Mobile broadband is one of the best inventions ever. You can use it to access the internet almost anywhere, no matter where you are in the world. The thing is, many people have heard about it and know about it, but many don’t actually know what it entails so I’ve decided to go into a bit of depth on this subject so you too can spout impressive techno-speak whenever the subject comes up.
You can access mobile broadband on your mobile phone, mobile dongle and data cards. Mobile dongles may sound rude but actually these are just portable modems and are also referred to as USB modems or USB sticks. They just plug into the USB port on your netbook, PC or laptop and Bob’s your Auntie, you have the internet.
Well, you have the internet wherever there’s mobile phone coverage and the speed of your connection is entirely dependent on the quality of your connection signal. This is one of the downsides of mobile broadband – if you are in an area with poor connectivity then your chances of a decent internet connection are slim indeed.
Most of the UK’s service providers offer mobile broadband including 3 Mobile, 02, Virgin and Orange. Thanks to the increased demand and a competitive market, the price of mobile broadband has become far more affordable, making it a convenient and cost effective solution. Still, don’t forget to read the fine print because more than one human has received an astronomical bill at the end of the month because they’ve overshot their limit.
The advantages of mobile broadband are pretty self explanatory – convenience, portability, ease of use and all-over access. The disadvantages are obviously slower speeds, reliance on mobile network coverage and limited providers, although the latter is changing rapidly.
Of course, you no longer have to rely on dongles anymore, there are now quite a few companies that make netbooks and laptops with the necessary technology embedded into the product, such as the ASUS UL30A laptop. Interestingly, 02 have just included this model into their embedded range of mobile broadband deals, offering users a 24-month contract at £30 a month. The price includes 3GB downloads, 750MB Wi-Fi and 300 texts and you’ll also have to fork out £79.99 as a one-off starter payment.
Still, this ultra-thin laptop is a beauty and normally retails for around £550 so getting this neat mobile package for this price is definitely worth the expense. It boasts an excellent battery life along with a whack of other features. However, if this ASUS laptop doesn’t ring your bells, 02 have also included the ASUS 1005H that goes for a cheaper contract price of £25 and also has built-in wireless broadband. Nippy!
You’ve probably noticed that in spite of the fact that these deals are substantially cheaper than they used to be, you’re still given pretty restrictive download limits. The problem is that the cost of transferring data across a 3G network is more expensive than ADSL or cable. That and the fact that if mobile companies did offer unrestricted downloads there is every chance the sheer volume of users could crash the system, or at the very least slow it down to a crawl.
You can easily nab yourself a truly cheap deal, some providers offer mobile broadband for as little as £10 a month, by getting your own technology (surf the ASUS site) or by scouring the available deals and taking the ones that best suit your lifestyle. Ultimately, if you’re a businessman on the go, or anyone that needs the internet at the drop of a hat, then mobile broadband has become an affordable and useful tool.