Communications giant BT is offering an updated mobile broadband service for small businesses, and this will utilise Vodafone’s HSUPA network.

According to recent reports communications giant BT is launching an updated mobile broadband service aimed at smaller businesses, and this new service will utilise the Vodafone HSUPA network. The service will work via a USB stick that uses the Vodafone service.

Consumers will be able to take up the BT Business Mobile Broadband service as a stand alone service, and this will cost £17.50 plus VAT each month. However, BT also has an offer running until the end of this year where small businesses signing up to options 2 or 3 on the BT Business Total Broadband Package for a twenty four month period will be able to get the service for free.

With these two options customers will be able to enjoy fixed line access and BT Openzone access with two thousand free minutes. Option 2 costs £26.99 and Option 3 costs £40.50. With both of these options consumers can enjoy 1GB of data per month over the Huawei Mobile Connect E170 HSPA USB device. After the expiry of the contract the charge will be £12.50 plus VAT.

The stand alone version of this service does have a 3GB data cap. However, customers will be contacted first of they breach this limit before charges are applied. Some of the benefits that consumers will get with BT Business Total Broadband option 2 include a free router, around the clock telephone support, and an anti-spam package. With Option 3 there are extras offered, such as additional security and IT Manager.

Rupert Wood, a principal analyst at Analysys Mason, recently stated: “Fixed operators need to come up with strategies for dealing with a rapid and invasive expansion of mobile broadband into their core growth area of consumer broadband.”