Some Tips Regarding Mobile Broadband Connections
Before we go into the nuances of the broadband connections for mobile phones let us first see what mobile broadband actually means. It is typically your access to the Internet where the connectivity is passed across the 3G phone network in the place of the telephone lines or fibre optic cables. Do you have a smartphone and are you planning to look for a mobile broadband connection for it? Some of the most important factors to look into are the type of connection, the provider and the kind of deal or package that will best suit your requirements. When you take up a mobile broadband connection package you are generally offered between 1 and 5 GB data allowance every month and some of the packages even allow subscribers to access the Wi-Fi hotspots in places like airports, hospitals, etc. This facility allows you to surf the Internet without bringing down your 3G usage limit.
For those people who are looking for an Internet connection when they are travelling this is one of the best options. The connectivity speeds are quite good and they are priced nominally too. It is helpful to people who necessarily have to access the Internet for official use, though quite often depending on the locations speed could probably suffer. You can avail of the 3G mobile broadband connectivity from any provider who deals with at least one service that includes T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3 Broadband.
When you subscribe for a 3G connection you will require certain extra equipment and your mobile broadband provider will see to it that you have them. Usually you are provided a plug and play ‘dongle’ which is a USB device resembling a pen drive. This contains a SIM card which is what permits you to connect to the ISP whom you have selected. Just plug the device into the port and start using the Internet. The speed is generally 7.2 Mbps.
There are other devices like the 3 MiFi that is supplied with a dongle that need not be connected to your phone. This device works by making a localized Wi-Fi hotspot via which the Internet can be accessed using any device that supports Wi-Fi features. This is best used on iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches or any other device that may not have a USB port. You also have the SIM facility where the SIM can be straight away inserted into specific types of Laptops, notebook or iPads.
You have to take into account the amount of data that you may be downloading to decide what package will suit you best. For this get to know the different packages and what they offer and what are their terms of contract. There are many types of packages to choose from.
You have a monthly package where you pay a certain amount for a month, but find out their download limits. These packages can be taken for a month or up to eighteen months and the longer you select the lower will be your one time payment. You also have the ‘pay-as-you-go mobile broadband packages that are best for people who browse the Internet on and off and who will not have much downloading to do. When you get your dongle you will have to keep topping it up like you would do on your PAYG mobile phone.
The Pay Up Front package comes with a per filled dongle that allows you a specific amount of usage say 1GB, but you can ask for and get dongles loaded with 12 GB too and the validity of this will be for a year.
One thing you have to understand is that mobile broadband is not as fast as the home connections, though the speeds they offer are good enough to browse the Internet, get connected with social network groups, and download music. However downloading movies may not be possible. Download limits will depend on the packages that you take.
They are not really extremely pricey, though the onus is on you to choose the right package for your needs. Therefore when opting for a certain package, ensure that you have done the necessary comparisons and select the right one.
There are some dongles that can be connected to your computer too, especially if you are using Mac or Windows PC. If they are not compatible you could always try to find out why they are not compatible or even opt for a different type of service that can do away with the dongle. There are also mobile broadband for Linux platforms like the 3 Broadband type or the MiFi devices.
Generally coverage will depend on the country and whether you are close to a 3G mast, which means the further you are away from a mast the weaker your signals will be. In addition the building, the number of people using the 3G connectivity in the area etc. will affect your coverage.
