobile broadband is a broadband connection which is accessed via a portable device – such as a laptop computer or mobile phone. It differs from a fixed-line connection, which is delivered via a cable to your home or business premises. The greatest advantage of the service is that it gives you an internet connection wherever you go, even when you’re overseas.

Mobile broadband connects you to the internet via a mobile phone network, and can be accessed by plugging a mobile dongle or data card into your laptop’s USB port, or via a specialized mobile phone (such as Apple’s iPhone). This technology will allow you get a high-speed internet connection anywhere at any time, so long as you are within the network’s range.

Mobile broadband speeds

Mobile broadband is typically a little slower than fixed-line broadband, but is considered fast enough for most uses. While many fixed line services offer speeds of up to 8Mbps (Mega bits per second), mobile broadband speeds range from 1Mb to 7Mb, with most networks offering 2Mb to 3Mb connections. Unlike most fixed line services, providers will only offer one speed option on their network, so this could be a factor in choosing a supplier.

When choosing a provider, it’s important to consider what you will be using your mobile broadband for. If it will be predominantly used for everyday tasks such as checking/sending emails and browsing, then you will require a lower speed than if you wish to download movies and music.

Who provides mobile broadband?

Most of the UK’s mobile broadband is supplied by major mobile phone providers. Orange, Three, T-mobile, Vodafone, Virgin and 02 all offer mobile Internet services, so it’s worth comparing the different packages to see which will suit you best.

Types of mobile broadband packages

There are two main types of mobile broadband packages – contract and ‘pay as you go’. Pay as you go packages would be ideal for light users who might not use the service enough to commit to a monthly fee, however heavy users will usually find contracts more cost-effective.

‘Pay as you go’ mobile broadband works in a similar way to pay as you go mobile phones. You will need to purchase a dongle to use the service, and then you may top it up either online or in specialist stores. As with mobile phone top-ups, they come in various prices and the more you spend, the more data usage you will get. Prices vary between networks, but a top-up of 1 GB will usually cost around £10.

With contract mobile broadband, you will sign-up to a fixed length of time (typically 1 or 2 years), and you will receive with this a free dongle and a certain amount of data usage per month. The amount of data you may use each month will vary from 1 GB to 15 GB depending on the package. As with broadband or phone contracts, you will pay extra if you exceed this monthly limit. Contract prices vary from around £10 to £40 per month, depending on the type of package you choose.

Download limits

As with fixed-line broadband packages, mobile broadband providers will impose limits on the amount of data you may use. This is not an issue if you use pay as you go, as once you reach your limit you will not be able to download any more data. On contract however, you will incur extra fees on your monthly bill if you exceed your download limit for that month. To help you avoid this, providers will supply you with your own secure web page where you may view the details of your account and your usage for the month so far.

Choosing a mobile broadband supplier.

When looking at the different suppliers, you will need to decide what kind of package you are looking for. This means deciding on how often you will want to access your mobile broadband, and how fast you will want the connection to be. You should also look at the coverage areas of each supplier, as some may have a stronger signal in your area.

You will need to decide weather you want a contract or pay as you go service, and if you decide on contract you should look at what each provider supplies with this package. Most providers will provide a free dongle with fixed contract packages, and some providers even offer free laptop computers with their higher rate packages. If you are unsure about how you might use your mobile broadband, it might be a good idea to start with a pay as you go service, or a contract with a shorter fixed term.

As mobile broadband is a new and constantly evolving service, it’s a good idea to research thoroughly before committing to any one particular package. The best way to do this is by visiting the web sites of all the UK Mobile broadband suppliers listed above.

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