What Is Mobile Broadband?
You've no-doubt seen the recent surge of TV, magazine and newspaper adverts for mobile broadband, as all of the mobile networks rush to lead the way with this new technology, but what is mobile broadband, how does it work, and what can it do for you?
Mobile broadband allows you to connect to the internet on your own laptop (or home computer), from just about anywhere. By using the mobile phone networks to connect to the internet, a mobile broadband connection provides internet access from a laptop when you're out and about, on the move, on holiday, commuting, or just sat outside in the park on a sunny day.
There are several reasons to use mobile broadband and while it isn't for everybody just yet (we think it will be before long), it can be very useful if you need any of the following things:
This makes mobile broadband a great option for students and people who use the internet on the move, but also for anyone without a landline. Many people don’t need a landline connection now, as mobile phones are the standard way to make phone calls – now you can still have broadband internet access, even without a landline.
One of the great things about mobile broadband is its simplicity. There's no messing around with modems, cables and installation - all you need is a mobile broadband dongle or USB modem which plugs into the side of your laptop and gives you instant access to the internet (some laptops even have the technology built in). We love technology!
Mobile broadband coverage depends to some degree on your provider, and also the area you're in. Because it uses the mobile phone networks to connect, coverage will be about the same as that of a mobile phone from the same provider. However, to get true broadband speeds you need 3G coverage - read our guide to mobile broadband coverage in the UK for more on this.
All of the UK mobile phone network providers are now supplying mobile broadband across their networks. This includes:
Vodafone, Three, Orange, O2 and T-Mobile.
Mobile broadband is currently more expensive than broadband on a landline. The packages available are very affordable (starting at under £10 per month) but the limits on the amount that you can download are much smaller. This is partly because mobile broadband is a new technology, and partly because the mobile networks wouldn't be able to handle the amount of data traffic that unlimited downloading would generate at this stage.
That said, costs are constantly reducing while data limits are rising, and as the different providers compete with each other to lead the way in this new market, we're seeing some great deals offered by all of them.
Many sources are predicting a huge growth in mobile broadband usage over the next few years, with some predicting that mobile broadband will eventually become the major way for people to connect to the internet, in much the same way as mobile phones have all but replaced landlines. As the technology and capacity of the networks improves, it will become cheaper and much more widely used.
Mobile broadband allows you to connect to the internet on your own laptop (or home computer), from just about anywhere. By using the mobile phone networks to connect to the internet, a mobile broadband connection provides internet access from a laptop when you're out and about, on the move, on holiday, commuting, or just sat outside in the park on a sunny day.
What’s It Useful For?
There are several reasons to use mobile broadband and while it isn't for everybody just yet (we think it will be before long), it can be very useful if you need any of the following things:
- An internet connection on your laptop from (almost) anywhere in the UK
- An internet connection without the hassle and commitment of using a landline
- A backup internet connection for when your home or work connection is out
- An internet connection whilst you're sat on the beach, sunning yourself!
This makes mobile broadband a great option for students and people who use the internet on the move, but also for anyone without a landline. Many people don’t need a landline connection now, as mobile phones are the standard way to make phone calls – now you can still have broadband internet access, even without a landline.
What Equipment Do I Need?
One of the great things about mobile broadband is its simplicity. There's no messing around with modems, cables and installation - all you need is a mobile broadband dongle or USB modem which plugs into the side of your laptop and gives you instant access to the internet (some laptops even have the technology built in). We love technology!
What’s The Coverage Like?
Mobile broadband coverage depends to some degree on your provider, and also the area you're in. Because it uses the mobile phone networks to connect, coverage will be about the same as that of a mobile phone from the same provider. However, to get true broadband speeds you need 3G coverage - read our guide to mobile broadband coverage in the UK for more on this.
Who Provides Mobile Broadband?
All of the UK mobile phone network providers are now supplying mobile broadband across their networks. This includes:
Vodafone, Three, Orange, O2 and T-Mobile.
What Does It Cost?
Mobile broadband is currently more expensive than broadband on a landline. The packages available are very affordable (starting at under £10 per month) but the limits on the amount that you can download are much smaller. This is partly because mobile broadband is a new technology, and partly because the mobile networks wouldn't be able to handle the amount of data traffic that unlimited downloading would generate at this stage.
That said, costs are constantly reducing while data limits are rising, and as the different providers compete with each other to lead the way in this new market, we're seeing some great deals offered by all of them.
What Does The Future Hold For Mobile Broadband?
Many sources are predicting a huge growth in mobile broadband usage over the next few years, with some predicting that mobile broadband will eventually become the major way for people to connect to the internet, in much the same way as mobile phones have all but replaced landlines. As the technology and capacity of the networks improves, it will become cheaper and much more widely used.
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