What is mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband is a sophisticated new technology that allows you to access the internet on your laptop almost anywhere - even when you’re abroad. As the name suggests, mobile broadband is broadband connectivity available on the go.
Mobile broadband is also known as mobile internet and can be accessed via a number of devices these include mobile phones, mobile dongles and data cards. Mobile dongles are essentially portable modems and while the term mobile broadband dongle is popular, these devices are also called: mobile USB sticks and USB modems.
Compare the latest mobile broadband deals and learn more about mobile broadband here.
In most cases mobile dongles plug into the USB port of your laptop or PC and offer broadband speed internet access at the click of a button wherever there is mobile phone coverage. As with mobile phones, the strength of the signal determines the quality of the connection.
For more information on mobile broadband dongles including system requirements size and weight stats see our what is a mobile broadband dongle? guide page.
The four main providers are;
These companies have used their mobile communication experience to bring customers a high quality internet connection on the go via mobile devices. Gone are the days of paying to use internet cafes and carrying your laptop around hoping to come across an unsecured wireless network.
Who is it for?
Students, business people and a host of others looking to access the internet outside their home or office (though mobile broadband can be used here too).
Pros:
- Competitive pricing from £10/month.
- Convenience to use the internet on the bus, train, park or coffee shop.
- You don’t have to be plugged into an ethernet connection or even be in range of a hotspot because this technology provides you with your very own portable modem. The modem plugs directly into one of the USB ports of your laptop and it doesn’t require a source of electricity which makes for hassle-free internet access.
- Mobile modems are small and discreet - meaning you can pop them in your laptop bag, handbag or indeed your pocket and be ready to connect wherever you go.
- There’s also the option of a data card with Vodafone Mobile Broadband which can be more expensive but its faster connection speeds and sleek design make it worth it weight in gold.
Cons:
- Only offered by a few providers.
- Limited download allowance (more on this below).
- Slower speeds than some home broadband packages.
Mobile broadband... The technical part
Mobile broadband, whether accessed via dongle or mobile phone, involves the use of 3G services. 3G technology is made possible by two complimentary technologies HSDPA and HSUPA (high speed download and upload packet access, respectively).
In theory, these technologies enable mobile broadband users to access of up to 7.2Mb speed downloads and uploads with speeds of up to 1.76Mb. In practice, however, such speeds are only available in certain areas of central London and selected UK airports. It is likely that access to these speeds will become more wide-spread in the future.
Though mobile broadband dongles, USB sticks and data cards are currently the norm for people accessing mobile broadband, 3G laptops are also becoming popular. Growth in this area has led to a great deal of innovation, leading Top 10 Broadband to predict that mobile broadband will account for over 50% of broadband sales by 2010.
Mobile broadband and download allowances
Download-savvy users will have noted that mobile broadband packages generally have quite restrictive download limits from 1Gb to 10Gb. Reasons for the lack of "unlimited broadband" packages in mobile broadband include:
- High costs - transferring data across 3G networks is more expensive than across ADSL or cable (the technologies used in home broadband).
- System overload - providers are concerned that if all users were on unlimited download limits, the system would be overwhelmed very quickly causing lost connections and slow service across the 3G mobile network.
This issue may be the reason why mobile broadband will not overtake home broadband as the default means of connecting to the internet until technology improves.
If you are only likely to only use mobile broadband occasionally, then a £10 package offering 1Gb of download limits a month will service you effectively. Heavy downloaders should look most closely at the download allowance tab to sort packages by download allowance to avoid incurring extra costs.
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