Limit: 5GB (up to)
Term: 18 Mths
per month
Limit: 3GB (up to)
Term: 18 Mths
per month
Limit: 1GB (up to)
Term: None
per month
Limit: 1GB (up to)
Term: 18 Mths
per month
- 99% UK coverage
- Broadband speeds on the move
- Simple to install
- Compatible with any PC, laptop or Mac
- Can be used on multiple pc's
- No phone line required
- Next day delivery
Dongles: what is a dongle and who are they for?
- Dongle - A USB modem you plug in to your laptop or pc giving you broadband access anywhere with 3G mobile coverage
- Who are dongles for? Any one who wants to access the internet from anywhere they are particular popular with laptop users who want broadband on the move.
- How fast is mobile internet? Speeds are a little slower than fixed line broadband and download limits can be more restrictive so they won't cope with online gaming very well but are fine for general broadband activity.
- What do dongles cost: Costs are around £10 a month and don't require you to pay BT line rental like most fixed broadband services do. There are also Pay as You Go dongles.
- Who provides dongles? Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange, 3 Broadband and O2 provide dongles.
- Can I use my dongle abroad? Yes your dongle will work in most countries though you will be charged an additional fee based on your usage.
- Can I use my dongle on a train? Yes though you may occasionally lose connection for a short period in areas of poor coverage
Broadband Dongle
Mobile internet access through broadband dongles will or USM modems can deliver speeds of up to 7.2Mb through Vodafone who currently offer the fastest mobile broadband product. On average though speeds are around half of that of fixed line broadband services though mobile broadband dongle is a relatively new technology and speeds are expected to increase. Speeds are slower in some rural areas where coverage is not as strong.
Currently most customers buying a broaqdband dongle do so to check email and surf the web when on the move or away from home on their laptops. Though speed is important these activities don't require speeds of much more than 1Mb which most mobile internet connections will easily deal with.
Internet Dongle
Internet dongles will also allow you to access the internet abroad though it is at an additional charge. It's worth noting the charge of the individual providers as it can be relatively expensive particularly if you plan to download lots of data (movies, music etc).
Internet dongles are also great for people who are not planning in living in their current accommodation for long periods as they can take their internet dongle with them when they move. Internet dongles also don't require you to pay for a BT landline and are proving popular with students.
Wireless Dongle
If you are looking for super high speed broadband access or are an avid online gamer then wireless dongles and mobile broadband are probably not the right option. If you are looking for super fast broadband access try this selection of fast broadband packages.
More Information
Dongle News
Christmas will see broadband dongles become popular choice
Over the past couple of years broadband dongle sales have been rising as mobile broadband becomes more popular, and officials have said that this Christmas will see continued popularity of dongles.
The popularity of mobile broadband has rocketed recently, and with the rise of mobile broadband take up has come a rise in broadband dongles. Industry officials have recently reported that with Christmas almost here it seems that broadband dongles are proving to be a popular choice by way of gifts for friends or loved ones.
(more…)
New 3G dongles to be made by Nokia
In a bid to further tap into the current surge in the mobile broadband market plan for the manufacture of its own 3G USB dongles have been announce by the mobile phone manufacturer Nokia.
According to the vice president for hardware platform components at Nokia, Tapio Markki, early 2009 will see Nokia shipping its first internet sticks, with aims to benefit from its experience and know-how in 3G technology development.
Markki said “Leveraging these capabilities, we believe we are well-positioned to become one of the winning providers for HSPA modem solutions. The market for HSPA modems is expected to grow very rapidly during the coming years.”
(more…)
Broadband users to get a dongle for a fiver from Virgin Media
As recession-crunching telecom services hit the market, Virgin Media , a UK cable operator has claimed that it has launched the cheapest bundled 3G mobile broadband offer ever in the UK.
As a complimenting product to its current high-speed wired broadband service Virgin is offering a USB dongle with a download limit of 1GB.
With other mobile operators like Vodafone, T-Mobile and 3, prices are already quite competitive as they all offer reduced price deals for their services to ensure that their current customer base stays with them.
One example of this is a USB Dongle offer from Vodafone broadband offering 3GB of downloads for £15 per month and 5GB at £25 per month and may soon also be competing with the Virgin offer by providing a 1GB offer. Also, with the netbook market ‘apparently soon-to-boom’ Vodafone is preparing itself by releasing a contract based mini Dell PC in a similar way that mobile phones are currently offered. With a 1GB download limit costing £25 per month and 3GB at £30 the Dell Inspiron Mini comes with embedded 3G data access (no fuss, no wires). (more…)
