Mobile Broadband Hidden Fees

Mobile Broadband Starter Guide	A guide for those who are new to mobile broadband, detailing key elements of each package
Hidden Costs of Mobile Broadband	There are a number of hidden costs with mobile broadband, which are explained here
Pay Monthly Mobile Broadband	A guide to pay monthly mobile broadband packages and types of contract
Mobile Broadband Hardware	A simple guide to hardware that enables you to have mobile broadband
PAYG Mobile Broadband	A guide to pay as you go mobile broadband contracts and packages
Broadband Comparison	Advantages and disadvantages of mobile broadband when compared to traditional mobile broadband
3G Mobile Broadband	The term 3G is explained, including how it fits into mobile broadband
Mobile Broadband FAQs	Frequently asked questions regarding mobile broadband are answered
Mobile Broadband Glossary	Key terms related to mobile broadband explained

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:

Initial set up costs: The setup cost is to cover the cost to the provider of supplying your USB modem or stick. This is generally only charged on short term or monthly contracts.
Contract periods: The tendency of broadband providers (following the trend of mobile phone providers) is to offer longer term contracts, mobile broadband providers are no different and have taken this further and you can pay higher monthly fees with some providers for taking shorter contracts or pay a set up fee as described above.
Download limits: Mobile broadband contracts generally have lower download limits, therefore you are restricted to limited amounts of usage.
Usage charges: The charges for going over your usage limit differ on mobile broadband contract when compared to traditional fixed line broadband contracts, they are generally higher. For instance 3 mobile charge you 10p for every MB you go over your limit, which equates approximately to £100 per GB (fixed line providers generally charge around £1 to £2 per GB).
Unlimited download definition: Traditional fixed line broadband providers have unlimited broadband packages, and when they have a fair usage policy it is usually at least 20GB per month and only applies to peak usage times. Some mobile broadband providers such as T-mobile have unlimited usage tariffs, but with these they have a fair usage policy of 3GB for one of its packages, therefore offering quite restrictive terms.
If you exceed the limits you won't be immediately penalised, but if you continue to do so then you’ll be asked to curb your usage, have your speed reduce or be asked to upgrade to a more expensive package, you could potentially be fined or disconnected.
Roaming charges: If you use your mobile broadband package abroad then you could incur additional charges which could be very high. Therefore if you are a frequent traveller and need to access the internet while abroad then choose an appropriate tariff which has lower international broadband charges.
Although in reality at the moment it is not appropriate to use a mobile broadband package abroad as the costs are too great, you would be better using a local connection such as a hotel or internet cafe if available.

Although there a number of hidden charges that come hand in hand with mobile broadband packages, there are still many advantages to these packages and the hidden charges may not bother you or in fact impact you due to your behaviour, therefore mobile broadband may still be a better option for you than traditional fixed line broadband.
Advantages of mobile broadband can be reviewed in our guide to the advantages and disadvantages of mobile broadband.