Mobile Broadband

Modems can vary in size, but are usually either dongles (usually about the same size as a small mobile phone with a short wire to connect to the computer) or sticks (that look exactly the same as computer memory sticks) and connect through the computer's USB port (the slim port that is often used to connect a camera, mouse, or phone, for example). USB modems are powered by the USB port, so they don't require an external power supply, making them completely portable.

How fast is it?

All mobile broadband modems work on the standard 2G network that is available almost anywhere in the UK (and internationally), but depending on the modem and the network operator they often also work on the faster EDGE 2G network, and even on the very fast 3G networks that now cover a very large proportion of the country - plus there is even support for 3.5G HSDPA networks, which are super-fast networks that are often a lot faster than even a landline broadband connection.

So what does this actually mean? Well firstly it's important to remember that the internet speed will depend on where you are, how strong the signal is, and which network you're using, but on the 3.5G networks you can reach speeds from 1.8 Mbps (which is a similar speed to normal landline broadband connections) up to a blisteringly quick 7.2 Mbps! However, maximum speeds are often only possible in city centres with good line of sight to the mobile phone mast, but even when this isn't possible you can still get very fast speeds on a 3G connection. Before entering into a contract it's always a good idea to check the signal strength in your area, so we've listed some network coverage checkers at the end of this guide to help you make sure that the coverage is going to be adequate.

What do I need to get it?

Mobile broadband is available to pretty much anyone with a modern computer. All you need is:

• Computer running Windows 2000/XP/Vista or Mac OS 10.4 (or above)
• Minimum of 50 MB hard drive space
• A free USB port

Do I need to be an existing customer?

Nope - anyone can sign up for a mobile broadband contract with any provider without having to buy or own a mobile from the same network.

How much data will I need?

Data is measured in gigabytes (GB) and your allowance will determine how much information (web pages, emails, videos, music, photos, etc.) you can download. The average user will probably only use 3 GB of data each month, but this varies from person to person so it's worth thinking about how much you'll use before buying. Some networks set a limit at how much you can download and then charge you extra if you go over this limit. Others offer unlimited downloads, but these are always subject to a fair use policy (that is, they expect you to stay within a certain realistic limit and you may be charged extra if you go over it by downloading an unreasonable amount of data) so it's definitely worth checking this with the specific deal you're looking at before deciding. Here is a rough guide as to how much you can get with a certain allowance: