Pay as you go broadband dongles offer the most flexible option for occasional use. You pay a small upfront fee for the broadband dongle then buy top-up credits for any additional data you use. If you are unsure of how much mobile broadband you are going to use then opt for this service.
If you are likely to surf the web more often then you should get a monthly contract - for higher usage they offer better value for money. For cost efficiency consider either a 1-month rolling contract or a 12 month contract. If you opt for a longer contract you will be given the dongle for free.
More information about broadband dongles
A broadband dongle is perfect for cruising the internet or reading your email when you are out on the road with a laptop computer. In particular, a pay as you go dongle will (after £30 spent on the dongle) allow you to add additional credit to a mobile broadband account with a credit or debit credit when you plan to use it.
Get a Free dongle
If you are prepared to sign-up initially for a longer period with a mobile broadband / phone operator (usually 12-24 months long) then they are likely - as part of the deal - to offer you a free dongle or even a free laptop. The mobile operator will see that you are legally tied into them for a long-contract and offer you a reward of the free dongle of laptop upfront. You will often be offered a free dongle for relatively little commitment (they don’t cost much to the mobile provider), but, in order to get a free laptop you are going to have to make a contract/time commitment in excess of £400. An additional pro of signing to a long contract is that the mobile broadband provider will give you higher levels of downloads each month than a non-contract dongle customer - so you can cruise the internet for longer (and less money per GigBit of data) than Pay as you go customers.
Pricing options
When you think of broadband dongles you can be baffled by the sheer number of options and tariffs. The best thing to do is think of a pay as you dongle contract just as you would a pay as you go mobile phone - you keep the phone ready to go and occasionally top it up when your credit gets low but you wouldn't top it up with £50 with no intention of using the credit - buy the dongle up-front and top it up as you need it. if you are going to use a broadband dongle lots then go for a contract.
Broadband dongle speeds
Watch your speed! Remember though that with mobile broadband dongles is the access to the web is via a mobile phone connection - this slows the average connection speed from home broadband speeds of up to 8mb to a mobile broadband connection speed of 1mb.
In some rare instances, a broadband dongle may be faster than a BT broadband connection. This would occur in rural areas where a home is a long way from a BT exchange but a mobile phone mast is just round the corner. Don’t get any illusions though - on the whole mobile broadband dongles are no match in speed for fixed location broadband... they do however offer the flexibility of connecting from anywhere.
In some rare instances, an broadband dongle may be faster than a BT broadband connection. This would occur in rural areas where a home is a long way from a BT exchange but a mobile phone mast is just round the corner.
What is an broadband dongle?
A dongle is a small device, similar in size to a USB memory stick. Similar to mobile handset it contains a SIM and a built-in mobile aerial to connect to a mobile network via a local mobile phone mast. The technology is simple and this is why the cost of buying a dongle is low at about £30.
Who are broadband dongles for?
Anyone with a modern computer can use an broadband dongle but they are best suited to laptop computers that are being used when you are out on the road, away from home or on the road. Businesses and students are the core users of mobile broadband dongles but you see people using all over the place, especially where people are away from the home (whether that be in the park, on the train or in an airport).
Using broadband dongles abroad
You can use a broadband dongle when abroad and this is perfect for intermittent use and travellers caught in airports. Do always check with your mobile broadband provider that (1) they support international roaming and (2) what the extra charges would be say "you used your dongle while at your holiday home in Spain." Ask the provider the question or check on their website for their international roaming costs.... always read the small print because mobile operators tend to sting you with overseas usage.
