| Why does speed matter to me?
The speed of your mobile broadband connection is very important should you wish to download large files such as movies or music, or watch online streaming videos on sites such as You Tube or indeed upload your photos to social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace. The faster the connection, the less time you will have to wait for a download to complete, or the less time you will have to wait for a streaming video to load. High mbps is best!
So who is fastest?
On the back of their advertising campaigns, the leader of the pack appears to be Vodafone, with a claimed speed of up to 7.2 mbps, ranking it up with some of the fastest fixed line broadband on the market. But can Vodafone live up to this claim and is mobile broadband really be as fast as the traditional home broadband using cable or a BT landline?
Well, research by the BBC journalist Rory Cellan Jones suggests that the majority of the UK would be lucky to get anywhere near this speed using their mobile broadband dongle. The reality is that the meaning of ‘up to’ is actually ‘at very best’ and therefore in most cases you will not receive this speed. Comparing the leading mobile broadband providers at a glance, we can see that the advertised speed for each is:
02 - up to 1.8 mbps
Orange - up to 1.8 mbps
3 - up to 3.6 mbps (improvements ongoing to provide 7.2 mbps)
Vodafone - up to 7.2 mbps
T-Mobile - up to 4.5 mbps
Virgin - up to 4.5 mbps (using T-Mobile network)
So, from first glance, you would think that the fastest and best mobile broadband for you would be Vodafone and then T-Mobile and Virgin would be the next best options. As mentioned, this may be best for a few of you, but for most, this really may just depend on where you live and where you will be using your mobile broadband connection.
How to get the right mobile broadband deal for you
The general consensus is that most mobile broadband connections will currently struggle to reach above 2.0 mbps but you can get a better idea by popping your post code in to the mobile broadband coverage checkers available on the providers websites:
Coverage checkers: 3 T-Mobile Vodafone Virgin O2 Orange
If you are thinking of switching your current ISP for mobile broadband, we would recommend that you compare the speed you get from the coverage checker with your current speed using a broadband speed checker . This will give you a much better idea of what is truly on offer for you from the mobile broadband providers, and if your connection would slow down should you switch from your current provider to mobile broadband package.
If you are purchasing mobile broadband for the first time, then you can get a like for like speed check to help aid your decision and work out what is the best mobile broadband deal for you. Mobile broadband speed is not always what it seems!!!
In in all, mobile broadband is a fantastic option for internet on the move and speed is improving and will continue to improve, with providers like Vodafone and 3 leading the way in this pursuit. Ultimiately mobile broadband could be as fast if not faster than a fixed line broadband service with the introduction of 4G technology, however for the moment it’s best to check your speeds before signing up. |
