Mobile Broadband

Mobile Broadband Dongles

If you’re looking for a new mobile broadband contract or pay as you go plan then you’ll want to get the latest USB dongle that offers the fastest speeds and even doubles up as a storage device.

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All mobile broadband dongles come with “plug and play” technology so there’s no need to install any software; you just insert your mobile broadband sim card and plug in your dongle. The software will automatically be loaded onto your laptop and you’ll be online within minutes.

3 (Three) dongles

3 Broadband (www.Three.co.uk) now only offers one dongle to all customers. The ZTE MF627 USB modem stick gives you download speeds of up to 3.6Mb and even doubles up as a memory stick. Just add a Micro SD to the slot for up to 4GB of memory.

If you want to personalise your USB modem you can visit the ThreeSkins store for a selection of interchangeable covers for your modem - anything from leopard print to camouflage to the Union Jack.

O2 dongles

O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk) offers a different dongle to contract customers and pay as you go users.

Contract customers - including those one O2’s rolling one month plans - get the USB Modem E169 which automatically connects to the fastest available network speed and is capable of receiving speeds of up to 7.2Mb.

Pay as you go customers get the USB Modem E160, which can connect at speeds of up to 3.6Mb and is capable of a 2GB external memory using a card slot.

Orange dongles

While Orange Mobile Broadband (www.Orange.co.uk) customers get a choice of only one USB dongle model, they do get a choice of three colours; pink, black or white.

Orange’s USB modem stick gives customers download speeds of up to 3.6Mb.

T-Mobile dongles

Like O2, T-Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk) currently offers two separate USB modems; one for contract customers, one for pay as you go users.

The USB Stick 530 is T-Mobile’s fastest dongle to date and is exclusively available to contract customers. It is capable of speeds of up to 4.5Mb and can even go as fast as 7.2Mb in areas with the best coverage, with uploads at up to 2Mb.

The high capacity Micro SD slot in this device allows you to use it as a memory stick with up to 8GB of storage.

The USB Stick 530 uses Receive Diversity technology to provide a stronger signal in poor reception areas by reflecting signals off hills and buildings.

Pay as you go mobile broadband customers can get the USB Stick 110 for a one-off fee. This device gives speeds of up to 4,5Mb and also has a high capacity Micro SD slot to double up as a storage device.

It has been designed to give you a better signal in areas with poor coverage and has a slot for an external antenna boost.

Virgin Media dongles

Virgin Media (www.VirginMedia.com) offers one standard USB modem stick, which can connect at speeds of up to 3.6Mb.

Vodafone dongles

Vodafone (www.Vodafone.co.uk) currently offers two dongles; a standard USB modem stick and a USB Modem Stick Pro - Vodafone’s fastest device to date.

Both can connect at speeds of up to 7.2Mb and customers have the opportunity to add up to 4GB of storage to each model using the Micro SD slot. The USB Modem Stick Pro has retractable cables so that you can boost your speed without messy cables.

The standard USB modem stick is free to all contract customers, but 12 month contract customers and 3GB 18 month customers have to pay for the USB Modem Stick Pro.

Click here to read more about the different types of mobile broadband hardware.

Or click here to view a list of mobile broadband packages.