Guide to Mobile Broadband Dongles for Laptops
Broadband on the move, would have seemed like an idea from some futuristic world a couple of years ago, especially as at the time even fixed line broadband was patchy with average speeds coming out at around 0.5 Mb.
However, mobile broadband and fixed line broadband should not really be compared as such, because these are two entirely different products. However currently mobile broadband can offer a top connection speed of 7.2 Mb, although as these services run parallel with the mobile phone service, connection speeds and indeed simply connecting to the network is somewhat sketchy in places.
The mobile broadband service is delivered through a USB dongle or modem; this connects to the laptop through the USB port to provide the user with complete wireless internet access, anywhere that there is a decent mobile signal.
Currently most customers buying a broadband dongle do so to check email and surf the web when on the move or away from home on their laptops. Though speed is important these activities do not require speeds of much more than 1Mb, which most mobile internet connections will easily deal with.
For the majority of mobile broadband users this service will be used for simply checking emails and logging into work based websites for order tracking and other services etc, as this type of access can easily be done with a slower connection speed.
The advantages of mobile broadband are clear, as there is currently 99% of the UK covered, the user can get broadband while on the move, it is very simple to install and operate. The dongle is compatible with any PC, laptop or Mac with a USB port, the service can even be used on multiple computers and of course, no fixed phone line is required.
What to look for in a dongle!
The dongle is a simple modem device and rather like a flash drive, it will plug into a USB port of a computer to offer a wireless connection to the internet via the mobile broadband network. It can be used in many different situations even on a train if needed, although the signal can drop off every now and then, as you would expect.
USB dongles are ideal for computer users who require internet access without actually connecting to a fixed line broadband service; this can include students, business people and workers who require access to company data.
When it comes to speed, there is no definitive answer as to how fast the mobile broadband connection can be. As mobile phone users will know, one second the signal is good and the next it has almost completely disappeared. It is safe to say through using mobile broadband in a city or large town is going to be faster and more stable, than in a rural or some coastal areas.
What do dongles cost: Costs are around £10 a month and do not require you to pay BT line rental like most fixed broadband services do. There are also Pay as You Go dongles and even pay monthly laptops which offer a free laptop when you sign up for a mobile broadband contract.
One of the key factors to think about is cost; there are many plans available through the main mobile broadband providers, who are; Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange, 3 UK and O2. Contract packages can start from under £10 per month with a free dongle thrown in for good measure. However, the length of contract can vary from one month to twenty four months and once signed up the consumer is committed to the whole contract.
One other feature for consideration is the use of the dongle abroad, once the device crosses from the UK network into Europe or any other region of the world the device is in “Data Roaming” mode, this means that the user will be clocking up some serious charges if they are not careful on the amount of data used.
About the author: David Allen writes on behalf of Broadband Genie and Mobile Phone Genie, the independent comparison websites for mobile broadband and mobile phones.
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