Mobile broadband

About mobile broadband technology

Already this innovative technology is proving very popular, and the take up of mobile broadband has already increased quite quickly. This technology enables consumers to enjoy total mobility, as well as convenience, ease, and flexibility, which is something that you do not get with fixed line broadband. With mobile broadband your office can be wherever you want it to be.

Whereas fixed line broadband uses fibre optic cable or copper telephone wires to connect people to the Internet, mobile broadband uses mobile phone networks to do this, which effectively means that you can use mobile broadband anywhere that you can get a mobile phone signal. This is done through the use of a modem, which you will receive when you sign up to mobile broadband.

Mobile broadband modems

The mobile broadband modem connects you to the Internet through your USB connection, which means that you do not need electricity and can therefore enjoy this mobile access. These small compact modems can be easily transported around. The type of mobile broadband modem that you will receive will depend on your needs and the provider that you go through, but the options include:

• USB dongle
• USB stick
• Mobile data cards for use with laptops that have plug and go software

 

Is mobile broadband just for business people?

Business people are likely to find mobile broadband very useful if they tend to go out and about as part of their business, as it means that they can access to Internet and deal with business no matter where they are, effectively providing them with a mobile office. However, many other people can benefit from mobile broadband technology too. For instance, students who are in and out of college and university may find that mobile broadband provides them with increased flexibility and convenience. Those that use the Internet for recreational purposes but also like to travel will be able to benefit from mobile broadband. Some people may even like to have mobile broadband for the home for example, those that have no fixed broadband and do not want to have landline installed and pay costly line rental fees. In fact, anyone that wants to enjoy the convenience, flexibility, and mobility that mobile broadband offers can benefit from this technology.

Factors to consider before signing up to mobile broadband

It is likely that the take up of mobile broadband will continue to increase quite quickly, but before you take the plunge make sure that you ask yourself some important questions to help determine which package is going to be right for you. This includes:

• What will you be using mobile broadband for, and based on that, what sort of speeds will you need? If you are using it for business then you may want to look at higher speeds.
• What sorts of download allowance do the various provider offers, and will this be sufficient? The download allowance can vary from one provider to another, so you need to compare this.
• Will you be able to get proper access to the Internet based on the area/environment that you live, work, or travel in? Your speed and access ability can be affected by your location, environment, and the signal strength in the area.
• What sort of contract length will you want to start off with? Whilst some providers offer special deals for taking out longer contracts such as eighteen or twenty four months, you may want to test the water with a twelve month contract to start with.
• How much can you afford to pay? There are different mobile broadband deals on offer with the different providers, so make sure the compare them to see what is on offer to get the most suitable and affordable deal.

Which mobile broadband provider?

You will also need to decide on which provider you want to go with, and the choice of providers for mobile broadband are:

• Vodafone mobile broadband
• T-Mobile broadband
• Orange mobile broadband
• 3 mobile broadband
• O2 mobile broadband

 

Each of these offers different packages, different prices, and a choice of modem options. Make sure you check details such as the maximum speeds offered, download allowance, cost, contract length and terms, and modem options available.

The good and the bad

There are many benefits to having mobile broadband, and this is why this technology has taken off so rapidly. When you have mobile broadband you can enjoy access to the Internet no matter where you are, providing you have a mobile phone signal; you don't have the same data security risks as you would with WiFi; you can get some very competitive deals; and you can enjoy an affordable a flexible alternative to having a landline installed in the home.

On the downside transfer of data across 3G networks can be more costly, and this means that download limits can be more restricted. Also, you are not guaranteed a connection, as your ability to access the Internet will be dependant on where you are and how strong the signal is.

Where will it go from here?

Although it is unlikely that mobile broadband will replace fixed line broadband in homes and offices at least not yet there are plans to improve their fairly new technology already underway. When 4G technology comes along this could help to smooth out any issues with limited downloads and slow speeds, and could help to reduce the cost of mobile broadband as a result.

In the meantime the future looks bright for mobile broadband, with the number of people taking advantage of this technology expected to soar, and with some industry officials comparing the take up or mobile broadband with take up of the mobile phone in the 1990s.

 

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Broadband Speed:

Broadband speed is measured by the amount of data your connection can send and receive in Megabytes per second (Mbps).Most UK broadband packages now range from 2Mbs to 24 Mbps though they usually deliver less than the quoted maximum packages speed. If you currently have broadband and want to check your current speed try our broadband speed test.

If you just plan on using broadband to surf the net and send emails there is no need to pay more for a fast broadband package. Faster packages are great if you plan on downloading movies and music quickly or if you want to play online games.

Download limits, unlimited broadband and fair usage policies

Some broadband packages limit the amount of information you can download from the internet in any month. When ever you view a web page or download attachments from emails you download a small amount of data from the web. However if you are a light internet user then you shouldn't need to be to concerned with download limits with most home broadband deals and may want to consider the check out our list of cheap broadband deals .

Heavy internet users and those who regularly download films, music or play online games will download far greater amounts if data and will need a package which offers higher download limits or unlimited broadband which has no limits. Though some broadband providers claim to offer unlimited downloads they are known to restrict the usage of very heavy downloader's by slowing down the broadband connections in what they call their "fair usage" policy. Mobile broadband packages tend to have much lower download limits and you can incur quite large charges if you exceed these.

Broadband Cost and reading the small print

It is important to take into account the complete cost of your broadband connection including all the hidden extras when choosing a package. We summarise the total cost you will pay in your first year with a new broadband deal including all the hidden costs. Some providers will offer lower costs for an introductory period, often the first three months of the contract, before moving you to a higher monthly charge. Many providers also charge a set up fee and some providers will lock you into long contracts of up to 24 months in the case of some mobile broadband deals. All of these factors are considered and clearly laid out in our broadband comparison tables.

Broadband bundles

You may be able to save money if you bundle your phone, broadband and digital TV services together. Sky, Virgin and Tiscali offer broadband bundles. If you just want broadband check out our list of broadband only packages.

Contract Length and Pay as you go broadband

Check the contract length before you sign up to a broadband provider. Most providers have a 12 months contract length though this is longer with many mobile broadband offers. There are a number of short contract (1 month) and pay as you go broadband offers available. These are often popular if you are likely to move house in the next 12 months and also prove popular with students.

Connection Reliability and customer service

Occasionally you broadband connection may go down, some providers are more reliable than others and whilst it is hard to track the exact performance of each provider our customer broadband reviews should give you a good idea if the most reliable broadband providers. Customer service is another factor worth taking into consideration; there has been a growing dissatisfaction with UK broadband providers basing their customer service and technical support departments overseas where problems can often take longer to be resolved. A number of broadband providers advertise UK based customer and technical support.

Switching broadband

If you are switching from one high speed internet provider to another you will need to call your existing broadband provider and as for your MAC code which you then need to give to your new provider to ensure a seamless transition with little or no downtime. See our guide for more information on how to easily switch broadband provider or beat your current deal.

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