Fast mobile broadband

Fast mobile broadband explained

Fast mobile broadband packages give you high speed mobile internet access with a quicker connection than standard mobile broadband packages. But it is important to remember that all mobile broadband speeds can vary.

Even the fastest mobile broadband packages are as dependent on where the service is being used as any other mobile broadband package. Mobile broadband download speeds vary between areas depending on network coverage, so getting the fastest mobile broadband deal is highly dependent on finding the best 3G network conditions.

Compare all mobile broadband deals here mobile broadband

Award winning fast broadband:

Vodafone took away the prize for fastest mobile broadband in 2009's Top 10 Broadband awards. To find out about the awards see our Top 10 Broadband Awards overview page.

Fast mobile broadband for businesses

Fast mobile broadband packages are great for business users. You can access a high speed internet connection comparable to the broadband connection in your office everywhere you go.

Compare business broadband packages here business broadband

Fast mobile broadband providers

The fastest mobile broadband connections are available from:

• Vodafone
• T-Mobile
• Virgin Media
• 3

Vodafone fast mobile broadband

Vodafone offers the fastest mobile broadband speeds. The company has invested in rolling out fast mobile broadband all around the UK and has extended its fastest mobile broadband coverage to at least six major urban areas across the UK in a bid to offer more people a fast mobile internet connection.

Other than London and major UK airports, Vodafone’s commitment to providing fast mobile broadband speeds in urban areas includes Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Reading.

Vodafone’s cheapest fast mobile broadband deal is the "USB Stick Pro” package. As the name suggests, it’s a fast mobile broadband package that includes Vodafone's USB Modem Stick Pro. For just £15 per month for the duration of the contract, you get speeds of up to 7.2Mb and a 3Gb download allowance. This means you could download around 200 tunes and 100 video clips, send around 2000 emails and browse the internet on the go for around 100 hours.

T-Mobile fast mobile broadband

T-Mobile’s fast mobile broadband is also comparable to home broadband speeds and offers connections of up to 4.5Mb in urban areas. As with all fast mobile broadband providers, T-Mobile’s fastest mobile internet service will vary depending on location and network coverage. However, it has also committed to offering fast mobile broadband in all major UK cities.

T-Mobile’s cheapest fast mobile broadband deal is “Mobile Broadband Plus” package. This fast mobile broadband package is discounted to £10 for the first three months of the contract and comes in at just £15 per month thereafter. The deal includes T-Mobile’s USB modem stick, 3Gb download allowance and T-Mobile HotspSpot WiFi accesss.

At T-Mobile’s HotSpot locations you are guaranteed a good high speed mobile broadband connection.

Virgin Media fast mobile broadband

Virgin Media offers speeds of up to 7.2Mb in certain areas from just £10 per month. Subscribers can also choose between a 1GB or 3GB data allowance per month over a standard length contract, or opt for more flexible short-term contract deals.

3 fast mobile broadband

3’s mobile network has a theoretical maximum speed of 3.6Mb but in light of all the factors that could affect the speed of their fast mobile broadband they offer packages of up to 2.8Mb.

3 is also committed to fast UK mobile broadband and is in the process of rolling out a maximum fast mobile internet connection of around 7.2Mb in all major urban areas around the UK. 3 says that the first major UK cities to benefit from their new high speed mobile broadband connection will be Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

3’s cheapest Fast Mobile Broadband deal is its “Broadband Plus” with free E160G Stick Modem. For £15 per month you get a fast mobile broadband connection of up to 2.8Mb and a 3GB download allowance.

Fast mobile broadband dongles

Each of the providers of fast mobile broadband offer a dongle designed to both look good and provide a high speed internet connection straight to your laptop without any wires.

You can compare all dongle deals here dongles

Fast mobile broadband availability

The fastest mobile broadband speeds can be obtained in cities. In most urban areas where mobile phone network coverage is strong, fast mobile broadband packages provide a high speed mobile internet connection comparable to the speed of a home broadband connection. However, if you live in very rural or remote areas where mobile phone coverage is not very strong, you are not likely to be able to fully benefit from the fastest mobile broadband deals.

This does not mean you cannot get mobile broadband in rural areas. The coverage is always improving and if the network conditions in your area do not yet support 3G for fast mobile broadband access then your mobile broadband will revert to GPRS. This will mean that you will still be able to access the internet on your laptop, but at speeds closer to dial-up.

For help understanding what affects your mobile broadband coverage, check out our guide to mobile broadband coverage

Fast mobile broadband in the future

The technology behind the mobile broadband industry is moving at such a pace that the capabilities and speed of even the fastest mobile broadband is moving forward in leaps and bounds.

Beyond 3G technology is 4G mobile broadband which will enable users to see voice, data, mobile internet and streamed multimedia whenever they want and at faster speeds than today's fastest mobile broadband technology.

For more great deals on mobile broadband compare cheap mobile broadband packages.

The thing to remember with all fast mobile broadband is that while you will get a high speed mobile internet connection, it will always vary depending on location, how busy the mobile network is at any one time, and the strength of the mobile broadband signal. For more information to help you choose between home and mobile broadband check out our home v mobile broadband guide.

Looking for a new laptop for fast mobile broadband access? Compare great packages with broadband and free laptop deals.