Mobile broadband is the most recent addition to the variety of broadband internet technologies available to UK consumers. Along with ADSL and Cable broadband, mobile broadband forms an increasingly significant part of the high speed triumvirate of next-generation connectivity and its role in the universal availability of broadband will probably be its finest hour.
If you have heard mobile broadband mentioned, but you are a little unsure of what kind of technology is involved, how fast it can go and how appropriate it is for you, then read on and all will be revealed.
Truly Wireless Broadband
Mobile broadband is the first truly wireless broadband connection to hit the market. Both ADSL and Cable broadband require that a landline connection is attached to your home and as such forces you to access your connection in one place. Mobile broadband uses the 3G mobile networks which are created by thousands of base stations dotted around the country. These are the same networks that are used by modern mobile phones to make calls and get online from anywhere that the user roams. For mobile broadband users, a phone is not required, but there is one piece of technology that most will need to access the mobile broadband networks. This device is usually referred to as a Mobile Broadband USB Dongle. ‘Dongle’ is a generic term for a device that is compatible with USB ports which every computer sports and in this case it will come with a mobile broadband modem that can detect 3G networks and take you online.
What’s a Dongle?
USB dongles are typically just a few centimetres long and totally portable, protruding from your laptop or PC enough to pick up a signal and easily pocketable if you need to get moving. Most providers will give you a USB dongle as part of a standard mobile broadband package and if you commit for 12 months or more you will usually get the dongle free of charge. However, if you want a shorter commitment period you might have to pay upfront for the dongle. Luckily the prices of these are falling constantly and they will be cheap enough for anyone to buy without breaking a sweat.
Plug and Play
When you plug the USB dongle into your laptop or PC for the first time, all of the necessary drivers and installation software should begin integrating the device with your computer, as most dongles have a limited amount of onboard storage to make them easily transferable to new hosts. After installation has completed, you will be able to set up your connection quickly and the software should let you know how strong the 3G signal is and whether you are able to get online
Mobile Broadband Speeds
Mobile broadband speeds are a slight bone of contention at the moment, as providers are often labelling their services as capable of one speed, whilst real life figures show that average customers are having a very different experience. There are providers who are more frank about their speeds, but for the most part you will find that mobile broadband is sold based on the theoretical maximum download speed. This is usually either 3.6Mbps or 7.2Mbps and the faster of the two is only offered by select networks at the moment. However, anyone who connects to a mobile broadband network will have their speed tempered by a huge variety of conditions, many of which neither the user nor the network has any control over. In speed tests performed by independent bodies, average download speeds range between 1Mbps and 4Mbps, although there are discrepancies both above and below these figures.
Mobile Broadband Coverage
Mobile broadband coverage is another hot topic, although this time it is used as a yardstick against which providers are measured. As a rule of thumb, most people living in urban and suburban areas with a fairly dense population will probably have adequate 3G network coverage to make mobile broadband a viable option. Network providers invest in improvements where there is likely to be the biggest customer base and so rural regions are usually neglected when it comes to mobile broadband coverage. This is not always going to be the case and providers are continually expanding their coverage incrementally in order to net the widest possible audience. It is easy to check if mobile broadband coverage is available in your area, so doing this before you commit is sensible.
Is Mobile Broadband right for me?
We have covered the basics of mobile broadband technology and what you should expect, so now it is necessary to consider whether mobile broadband is right for you. If you live in an area with good mobile broadband coverage, but also good availability of landline broadband, then the question comes down to how you will be using the connection. Most mobile broadband contracts have a strict monthly data allowance that limits you to a certain amount of usage and per megabyte these allowances are more expensive than the equivalent landline package would be. On the other hand, you can pick up your laptop and mobile broadband dongle, head out the door and get online wherever your journey takes you, whilst landline broadband cannot offer this level of flexibility and freedom.
Mobile broadband requires no fixed line of any kind, so if you are likely to be moving house there is no contract to cancel or carry over with complex customer service conversations; you can just take the dongle with you and, coverage permitting, get online wherever you lay your head. In many cases people pick up mobile broadband in order to supplement an existing landline broadband connection. For the time being, mobile broadband cannot match the speed and consistency of a landline connection in most properties, but it does allow business people and students the opportunity to go away from their abodes and still have moderately high speed internet access.
What next for Mobile Broadband?
Mobile broadband, like all internet technologies, is not static but rather constantly advancing and improving. Over the next few years we will see 3G networking phased out and replaced by the many forms of 4G that are on the horizon. Download speeds will leap upwards as a result and this could solve many of the issues which may currently stand between you and mobile broadband. For the time being, it is worth considering your own circumstances and weighing the capabilities of mobile broadband against its landline alternatives in order to make the right choice.