Mobile Broadband Providers

Virgin Media mobile broadband

Virgin Media (www.Virginmedia.com) has added mobile broadband to its range of services allowing customers to bundle mobile broadband with their home broadband, phone calls and digital TV.

About Virgin Media mobile broadband

Virgin Media currently offers two mobile broadband packages, one with a 1GB download allowance and a second with a 3GB monthly limit.

Both come with a choice of either a free dongle on an 18 month contract, or a flexible, two month contract and a charge of £24.99 for your USB modem stick.

Out of bundle downloads cost 1.46p per MB or you can buy a data add-on for £15 per extra GB.

Virgin Media mobile broadband can be used abroad, though you will have to call 0845 6000 789 to activate roaming, and different roaming charges will be applied depending on where you use your contract abroad.

Virgin Media mobile broadband benefits

Virgin Media offers the ultimate in bundling, allowing customers to choose from a selection of services covering superfast broadband, digital TV, home phone calls, mobile phone packages and mobile broadband.

As well as the convenience of being able to bundle your mobile broadband with a host of other services, you get a discount of 20% when you buy mobile broadband with home broadband or a bundle.

Virgin Media mobile broadband coverage

Virgin Media currently has over 85% of the UK covered with its 3G network, though you should check the signal in your area using its coverage checker before signing up.

You can also check our Virgin Media mobile broadband coverage guide for additional information.

If you do take out a Virgin Media contract and then find that you have poor coverage, you can return your mobile broadband dongle and cancel your contract within 28 days.

Our expert’s verdict

Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, said: “If you're thinking about signing up to one of Virgin Media’s mobile broadband packages, then its far better to pay for your dongle upfront and have the option to switch to a new package without being tied in for 18 months.

“While Virgin Media’s mobile broadband pricing isn’t the most competitive on the market - 3 Broadband (www.Three.co.uk) offers more data for your money - it does offer a 20% discount for customers bundling their package with other products, and has won awards for its service.”