Mobile broadband Guide

What is mobile broadband?

By Seamour Rathore seamour@consumerchoices.co.uk

If you’ve heard about mobile broadband but aren't quite sure what it is, this beginner's guide will help you get on top of the subject and help you decide whether mobile broadband is right for you (12/01/10).

Mobile broadband is a new way to get on the internet through your laptop or computer. Using mobile broadband you can do all the things you love like sending emails, web surfing and, depending on your package, even watching the occasional TV programme online, through services like the BBC's iPlayer.

So, mobile broadband performs a very similar role to your normal fixed-line broadband connection at home. However, mobile broadband has one massive advantage - you can connect to the internet anywhere that you have a mobile signal, allowing you to get online on the go.

This means you could check and send emails, surf the web or even pay your bills from a park, at a motorway service station, or even as you travel on a train.

• How does mobile broadband work?
• Introduction to mobile broadband providers
• A guide to mobile broadband packages
• Five more things to know about mobile broadband
• Video: What is mobile broadband?

How does mobile broadband work?

Mobile broadband uses the mobile phone network to connect you to the internet.

While mobile phones once seemed strange and new compared to home phone landlines, we soon got used to using them to make calls, even send text messages and even surf the net. The situation is the same with mobile broadband - it may seem strange to connect to the internet without cables, but ultimately we use it in the same way.

Advantages of mobile broadband

• It's perfect for technophobes - You just plug in the mobile broadband dongle and you're online in a couple clicks
• It's suitable for everyday use - Mobile broadband is ideal for anyone who uses the internet for browsing, emailing and a little downloading

Disadvantages of mobile broadband

• It doesn't cover the whole of the UK - Mobile broadband is not available everywhere in the UK. Places where there is no mobile broadband signal are sometimes called “notspots”. These are often in the countryside where there are fewer mobile masts than in towns
• Download allowances are low - Mobile broadband offers far lower download allowances than fixed-line connections, with most packages offering between 1GB and 15GB a month, compared to 40GB, which is common with many home broadband connections
• Slower speeds - Average download speeds are around 1Mb with a mobile broadband connection, compared to an average of over 4Mb with fixed-line broadband. And because it’s mobile, your internet could cut out if you move out of an area with a mobile signal

Introduction to mobile broadband providers

In the UK, there are six main companies providing mobile broadband:

• Three Mobile Broadband (www.Three.co.uk)
• T-Mobile Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk)
• Virgin Media Mobile Broadband (www.Virginmedia.com)
• Vodafone Mobile Broadband (www.Vodafone.co.uk)
• O2 Mobile Broadband (www.O2.co.uk)
• Orange Mobile Broadband (www.Orange.co.uk)

Each company has mobile broadband masts in many different locations, so it’s important that whichever company you choose, you know that it offers good reception in the areas where you would want to use it.

Run a postcode check at your chosen provider’s website to check the coverage where you live, in your local pub and even on your daily commute.

Top tip: Mobile broadband coverage is not exactly the same as the mobile phone coverage area for each company. So, just because your O2 mobile phone works well at home, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the O2 mobile broadband signal will be as strong. The only way to be sure is to check with each individual provider.

Money back guarantee: Even if a postcode checker suggests that your mobile broadband signal will be good, other factors can interfere, such as living in a basement flat or having a big building or tree interfering with the signal from your nearest mast.

For this reason, many mobile broadband companies offer a money-back guarantee if you find your mobile broadband doesn’t work in the places where you want to use it, though you will have to return your dongle within 14 or 30 days, depending on your provider.

Mobile broadband packages

You don’t have to get locked into a long contract with mobile broadband if you don’t want to.

Pay as you go mobile broadband is perfect if you want to try the service out without committing to a 12, 18 or even 24 month contract. You can also sign up to a rolling one month contract, which offers great value for money as well as flexibility.

Five more things to know about mobile broadband

• The company that provides your fixed-line home broadband connection may give you mobile broadband as an extra add-on for a reduced monthly fee Virgin Media and O2 sometimes have offers for existing customers
• Many laptops now come with built-in mobile broadband - so you don't even need a dongle to get online
• Mobile broadband is improving rapidly, and in the future, if the mobile companies make the necessary investments, speeds could be much faster
• For now, mobile broadband should not be used when travelling outside the UK, due to the high roaming costs involved
• Your personal information is very secure on a mobile broadband connection, as it uses a heavily-encrypted technology

Now you’ve got the basics, you might want to find out more about mobile broadband or have specific questions you'd like answered. Click on the links below to get more detailed guides, tips and information or check out our Broadband Ask our Expert column.

Video: What is mobile broadband?