Mobile broadband explained

A mobile broadband revolution is sweeping the nation, as more and more of us come to expect high-speed and often wireless internet access at home we are starting to explore broadband access as an option for when we're on the move too.

What is mobile broadband?

As the name would suggest mobile broadband is broadband you can connect to on the go; mobile broadband gives you access to the internet on a laptop computer wherever there is mobile phone signal.

Mobile broadband internet connection is accessed using the 3G mobile phone network operated by 3, T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile and O2. This means that you can connect wherever there is 3G coverage in the UK and abroad - accessing the internet at the touch of a button.

Mobile broadband is accessed using a dongle or USB modem. You simply plug a mobile broadband modem into your laptop or PC and can instantly access the internet using the 3G network.

The fact that mobile broadband is designed for laptops doesn't mean it can't be used by PC owners; in fact, if you're looking to sign-up to broadband but don't have a BT landline or don't want to pay the home phone connection fees, mobile broadband could be perfect for you.

So if you don't want to spend £120 to get a landline connected, simply get your hands on a mobile broadband dongle and get connected with no wires. You can even choose to pay as you go if you prefer, so you don't even have to sign a contract!

With a mobile broadband dongle or mobile broadband USB stick modem you don't need to connect to a router or an ethernet connection. You simply need to be in an area with mobile phone signal.

How does mobile broadband work?

It really couldn't be easier to set-up a mobile broadband connection; you should be making the most of your newfound mobile broadband capabilities within a day of ordering online.

Once your new mobile broadband dongle has arrived, you simply plug and play: Insert the USB modem into one of the USB ports on your laptop or PC (it shouldn't matter which USB port you choose) and the software you need to get online should be pre-installed. This means that everything you need for your mobile broadband connection is on the USB stick - and the stick itself doesn't even require external power!

Who is mobile broadband for?

Mobile broadband could make a massive difference to anyone who travels or uses their laptop in more than one place:

Business Imagine the difference it could make to your day if you could prepare for presentations on the train or check your email just before you go into the big meeting?

Mobile broadband is for anyone who wants the internet on their own terms, it's a great way to save time too - a survey showed that using mobile broadband could save business people almost an hour each day!

Students Take your laptop into seminars with you and have the internet at the touch of a button. Use the internet when you're travelling home for the holidays, on the train, coach or even just in the park with your friends.

Travellers If you spend a lot of time on the go then mobile broadband is a must-have, you can take your laptop anywhere in the UK and get broadband speeds, what's more you can take it abroad and enjoy exactly the same connection wherever there is 3G coverage.

Anyone who wants anytime, any place broadband access Maybe you just want to know that wherever you are, you have the flexibility to be able to open your laptop and access your emails or use all the online applications you would normally use in the office, if so mobile broadband is exactly what you've been looking for.

Business mobile broadband packages

Mobile broadband ISP's have realised that there's a huge number of business people out there keen to make the most of mobile broadband technologies and save time in their day.

Dedicated business mobile broadband packages are now on offer from a range of ISPs including Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2 and BT.

Business mobile broadband packages offer freedom from the office and the ultimate in travelling business capabilities.

Compare all business mobile broadband deals

It is worth noting that some business mobile broadband packages charge extra for international roaming, though you can get an international add-on in some circumstances, so make sure you check with your ISP if you're looking for international mobile broadband.

Best mobile broadband

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing your mobile broadband and what may be considered the best mobile broadband for one person will not be the same for another. As the number of mobile broadband packages on the market increases, it gets harder to identify which is the best mobile broadband deal for you.

Looking into several factors, from range of packages, to download speed and download allowance Top 10 Broadband set out to find out who was the overall best mobile broadband provider.

When investigating the best mobile internet provider, Top 10 Broadband explored all the relevant factors extensively to make sure we found the best mobile broadband ISP in every respect. The winner of the best mobile broadband award was 3 mobile, with their range of mobile internet packages on 12 and 24 month contracts with download allowances ranging from 1 to 15Gb they really do have a package for everyone.

See our Mobile Broadband Award page to find out who is the best mobile broadband provider.

Factors to consider when choosing the best mobile internet provider

Price is a factor that features near the top of everybody's check-list, but it’s not the only thing to consider. When it comes to mobile broadband packages you may find that by spending an extra £5 you will be massively boosting your downloads, and getting more downloads for your pound. Compare cheap mobile broadband

Mobile broadband download speed– Are you looking for a fast mobile internet connection? It’s worth remembering that with slower download speeds you may find yourself waiting for pages to load. Compare fast mobile broadband deals

Mobile broadband download allowance - Choosing a mobile broadband package with the right download allowance for your requirements is really important. You will find that the charges for going over your download allowance can really bump up your bill. (For more information on mobile broadband download allowances see below.) If you are looking to use your new mobile broadband connection as your laptop’s default internet connection, you should consider packages with the highest or even unlimited downloads.

Mobile broadband contract length - Given that mobile broadband is a relatively new technology that’s just taking off in a really big way, it’s hard to predict what developments will have been made in two years time. If you’re someone who loves to have the latest technology in their pocket, or even someone who is constantly on the lookout for the latest deal around, you may prefer not to be tied into a 24 month contract.

Mobile broadband USB modem - Choosing a mobile broadband modem will be largely down to the mobile broadband package you opt for, however there is a wide range of dongles or USB stick modems on the market, which are all explained in our guide to mobile broadband modems below. Compare pay as you go mobile broadband

Mobile broadband coverage - The UK now has around 99% coverage, however, much like mobile phone coverage, the available connection and speed of that connection will be determined by your location. If you live in an area that you have found to have bad mobile phone coverage it could be worth sticking with a provider you know is strong on coverage in your area. Read our mobile broadband coverage guide.

Mobile broadband modems:

A mobile broadband modem or USB stick modem is not a heavy piece of equipment to carry around with your laptop, they are around the same size as USB memory sticks and connect directly into your USB port making mobile broadband a truly portable experience.

1. Mobile broadband USB sticks - are a lot smaller than USB modems/dongles (usually the size of a flash drive) making them handier and more portable for regular users. USB stick modems are the most popular mobile broadband devices so far, because they are so small, they are easily transported to bring you broadband on the go.
2. Mobile broadband USB dongles - are roughly the same size as a mobile phone, connects to your laptop via a wire USB connection.
3. Built-in broadband laptops - no need to plug in an external laptop with these deals as the mobile broadband and sim card are built into the netbooks with which they are sold.
4. Mobile broadband Data cards - these are even smaller but less popular than USB sticks, but only work on laptops with plug and go software.

Each mobile broadband ISP offers a range of different dongles and data card options. The speeds that you will be able to access depend on the strength of the mobile signal and the type of mobile dongle you choose.

Mobile broadband providers:

1. 3 Mobile Broadband
2. Vodafone Mobile Broadband
3. T-Mobile Mobile Broadband
4. Orange Mobile Broadband
5. Virgin Mobile Broadband
6. O2 Mobile Broadband

You will no doubt have noticed that all the mobile broadband providers are also mobile phone operators. The mobile phone companies have capitalised on their experience in the communications market to develop the technology to offer high speed mobile internet connections wherever there is mobile phone signal.

Mobile broadband relies on the mobile phone network’s 3G network to provide mobile broadband connections whenever and wherever you want it.

3 Mobile Broadband

3 offers a large range of mobile broadband packages and mobile modems/dongles to suit every user. 3 offer both traditional dongles and mobile broadband USB modem sticks to their customers. 3's £10 per month option is a popular one with casual users looking to lightly browse the internet on the go, while their "Max" options give customers far more downloads for every pound they spend.

3 has been a driving force in the mobile broadband success story so far. 3 offers a huge range of mobile broadband packages, designed to suit every kind of mobile broadband user with prices starting from just £10 per month.

3 clearly wants to remain a mobile broadband market leader; the company announced in December that it would be teaming up with telecoms technology giant Ericcson, to develop the first 21Mb mobile broadband network in Europe.

3’s USB modem looks ultra modern and sleek, as well as being hi-tech:

** 3 USB Stick - Huawei E160:**

• Data transfer rate: 3.6Mb.
• Dimensions (wxdxh): 25.7x11.6x70.1mm.
• Flash memory: Micro SD slot up to 4Gb.
• Form factor: Plug in module.
• Frequency: up to 3.6GHz.
• Interface (bus) type: USB.
• Manufacturer warranty: 1 year.
• System requirements: Windows 2000, XP, Vista.
• Weight: 50g.

3 mobile broadband packages

3 provides a competitive mobile broadband service, with three mobile internet packages to choose from:

1. Mobile Broadband Lite

3’s Mobile Broadband Lite package does exactly what is says on the tin, offers a light-usage mobile broadband package, perfect if you’re just looking to supplement your home broadband capabilities for when you’re on the move.

For just £10 per month you get 1GB download allowance, with speeds of up to 3.6Mb on an 18 month contract.

1. Mobile Broadband Plus Mobile broadband plus offers 3Gb downloads to users on a 12 month contract and 5Gb on 18 and 24 month contracts, ideal for those who spend a lot of time using broadband on the go.

2. Mobile Broadband Max This is 3’s biggest mobile broadband package; it’s a great deal for heavy users, whichever option you choose. Mobile Broadband Max - 12 months gives customers a 7GB download allowance, while the Mobile Broadband Max 18 and 24 month options include a massive 15GB.

Vodafone Mobile Broadband

Vodafone is now a market leader when it comes to fast mobile broadband. Vodafone’s mobile broadband offers speeds of up to 7.2Mb – the fastest mobile internet connection available!

In a bid to provide truly mobile broadband, Vodafone have also become the first mobile internet provider to offer a laptop with built-in mobile broadband.

With a Vodafone built-in broadband laptop you pay a monthly fee, and you get a laptop that doesn’t even need a mobile broadband dongle or USB stick to access a mobile internet connection.

For those of us looking to get Vodafone Mobile broadband on our existing laptops or netbooks, Vodafone offers the following mobile broadband modem options:

Vodafone USB Stick:

• Download speeds of up to 7.2Mb.
• Upload speeds of 383Kbps – standard 3G.
• Dimensions: 71(87.7) x 25.7 x 21.2mm.
• Works in Europe.
• Compatibility: Windows® XP or Vista.
• USB (standard) interface.
• At least 50MB free disk space and 128MB RAMs.

Vodafone USB Stick Pro

• Download speed up to 7.2Mb.
• Upload speeds 2 Mbps, that’s 22 times faster than standard 3G.
• Works in the USA and Europe.
• Dimensions:** 71(87.7) x 25.7 x 21.2mm
• Compatibility:** Windows® XP or Vista.
• Standard USB interface.
• At least 100MB free disk space and 128MB RAMOS X Panther 10.3.9.

Vodafone mobile broadband packages

Vodafone Mobile Broadband Packages start at £8.51 for business mobile broadband customers.

For £10 per month you can get the Vodafone USB stick Pro, with up to 7.2Mb download speeds and a 3GB download limit.

For just £12.50 per month you can get the Vodafone Mobile Broadband built-in broadband laptop on a 24-month contract. This deal gives you the same super-fast mobile broadband and 1GB download limit.

T-Mobile Mobile Broadband

T-Mobile’s latest mobile broadband dongle offers you connection speeds of up to 4.5Mb. With easy set-up and future-proof technology, T-mobile’s web ‘n’ walk mobile broadband service is designed to make mobile internet access easy.

T-Mobile pioneer great mobile broadband technology, not only have they been a driving force behind the mobile broadband and netbook market, they have invested in technology that lets you share your mobile broadband connection.

The Share Dock

The T-mobile Share Dock comes absolutely free with 18-month T-Mobile mobile broadband subscriptions. It works in a similar way to a standard wireless router but allows you to share your mobile broadband connection using your computer’s WiFi frequency.

T-Mobile’s web ‘n’ walk modem is small, simple and sleek, and if you want, you can upgrade to a super-slim data card.

The T-Mobile USB Stick modem:

• T-Mobile's fastest Mobile Broadband USB stick.
• Micro SD memory card slot of up to 8GB to store all your data.
• Upload speeds up to 2Mb/s
• No need to pre-install any software! Simply plug and play.
• Dimensions: 1 x 11.8 x 80.5mm
• Weight: 30g
• Compatibility: Mac OS compatible, Windows Vista compatible.

T-Mobile mobile broadband packages

T-Mobile’s mobile broadband packages start from just £10 per month for the first three months. T-Mobile Broadband Plus gives you 3Gb monthly download limit on a 24 month contract.

With T-Mobile’s mobile internet services you also benefit from free WiFi HotSpot access.

T-Mobile also offer free laptop deals starting from £25 per month. The T-Mobile Mobile Broadband Plus Free Laptop package gives customers the same everything you get with Mobile Broadband Plus, but for an extra £15 per month you get an Asus Eee PC Laptop too!

Orange Mobile Broadband

With Orange Mobile Broadband you can get online in seconds. As one of the UK’s favourite mobile phone networks, Orange has delivered on mobile broadband offering a slim, sleek state of the art mobile broadband dongle, The Icon 225.

Orange Icon 225 mobile broadband modem

• Plug and play with any laptop or desktop PC
• Download speeds of up to 7.2Mb
• Weight: 40g
• Dimensions: 63 x 26 x 13mm
• Compatibility: Windows® 2000, XP or Vista, Apple® Mac MacOS

Orange Mobile Broadband Everywhere Packages

Orange Mobile Broadband Everywhere offers speeds of up to 3.6Mb and a 3GB download allowance on an 18-month contract for just £14.68.

Orange has also catered for those of us looking to get our hands on a mobile broadband and free laptop deal. For just £10 more per month you can get a Orange Mobile broadband on a 24-month contract, with a free EE pC 901 Latop worth around £349!

The EE PC 901 Laptop:

• 8.9" screen
• Windows XP
• Wireless enabled
• 5 hrs battery life
• 2 yrs warranty

Orange also offers bundle deals, where Orange customers can get their mobile and home broadband in one package. For as little as £20 per month Orange customers can get a home broadband connection, with download speeds of up to 8Mb and whopping 10GB monthly download limit. This home and mobile broadband bundle deal includes a free wireless router and McAfee internet security software!

Virgin Mobile Broadband

Virgin Mobile is the mobile broadband offering from Virgin Media. The company that seems to specialise in everything telecoms and entertainment related have spread their wings into the mobile broadband world.

Mobile broadband from Virgin is straight forward and simple to use, and in true Virgin style, they’ve made mobile broadband look good!

Virgin mobile broadband uses the T-Mobile network, so the coverage is comprehensive wherever you are in the UK. It is worth bearing in mind though, that as a Virgin Mobile broadband customer, you do not get access to any of the T-Mobile WiFi hotspots.

With no connection fee, Virgin mobile broadband offers great value and a great super-sleek dongle too!

The Virgin Mobile Broadband USB Stick

• Self Installing
• 1.8Mb download speeds.
• MicroSD slot – use your mobile broadband dongle as a memory card reader.
• External aerial socket so you can connect to an external aerial and boost signal.

Virgin Mobile Broadband packages

Virgin Mobile Broadband packages come in two forms; ‘dongle only’ and ‘bundle’.

Virgin Mobile Broadband dongle only packages offers either a 1GB 3GB download allowance, with connection speeds of up to 1.8Mb. Monthly costs begin at just £15 per month and there are no set-up or connection fees for this mobile broadband package.

Virgin Media customers can add 3GB mobile broadband to their existing media bundles from just £5 each month.

It is worth noting that Virgin Mobile will charge you for going over your monthly download allowance, for more details on download allowances and excess usage charges, see our guides below.

O2 Mobile Broadband

O2 have arrived late to the mobile broadband scene with a spectacular USB stick modem. At present, O2's mobile broadband package is not as competitive as some of the others on offer; however the promise of excellent customer support and service may make this package worth its weight.

Although O2 made a late entrance to the mobile broadband party, it brought along a market-leading USB modem.

O2’s approach to mobile broadband, much like its approach to mobile phones, is to offer outstanding customer commitment.

O2 carried out a survey of mobile broadband customers at the end of last year, to find out what the general public really thought about mobile broadband services; they discovered that most people felt that they had been deceived about the cost of mobile broadband services. In response to their own findings, O2 cut mobile broadband costs and implemented changes that meant O2 mobile broadband customers could track any charges they are incurring on their mobile broadband account.

O2 Mobile Broadband USB stick

• Quad band GSM / GPRS / EDGE
• Tri-band UMTS / HSDPA 7.2Mb
• HSUPA 2.1 Mb support
• Connection speed up to 1.8 Mb
• Dimensions: 70 x 25 x 12 mm
• Weight: 37g
• Compatibility: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X (10.4 or 10.5)
• Plug and Play design - easy to install

O2 Mobile Broadband packages

O2 offer a range of packages to suit every kind of mobile broadband usage needs. Prices for a monthly contract start from as little as £10 per month for the first four months.

O2’s current mobile broadband promotion also includes a free Sony Ericsson Pay As You Go mobile phone, worth around £50. This makes the £10 per month, 3GB download allowance package really appealing, though the free mobile phone is available with all mobile broadband monthly packages.

• 1.2 Megapixel camera
• FM Radio
• Music Player
• Bluetooth
• 300 hours standby time
• Up to 7 hours talk time.
• Size 100 x 45 x 13mm

Mobile broadband terminology

3G network - 3G stands for third generation. A 3G network is the high speed data network that is used by a mobile phone companies to deliver mobile broadband services.

Data allowance / monthly download limit – This is the maximum amount of data that you are allowed to download or upload each month under the terms of your mobile broadband contract. It’s important you choose a mobile broadband contract with a big enough download limit as you could find yourself with some hefty charges for going over your download allowance.

PAYG - This stands for Pay As You Go a service which offers an alternative for people not wanting to sign up to a mobile broadband monthly contract.

Mobile internet - is another term that mobile broadband is known as.

Mobile broadband v WiFi/Wireless Broadband

• WiFi is restricted to small areas, mobile broadband is accessible anywhere where there is mobile phone coverage. Use it on a train, in a car or anywhere a mobile phone reception reaches.
• A number of security concerns have been raised in relation to WiFi signals, as they run on the same spectrum as microwaves and cordless phones, interferance with the line could result in delicate or financial information being intercepted.

It doesn't have to be and either/or situation when deciding which type of broadband to choose, as T-Mobile have combined the two offering access to over 1,200 free WiFi broadband areas in the UK with their mobile broadband packages.

The beauty of combining mobile broadband with WiFi hotspots is that it gives users the chance to use even faster connection speeds than possible via 3G. Some ISPs even have a WiFi search where you can enter your postcode to find out where the nearest free WiFi hotspot is. These hotspots are a fantastic supplement to any mobile broadband deal.

For more information read our mobile broadband and WiFi Hotspots guide.

Using mobile broadband

Mobile broadband could not be easier to use. When you get your mobile broadband USB stick/modem, plug it into your laptop and wait. After a few seconds the mobile broadband software will self-install and give you the option to connect to the internet. By clicking "connect" your mobile broadband modem connects to the internet and you're ready to use mobile internet.

When you're finished you can either click "disconnect" or unplug your USB stick to end your connection. It is possible to set limits on your mobile broadband usage to avoid over-using data allowance. Remember, if you are looking to use your mobile broadband 24/7 you should choose a package that has a high or unlimited (with T-Mobile) download allowance.

Mobile broadband and download allowances

Until recently those considering mobile broadband will have been put off by restrictive download allowances offered by the ISPs. In recent months, however, mobile operators such as 3 and T-Mobile have sought to redress this balance. With packages offering 1Gb, 3Gb, 5Gb, 7Gb,and 15Gb download allowances, 3 is generous as far as mobile broadband providers go.

At the start of the mobile broadband boom, people signing up to mobile broadband contracts were being put off by small, some would even say restrictive download allowances.

In recent months, as more and more of us have expressed the need for bigger monthly download allowances with our mobile broadband packages, the ISPs have given us what we’ve been crying out for.

T-Mobile is the most generous mobile broadband provider offering their mobile broadband customers unlimited downloads on their 24 month mobile broadband contract.

3 offers a 15GB monthly download allowance with their 18 month package. 15GB is a huge amount for most average mobile broadband users – if you are interested in downloading a lot of films or music with your mobile broadband, then this could be the kind of download allowance you need.

O2 is third when it comes to topping the mobile broadband download allowance charts. The O2 24 and 18 month mobile broadband packages both come with a 10GB monthly download allowance – again this should be more than enough for the average user.

Most mobile broadband providers were initially reluctant to offer unlimited download allowances with their mobile broadband packages because the cost of transferring data across 3G networks is more expensive than through home broadband technology. There was also a feeling that the system could quickly become overloaded if everyone had unlimited downloads, this could cause slowed or even lost connections across an entire network.

In line with their generosity when it comes to mobile broadband download allowances, T-Mobile are also notorious for being the most friendly when it comes to people who go over their monthly download allowance.

While others will charge extortionate amounts when you exceed your mobile broadband download allowance, T-Mobile may send you a letter in the post and ask you to keep an eye on usage if you use excessive amounts.

For more on broadband download allowance see our dedicated page what is download allowance?

Mobile broadband coverage

Depending on a number of factors, mobile broadband coverage varies. In order to check whether there is mobile broadband coverage in the area you will be connecting, click on the providers' websites and do a street check. The main factor effecting mobile broadband coverage is the distance from the mobile phone mast. The closer you are, unsurprisingly, the faster speeds you will be able to attain.

Excess usage charges

When you go outside the designated download allowance of your package set by Vodafone, 3 and Orange they will charge you excess fees per Mb or per Gb. T-Mobile offers "unlimited broadband" packages with a fair usage allowance of 3Gb on their plus package and 10Gb on their max package.

3 mobile broadband excess charges

• 10p per Mb
• £102 per Gb

Vodafone mobile broadband excess charges

• £15 per Gb

T-Mobile mobile broadband excess charges

£0 per Mb. T-Mobile is the only mobile broadband provider that does not charge excess fees to users who exceed their limit. In serious cases, where customers are using excessive amounts of data over a series of months, they are notified by post and told to bring their usage to a more reasonable level.

Orange mobile broadband excess charges

• 0.0146p per Mb
• £15 per Gb

For more information on excess usage charges see our guide Broadband charges

Mobile broadband abroad

Looking for a device that you can use when you're on holiday? Look no further. With mobile broadband you can take your USB stick/ USB dongle with you when you go abroad and connect to the internet with ease.

Overseas usage comes at a cost, as you might expect. These costs depend on the carrier you are with.

3 mobile broadband overseas charges

• EU: £3 per Mb
• Rest of world: £6 per Mb

Note: you can use 3 mobile broadband in countries including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy and Sweden. To do this you pay just 10p per Mb you use within your monthly allowance and £2 per Mb you use more than your inclusive allowance.

Vodafone mobile broadband overseas charges

• EU: £9.99 per 50Mb
• Rest of world: £4.99 per Mb

T-Mobile mobile broadband overseas charges

• EU: £1.50 per Mb
• Rest of world: £7.50 per Mb

Orange mobile broadband overseas charges

• EU: £4.11 per Mb
• Rest of world: £6.46 per Mb

For more information on using broadband abroad see our guide Broadband abroad

Mobile broadband dongles and fashion

3 have blazed an impressive trail in the field of mobile broadband in general and making dongles fashionable is one of their most exceptional feats. 3 added pink and black dongles to their range in December making them more appealing to a younger audience than ever before. In addition to this bold move, 3 partnered with Skins4Things to create bespoke stickers and skins to anoint their dongles.

3 skins are made to measure they protect your dongle from damage and stick on and peel off easily. 3 are not the only ones with an eye for detail however, Vodafone too have been paying mobile broadband dongles the attention they rightfully deserve – their new USB stick combines super-fast speeds with a cool and sleek design.

Broadband and free laptops

The mobility that mobile broadband offers customers makes it the perfect partner to be used on a laptop when on the go or at home. Though laptops are gaining popularity, they are considered too expensive for many. Considering this, the Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U, the Link and the ISPs themselves are now offering customers a free laptops when taken with a mobile broadband package. The range of mobile broadband offers now on the market represents amazing value.

3 and Vodafone for example have gained a major foothold in the free laptop market with a range of laptops on offer to suit student and business types alike. While the Carphone Warehouse deals come with a free Acer laptop or a free webbook, 3's current offers come with a range of laptops including the HP 530, the HP 2133 and the HP DV6000 models.

These deals are especially tempting for students who are looking at their broadband options and investing in a laptop. Customers stand to save over £150 by combining their mobile broadband and laptop, not only this but as bills are paid monthly they are given the opportunity to spread the cost of their laptop over a 12 or 18 month payment period.

For more great broadband and free laptop offers click here broadband and free laptops

Broadband and free netbooks

As mobile broadband becomes increasingly popular, computer manufacturers and phone networks are coming up with more and more ways to make it easy to get online on the go. The latest innovation in the mobile broadband world is netbooks.

Netbooks are super-light-weight laptops designed specifically for sticking in your brief case or handbag and carrying around for easy internet access. Several of the latest netbooks on the market now come with built-in broadband capabilities.

Built-in broadband means that you don't even need a mobile broadband dongle or USB stick to get online, you can connect to mobile broadband using the 3G network at the touch of a button.

Pay as you go mobile broadband

Pre paid mobile broadband or mobile internet as is it also known, is growing in popularity as data charges go down. 3 offer a range of pay as you go mobile broadband packages including pay as you go mobile broadband starter kits. The difference between these two options is that with straight-up pay as you go mobile broadband you pay for the dongle and then top it up with credit depending on how much you need.

The pay as you go mobile internet starter kits come preloaded with credit allowing you to get going straight away. They make the perfect Christmas stocking filler starting at just £69 (£49 for the dongle and £20 pre-loaded credit) starter kits are set to take the mobile internet market by storm.

30 day rolling contracts are also coming onto the UK mobile broadband increasingly. They are currently offered by T-Mobile and Vodafone.

Compare deals now pay as you go mobile broadband

3G mobile broadband

Mobile broadband, whether accessed via dongle or mobile phone, involves the use of 3G services. 3G technology is made possible by two complimentary technologies HSDPA and HSUPA (high speed download and upload packet access, respectively). 3G mobile broadband is often referred to as 3 mobile broadband.

These complimentary technologies enable mobile broadband users to access up to 7.2Mb speed downloads and uploads with speeds of up to 1.76Mb. Though mobile broadband dongles, USB sticks and data cards are currently the norm for people accessing mobile broadband, 3G laptops are becoming popular.

Vodafone. T-Mobile and 3 all offer high speed mobile broadband packages,and they cost as little as £10 per month.

For more information see this guide what is 3G?

Looking for faster mobile broadband connection >> compare fast mobile broadband deals.

In order to cut down on data charges, many mobile broadband operators compress images on websites. The only operator who doees't do this is 3, making it a popular choice for many.

A problem that many users have with mobile broadband is upload speeds; these are notoriously low making it timely to upload files onto the internet or into emails. It also makes web browsing slow making web browsing extremely difficult in some cases.

Growth in this area has led to a great deal of innovation, it has been mooted that mobile broadband will account for over 50% of broadband sales by 2010.

Mobile broadband press releases

Top 10 Broadband is dedicated to spreading news about mobile broadband sales and market trends far and wide. We see it as having the potential to take over from home broadband by 2010. As prices drop, speeds rise and download allowances climb there is no reason why it can't. At Top 10 Broadband, we track the up and coming trends in the broadband market with a keen nose, as a key mobile broadband partner for most of the operators we are in a unique position to uncover upcoming trends and patterns in the market before anybody else has a chance.

Here are some of our recent mobile broadband press releases:

Consumers turn to high quality video as broadband speeds soar

Free laptop deals boom as credit crunch Christmas looms

Free mobile broadband "inevitable": released 11/06/08

Goodbye home broadband hello mobile: released 28/02/08

Read all mobile broadband news mobile broadband news

At Top 10 Broadband we write more broadband-related news than anybody else and with mobile broadband taking off in the way we are noticing, mobile brodband is a hot topic. We constantly source and write mobile broadband news and are currently writing 6 broadband news articles a day (more than anybody else surely).

Future of mobile broadband

Speeds

Vodafone Mobile Broadband is currently the fastest mobile broadband on the market, offering download speeds of up to 7.2Mb. Vodafone intend to hang on to that top-spot if reports are to be believed; Mobile broadband dongle manufacturer Huawei has developed a dongle that can reach speeds of up to 28Mb.

It’s been reported that Huaiwe are working with Vodafone on the world’s first HSPA+ mobile broadband modem stick.

Vodafone has already announced that it has a dongle capable of achieving 16Mb download speeds, proving it’s commitment to offering customers superfast mobile broadband.

The other mobile broadband providers are eager to knock them off pole position, and are not only investing heavily in fast broadband but are reportedly not too far off making super-fast mobile broadband connections available to all of us.

3 has teamed up with Ericsson are planning to launch a 21Mb mobile broadband network in the near future.

The rollout of the high-speed 21Mb mobile broadband network will begin in Scandinavia, giving users massively improved access to both video and music content.

Modems

The release of newer, smaller, faster mobile broadband modems in the form of USB sticks, USB modems (dongles) and data cards are being released onto the UK market on a monthly basis. The largest producer of these devices is Huawei who currently supply USB sticks to 3, Vodafone and T-Mobile.

Innovation is driving this fast-moving market and design and technology advancements are working together to fuel this take-off and change people's perceptions of mobile broadband from luxury product to everyday essential. with 4G mobile broadband technology on the horizon that will blow away the present capabilities of 3G, it will surely become the default way to connect to the web over time.

In the past few months sales of mobile broadband combined with free laptops have grown exponentially leading some experts to predict that mobile broadband sales will be over-taken by those of mobile broadband with free laptops included. Industry speculators have also spoken of the inevitability of the development of laptops with inbuilt mobile broadband capabilities.

Technology

Currently, indoor mobile network reception - including HSDPA networks that are used for mobile broadband - tends to be less strong, meaning that data can be transferred less effectively than it can outdoors.

Femtocells are small broadband base stations that boost mobile reception and they could be used to improve mobile signals. Femtocells work by using fixed-line broadband connections to boost signal strength and are capable of carrying data over mobile signals at the same speed as the average broadband connection.

Femtocells could reverse the coverage patterns that currently exist making coverage better indoors rather than outdoors. The technology could allow users to connect to the internet on their mobile phones as they would with their fixed-line broadband connection.

One UK broadband provider to support the technology is O2, which announced last month that it has begun live femtocell trials, with a full nationwide launch expected in 2009.

Wireless mobile broadband

Following in the footsteps of home broadband, mobile broadband has gone totally wireless. Now you can plug your USB stick/dongle into a mobile broadband wireless router in order to create a wireless network area wherever you are.

Compare bestselling deals here wireless mobile broadband

Mobile broadband UK market

The mobile broadband market in the UK is growing month-on-month and some experts suggest that it will overtake home broadband in the coming months. At Top 10 Broadband, we have noted that the focus of the UK mobile broadband market has changed from dongle to laptop with UK customers looking to bundle their laptop purchase with their monthly mobile broadband subscription.

As well as free laptops you will also find loads of great netbook deals. Mobile broadband with a free netbook means mobile broadband that comes with a tiny lightweight laptop giving you instant portable internet connectivity wherever you go.

Compare all mobile broadband and free netbook deals Netbooks

With the credit crunch upon us, mobile broadband users in the UK are trying to save money while maintaining and improving their communications.

Mobile broadband is changing the broadband market

We have recently reported on the fact that ISPs are putting together a new mobile broadband code of conduct.

Reports indicate that the new mobile broadband code of conduct will work in a similar way to the previous code of conduct for fixed-line broadband. The idea is that this mobile broadband code of conduct will facilitate a much greater level of transparency when it comes to mobile broadband connection fees etc.

The mobile broadband code of conduct comes as a result of pressure from Ofcom who has threatened companies that do not provide mobile broadband speeds that they advertise.

4G mobile broadband

With the advent of new mobile broadband technology such as 4G and LTE (Long Term Evolution), this issue of limited download allowances are less likely to be a problem in the future. While download limits are such an issue for the mobile broadband market, mobile broadband buyers should compare packages with a view to finding the deal that best suits their needs.

Additionally, technologies like 4g will bring faster connections as a result of greater spectral efficiency. This will come at a lower cost to the mobile operators heightening the chances of mobile broadband overtaking fixed line broadband in the coming two years.

2008-2009 and the mobile broadband boom

Those who keep their eye on UK media will have noted that 2008 is (or was) the year that mobile broadband really started to take off.

In late 2007, 3 started the laptop mobile broadband craze by unveiling a suite of superbly-priced ‘mobile broadband dongles’ starting at just £10 a month.

They celebrated the occasion by launching a massive marketing push that saw 3 dongles plastered across newspapers, train station advertising hoardings, radio and TV adverts. Quite clearly, 3 mobile broadband and their nifty mobile dongles became inescapable, by January 2008 they were everywhere.

Hotfooting behind 3 in 2008, were Vodafone and T-Mobile who also unveiled their equally competitive mobile broadband packages. Not wanting to miss out on advertising saturation, they too carpet bombed British media with advertising for their mobile broadband deals and offers.

By April 2008, mobile broadband was literally everywhere and it became the buzz technology not just for geeks but for all sorts of people who craved mobile broadband internet on the go. All the while ‘dongles’ made their way into the hearts and minds of the UK broadband consumer - quickly becoming an easily recognised term.

Orange and O2 were close behind in offering mobile broadband USBs on monthly contracts, but did not have the impact that the early players had. O2 only offered mobile broadband USBs to their existing customer base and Orange bucked the trend of blanket advertising exposure by offering it’s deals via only a few select outlets without any major advertising push.

By the summer of 2008, mobile broadband sales were beginning to match those of home broadband in a real gear change towards mobile broadband dominating the broadband market.

In October 2008, Virgin launched their new range of mobile broadband packages via Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile Broadband operates under the Virgin Media brand.

2009 has seen many more changes in the mobile broadband market including the growth in payg mobile broadband market and an intensification of competition between the largest mobile broadband providers over who is going to be the biggest. In 2009 the mobile broadband market was dominated by Vodafone and 3 but now these mobile broadband providers have to contend with T-Mobile and O2 whose seriously competitive offers are changing the mobile broadband landscape drastically.