__________________________________________________________________________________
Simple steps to getting mobile broadband
It’s never been easier to get yourself a mobile
broadband package and, with lots of competitive deals available
from the mobile network providers, the process can be
surprisingly cost-effective too.
If you love the thought of being able to stay online even when
you’re not at home then mobile broadband can let you do
this and a whole lot more besides. Web browsing, catching up with
emails and just about anything else you would normally carry out
on a PC back home can now be done quickly and cheaply on the
move.
You don’t need to be a technical whiz’ in order to
do it either. In fact, getting set up with mobile broadband is
incredibly straightforward. By following a few simple steps and
doing your homework before signing on the dotted line
you’ll be in a much better position to get a deal
that’ll revolutionise the way you use your computer, email
and the internet.
1. Price
We all need to keep a keen eye on costs in these recessionary
times so what you pay for a mobile broadband package is crucial.
You’ll find that mobile broadband packages can be purchased
from most if not all of the same network providers who sell
mobile phones. So lookout for competitive packages from the big
names. To get the best overview of what’s on offer, head to
a price comparison website like Mobile Broadband Genie.
A site like this acts as a ‘one-stop-shop’ and allows
instant comparison of what’s available.
2 So what’s on offer?
There are many different mobile broadband packages and they
suit all sorts of different people. If you merely want to dip
your toe into the water and don’t want to commit to a
contract then an entry level ‘pay-as-you-go’ deal
makes good sense. You simply pay for the amount of the service
you use; in just the same way as you would with a pay-as-you-go
mobile phone. If you expect to use the service more frequently
then head for the contract section, which will generally mean
that you pay a set-up fee and then a monthly charge.
3 Examine the deals
If you’ve got an idea of how much you think you’ll
use the service and also how much you’d be happy to pay
it’s then possible to explore what sort of small print may
affect what you want to do after that. Mobile broadband deals can
have lots of things listed in the terms and conditions that may
not suit what you want to do with the service. For example, there
are often limits for how much data you can download at any given
time, so if you are a movie or catch-up TV buff then it can often
be easy to go over these limits if you’re downloading lots
of content to watch on your machine.
Similarly, there are often high charges for using a mobile
broadband service overseas, so if you’re likely to want to
do this then you’ll need to spend extra time finding a
package that’ll fit the bill. By picking your way thought
these details on a price comparison website you can compare
like-for-like and ensure that there won’t be any nasty
surprises further down the line once you have become
contractually obligated to a mobile company.
4 Explore the features
Spend plenty of time comparing the different features that are
offered in the various mobile broadband packages. Alongside a
competitive price, a decent speed of service is crucial and this
should also be up there alongside the availability of coverage as
one of the top things to expect from a mobile broadband service.
Remember though that mobile broadband coverage can sometimes be a
bit hit and miss in much the same way as it can with mobile
phones, so use comparison websites to help you get an overview of
these coverage and performance issues.
5 The need for speed
That requirement for quality coverage and, more importantly, a
decent speed of service is crucial. Browsing the web and reading
emails is one thing, but mobile broadband can allow you to watch
TV and stream radio from the internet but only if you have a
package that’s sufficiently capable of doing it. Speed of
service is often made to sound much more impressive than it
really might be. For example, download speeds often refer to the
maximum speed a package is capable of but it’s often less
in real terms. Nevertheless, a slowest entry-level speed of
around 1.8 MB is common and comparable to many home-based
broadband services on the market.
6 Need a better package?
It’s possible to get faster mobile broadband but you
will have to expect to pay more in order to do this. Vodafone,
for example, has recently announced an upgrade to its network
which will make it the fastest mobile broadband provider
currently in the UK, although with the market being so
competitive this status is likely to be short lived. You’ll
find that many networks offer impressive sounding packages, but
it’s often best to ask people who already use the service
if they’re getting the sort of speeds advertised. Chances
are they’re not, so be wary that you don’t commit to
something that will not meet your needs.
7 The right package?
If you’re an ‘average’ style user there are
plenty of options that’ll give you a perfectly adequate
online experience, which allows surfing of the web and email
activity. In order to experience the most from your mobile
broadband service you’ll need to have a fairly up to date
laptop PC, or perhaps one of the newer and smaller netbook
machines. This is like a dinkier rival to a standard laptop and
will often be cheaper to buy although also sports a lower
technical specification. Some mobile networks will give you a
laptop as part of a special package and although it is promoted
as free the overall charge for a monthly service will probably
have this factored in.
8 The next step
After you’ve decided how much you want to pay and
considered the sort of online experience you require from a
mobile broadband package you’ll also have to check what
sort of additional kit will be needed and if that’s part of
the deal you're interested in. The majority of mobile
broadband packages work by using a ‘dongle’, which is
a small plastic device that plugs into a USB slot on your
machine. This then picks up the mobile broadband signal and
connects you to the World Wide Web via the mobile network
you’ve signed up with. Alternatively, some use a data card
to do the same thing. You’ll also need to sign on the
dotted line and commit to a mobile broadband contract (unless
you’ve decided on PAYG) and these are generally in the
range of 12, 18 or 24 months long.
Once you’ve done that a whole new world of mobile
computing lies before you.
About the author: Rob Clymo writes on behalf of www.broadbandgenie.co.uk, the
independent comparison website for broadband and mobile
broadband.
|
