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Mobile broadband coverage

Our Broadband Expert says...

Dear Edric, you don’t actually need to access a wireless hotspot to get online with mobile broadband since they are not the same thing. A hotspot is the kind of wireless network you would have at home that you can connect to using your laptop’s wifi, whereas mobile broadband uses the mobile phone network to connect to the internet.

To get mobile broadband you simply need to sign up to a contract or pay as you go mobile broadband plan. Your provider will then give you a mobile USB modem stick or dongle which you just plug into your laptop and you’re ready to go online. You can also get netbook laptops with built-in mobile broadband connectivity, from Orange Broadband (www.Orange.co.uk) and Vodafone Broadband (www.Vodafone.co.uk) eliminating the need for a dongle or USB mobile broadband.

Mobile broadband coverage

Before you sign up to your chosen mobile broadband provider, make sure that you first check coverage in your area. Coverage from different mobile broadband providers varies; for example, 3 Broadband (www.Three.co.uk) covers around 90 per cent of the UK with speeds of up to 3.6Mb while Vodafone’s network reaches just over 80 per cent of homes, but has a faster theoretical top speed of 7.2Mb - though this is currently restricted to larger cities and airports.

All of the UK’s mobile broadband providers are currently in the process of upgrading their networks to 7.2Mb, while Vodafone is working on doubling its top speeds to 14.4Mb.

Each ISP offers a an online mobile broadband coverage checker because speeds and coverage will vary depending on where you live, with signals being patchy in some rural areas. So make sure you know what to expect before signing up to a long contract. O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk) offers a 50-day Happiness Guarantee in case you’re not satisfied with the service.

Hotspots

If you want to use wifi hotspots to connect to the internet as well as using your mobile broadband - which can save on download allowances - some providers such as O2 and T-Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk) offer inclusive hotspot minutes in their mobile broadband packages.

To check locations of inclusive hotspots you can use the O2 and T-Mobile websites, or to find other hotspots around the UK use TotalHotspots website. You can also sign up to hotspot packages from Freedom4wifi (www.Freedom4wifi.com) for pay as you go and pay monthly access to more than 50,000 hotspots around the world.

Costs and limitations of mobile broadband

While mobile broadband has liberated the internet, allowing users to get online no matter where they are, it does have some limitations.

Coverage. Make sure you check the mobile broadband coverage in your area before signing a long contract.

Download allowances. Mobile broadband download limits are far lower than standard home broadband connections, with most packages offering 3GB a month. You need to be careful not to exceed your limit or you could end up being charged for your excess usage.

However, mobile broadband has other benefits as well as letting you take the internet with you wherever you go.

No more line rental. If you’re monthly mobile broadband allowance is enough to cover all your internet needs, you could ditch your home phone line completely - saving you at least £126 a year.

Discounts. Some providers such as 3 and Virgin Media (www.VirginMedia.com) offer discounts to customers taking other products in their ranges. 3 offers a 50 per cent discount to existing mobile phone customers while Virgin Media offers mobile broadband at just £5 a month to customers taking its home broadband package too.

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NB Best buy tables (orange background) are always current.

Examples in the text of the article (white background) are correct at time of publication.

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If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at OurExpert@broadbandchoices.co.uk

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