Mobile Broadband

Mobile Broadband Online compares the mobile broadband packages that are available in the uk. The benefits and costs of each mobile broadband package are compared and contrasted to help you find the best uk mobile broadband package for you.

Mobile broadband is a technology that enables you to access the internet through a portable USB modem or data card that plugs into your laptop or computer. This works by accessing the 3G mobile network rather than through the telephone line from your telecoms provider such as BT.

Mobile broadband internet is ideal to use when on the move or uto simply use without the hassle of wires. This also means that you don't need a landline connection and hence can save money on your phone line if you only currently use it for an internet connection.

The best mobile broadband packages are listed along with their prices and key features:

Brand	Package	Speed	Download Limit	Contract Length	One off Price	Monthly Price	1st Year Cost
	Mobile Broadband (1GB)	Up to 3.6Mbps	1GB	18 Months	£29.00	£9.79	£146.48	Select
	Mobile Broadband (3GB + Unlimited Wi-Fi)	Up to 1.8Mbps	3GB	24 Months	£0.00	£14.69	£156.68	Select
	Broadband Lite	Up to 2.8Mbps	1GB	18 Months	£0.00	£10.00	£120.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband Plus	Up to 7.2Mbps	3GB	24 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£165.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband Max	Up to 7.2Mbps	3GB	18 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£165.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband	Up to 7.2Mbps	3GB	18 Months	£39.00	£15.00	£204.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband (3GB)	Up to 3.6Mbps	3GB	18 Months	£0.00	£14.68	£176.16	Select
	Broadband Plus	Up to 2.8Mbps	3GB	12 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£180.00	Select
	Broadband 5GB	Up to 2.8Mbps	5GB	18 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£180.00	Select
	Broadband 15GB	Up to 2.8Mbps	15GB	24 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£180.00	Select
	3 Mobile broadband Plus	Up to 3.6Mbps	15GB	24 Months	£0.00	£15.00	£180.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband (10GB)	Up to 3.6Mbps	10GB	18 Months	£0.00	£24.47	£293.64	Select
	Broadband Max	Up to 2.8Mbps	7GB	12 Months	£0.00	£25.00	£300.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband	Up to 7.2Mbps	5GB	18 Months	£0.00	£25.00	£300.00	Select
	Mobile Broadband (10GB + Unlimited Wi-Fi)	Up to 1.8Mbps	3GB	18 Months	£0.00	£29.38	£352.56	Select
	Mobile Broadband Extra	Up to 7.2Mbps	5GB	24 Months	£0.00	£30.00	£360.00	Select

Select a mobile broadband package in order to see more details about the package as well as purchase online.
The mobile broadband packages above can be purchased with various contract lengths. The length of the contract will affect either the connection cost or the ongoing monthly payment you pay
The changes in contract period impacts the one off fee on the mobile broadband packages as follows:

Mobile broadband package 24 month contracts 18 month contracts 12 month contracts 3 mobile broadband lite £0.00 £0.00 £49.00 Vodafone mobile broadband 5GB £0.00 £19.00 £59.00 Vodafone superfast broadband 5GB £0.00 £39.00 Not available Vodafone mobile broadband 3GB £0.00 £59.00 £99.00 Vodafone superfast broadband 3GB £39.00 £79.00 Not available

The changes in contract period impacts the recurring monthly charges on the mobile broadband packages as follows:

Mobile broadband package 24 month contracts 18 month contracts 12 month contracts T Mobile - Web 'n' walk Plus £15.00 Not available £29.00 T Mobile - Web 'n' walk Max £35.00 Not available £44.00

There are a number of differences between mobile broadband compared to standard broadband that you get thorough your landline. These differences give rise to advantages of one technology over the other.

Advantages of mobile broadband

• You don't have to pay for a landline, which you may never use.
• You can get broadband in areas where there is no standard broadband connections.
• There is no excessive connection fees when you start a contract, which can occur when you dont have an existing home phone line connection
• There are many pay as you go options available from mobile providers, when there are a lot less available from broadband providers
• Probably the biggest advantage of mobile broadband is that you can use it on the move and can therefore access the internet virtually anywhere (this will depend on if you have access to the 3G network,- therefore it is worth checking the coverage of your mobile broadband provider).
• The software you need to connect to the internet is automatically installed when you first plug your USB modem or stick into your laptop leading to no hassle installation.

Disadvantages of mobile broadband

• Standard broadband is currently a lot cheaper than mobile broadband (and you can even get free broadband), as providers take advantage of the cheap provisioning through LLU (Local loop unbundling).
• Mobile and 3G broadband is a new technology, therefore some may see it as unreliable.
• The speeds you get from mobile broadband providers are not as high as standard broadband connections, although this may not be the same in the future
• The download/usage limits for mobile broadband are quite restrictive and are not designed for heavy users (the highest limit is 10GB from T-mobile).
• The cost of additional usage is quite high, for instance Vodafone charge £15 per GB. If you take a standard broadband package the cost per GB is generally around £1.
• Although you can get short term contracts you often have to pay a setup fee (or pay for your USB stick or data card) and this can be quite high.
• You are unlikely to get a consistent reliable connection as you are connected to a fixed line, rather than moving around with the possibility of losing your connection to the 3G network.

Conclusion

Mobile broadband is best for those who want to access broadband on the move and don't do many downloads. Whether mobile broadband is for you will depend on your behaviour and needs, it will not be for everyone.

If you think a standard broadband package suits you better than mobile broadband then click here to compare them.

Mobile broadband is now upon us and there are a lot of questions that need answering in order to decide whether you would be better with a mobile broadband package or a traditional fixed line broadband package.
The mobile broadband guides described below will help you understand mobile broadband further.

Mobile broadband starter guide

This guide will help you if you are new to the concept of mobile broadband, in fact it is useful if you are new to broadband of any sort and it will help you determine whether mobile broadband is for you or not.
Click here to read the full mobile broadband starter guide

Pay monthly mobile broadband

There are a number of pay monthly mobile broadband contacts available with various contract terms, ranging from 30 days up to 24 months. The advantage of longer term contracts is that it reduces the initial fee that you pay, this will give you better value for money over the length of the contract and also means that you don't have to lay out a hefty sum in your first month.
Click here to read the full pay monthly mobile broadband guide

PAYG mobile broadband

Pay as you go mobile broadband is now here and available through a number of mobile phone providers. With these tariffs you generally don't pay a mo> You are charged a set rate for each MB that you download and therefore the more you download the more you pay.
Click here to read the full PAYG mobile broadband guide

Mobile broadband hidden fees

Mobile broadband is now becoming more popular and there are more companies providing these packages with varying tariffs, but you need to be aware of the headline price and what additional charges wait in store for you.The hidden costs of mobile broadband include the following:
Click here to read the full mobile broadband hidden fees guide

Mobile broadband hardware

There are a large number of devices available that allow you to connect to the 3G network, in total this number exceeds 500 at the last count! The device given with the mobile broadband packages that are available at the moment is the USB modem or dongle, but in addition to this device there are also 3G mobile phones and mobile broadband wireless routers
Click here to read the full mobile broadband hardware guide

3g broadband

Many people ask what 3G broadband is, or what it means. 3G gets its name as it is the 3rd generation of mobile technology (the second generation of mobile technology was called 2G)
3G is a name used in the telecoms industry for a service that allows mobile access to the internet, and allows you to get broadband on the move. 3G is the network you connect to, rather than the traditional BT or other telecom provider network.
Click here to read the full 3g broadband guide