Is Mobile Broadband Any Good? Should You Wait?
Mobile broadband is rapidly growing in popularity, and usage tripled last year with over 1 million new users signing up for the service in some form or another. It hasn't been an easy ride for the big mobile broadband providers though, as there have been some consumer concerns about the performance of these networks and the quality of the services provided.
We're often asked whether mobile broadband services are up-to-scratch, and whether it's worth signing up to try it out at the moment. The truth is that mobile broadband isn't for everyone - it will be but it isn't yet. So, who is it suitable for, and should you give it a whirl?
Except for a few very rare locations in the UK (where landline broadband is still very slow, and mobile broadband has good 3G coverage), mobile broadband speeds still won't compete with landline broadband. It's also more expensive and has much lower usage limits.
On the other hand, mobile broadband is very simple and straightforward to set up, particularly when compared to the (often troublesome) process of installing landline broadband and getting a connection working. It also does away with the need for line rental and the accompanying commitment to a landline provider, and it provides a Pay As You Go Option. Mobile broadband also offers all the benefits of a portable broadband connection, which can be used outdoors, on the move and in various locations away from your home.
There have been several reports about mobile broadband services not living up to the promises of the providers, and not performing to users' expectations. There seems to be two main points here: Coverage area and network performance.
You should always check what level of coverage is offered for your area and any other areas in which you intend to use your mobile broadband connection - to get true broadband speeds, you'll need to have 3G or HSDPA coverage. This can be done quite easily with online coverage checkers and you can find links to these as well as more information about this subject at our page about mobile broadband coverage.
Network performance has been of concern amongst early adopters of the mobile broadband services, particularly with certain networks. This is rapidly improving and will continue to do so - the network providers spend a fortune on licensing the technology for mobile broadband and it's in their commercial interests to make it work. If possible, ask someone who's already using mobile broadband in your area how it performs before you make a decision.
If your home already has a landline, and you don't need a portable broadband connection, mobile broadband probably won't offer you any benefits, and in most cases a landline connection will be cheaper, faster and offer a larger data usage capacity.
If, however, you don't want to set up a landline at your home, you'd like your broadband connection to be portable, or you need a Pay As You Go pricing structure for your broadband access, mobile broadband could be the answer but you'll need to make sure that you're in a good coverage area.
You also need to make sure that you're in a good coverage area and that the provider you use has a good performance record in that area.
Mobile broadband is a great service when it suits your needs and although it isn't for everybody just yet, We're sure that it will develop into the standard way to connect to the internet.
We're often asked whether mobile broadband services are up-to-scratch, and whether it's worth signing up to try it out at the moment. The truth is that mobile broadband isn't for everyone - it will be but it isn't yet. So, who is it suitable for, and should you give it a whirl?
Mobile Broadband Versus Landline Broadband
Except for a few very rare locations in the UK (where landline broadband is still very slow, and mobile broadband has good 3G coverage), mobile broadband speeds still won't compete with landline broadband. It's also more expensive and has much lower usage limits.
On the other hand, mobile broadband is very simple and straightforward to set up, particularly when compared to the (often troublesome) process of installing landline broadband and getting a connection working. It also does away with the need for line rental and the accompanying commitment to a landline provider, and it provides a Pay As You Go Option. Mobile broadband also offers all the benefits of a portable broadband connection, which can be used outdoors, on the move and in various locations away from your home.
Mobile Broadband Performance Issues And Coverage Areas
There have been several reports about mobile broadband services not living up to the promises of the providers, and not performing to users' expectations. There seems to be two main points here: Coverage area and network performance.
You should always check what level of coverage is offered for your area and any other areas in which you intend to use your mobile broadband connection - to get true broadband speeds, you'll need to have 3G or HSDPA coverage. This can be done quite easily with online coverage checkers and you can find links to these as well as more information about this subject at our page about mobile broadband coverage.
Network performance has been of concern amongst early adopters of the mobile broadband services, particularly with certain networks. This is rapidly improving and will continue to do so - the network providers spend a fortune on licensing the technology for mobile broadband and it's in their commercial interests to make it work. If possible, ask someone who's already using mobile broadband in your area how it performs before you make a decision.
Is Mobile Broadband Worth It For You?
If your home already has a landline, and you don't need a portable broadband connection, mobile broadband probably won't offer you any benefits, and in most cases a landline connection will be cheaper, faster and offer a larger data usage capacity.
If, however, you don't want to set up a landline at your home, you'd like your broadband connection to be portable, or you need a Pay As You Go pricing structure for your broadband access, mobile broadband could be the answer but you'll need to make sure that you're in a good coverage area.
Mobile broadband is for you if...
- You don't want to have a landine installed at home
- You'd like your broadband connection to be portable
- You'd like to Pay As You Go for your broadband service
- You need a backup broadband connection in case your landline connection fails
You also need to make sure that you're in a good coverage area and that the provider you use has a good performance record in that area.
Mobile broadband isn't for you if...
- You already have a standard broadband connection and you don't need it to be portable
- You do a lot of downloading and uploading, and would use more than the monthly data limits allowed by mobile broadband contracts
- Your area is not covered by the high speed technologies (2G won't give good connection speeds, so generally isn't much use for mobile broadband)
Mobile broadband is a great service when it suits your needs and although it isn't for everybody just yet, We're sure that it will develop into the standard way to connect to the internet.
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