USB Mobile Broadband Modems
This page contains information on how to use a USB modem for Internet access on a laptop.
Mobile Internet USB Modems?
If you want to get high-speed mobile Internet access from your laptop while on the move, you'll want to consider getting yourself a Mobile Broadband modem. These are small, pocket-sized dongles that plug into a spare USB slot on your laptop.
USB broadband dongles use the mobile phone data network to get fast Internet access without needing to be plugged into a landline or to have wi-fi.
Most of the UK network operators now offer USB modems and high-speed data access. Typically you'll be looking to pay upwards of £10 a month for the service, although a pay-as-you-go option is also available with most UK network operators.
UK USB Modem providers:
Here's a summary of the Mobile Broadband offers from some of the UK Network Operators:
O2 Mobile Broadband - They're offering a PC and Mac compatible USB dongle on a £10 a month tariff, with a 1 gig a month data transfer cap. Alternatively, for occasional mobile surfers, get a USB modem dongle for £20 and pay daily or weekly as required. A flexible offering. Details on our o2 Broadband page, or at broadband.o2.co.uk/mobile |
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T-Mobile Mobile Broadband - Their Mobile Broadband Plus tariff provides high speed mobile Internet access (up to 1.8Mbps) using a USB broadband modem. The USB modem is sent for next-day delivery. T-Mobile's Mobile Broadband service costs £15 a month (there's a monthly "fair usage" limit of 3Gigs a month). There's also a Pay-As-You-Go option. More at www.t-mobile.co.uk |
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BT Mobile Broadband If you're considering signing or switching to BT's home broadband service, you can pick up a BT Mobile Broadband USB modem for as little as a one-off £9.99, with a free allowance of a Gig a month. More details on BT's Mobile Broadband offering on the BT Mobile Broadband site. |
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Vodafone Mobile Broadband - Speeds of up to 7.2Meg, Vodafone's Mobile Broadband is now Half Price for Life - at £15 a month for 3 gig per month. Available with a USB modem. More details at www.vodafone.co.uk. |
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USB Modem Reviews
We've reviewed a couple of UK mobile broadband services on this site:
- o2 Mobile Broadband: This is currently our preferred mobile broadband provider, as they offer an option to get a day's worth of mobile broadband for a fixed price, without a contract. See our review of o2 Mobile Broadband, or go to broadband.o2.co.uk/mobile.
- 3 Mobile Broadband: 3 is a network well known for its mobile data services. We reviewed their offering and the ZTE USB modem. See our review of 3 Mobile Broadband, or go to 3's Mobile Internet site.
Mobile Broadband Top Tip
OnSpeed runs in the background speeding up your Internet connection and compressing data automatically. See our OnSpeed Review or visit www.onspeed.com |
Your questions
Q. If your computer isn't wifi enabled, can you still use a broadband dongle ? Do you need a separate wifi dongle, or is that included in the broadband dongle? (Maki).
Yes, you can use a USB broadband dongle if your computer doesn't have wi-fi. USB broadband dongles use the 3G mobile phone network, not wi-fi.
Got a question about USB Modems or Mobile Broadband? Ask us! |
Useful Mobile Broadband Links:
- Mobile Internet - Mobile access on laptops, mobile phones and PDAs
- 3G in the UK - More information about 3G data networks in the UK
- o2 Mobile Broadband - Details of o2's Broadband dongle
- 3 Mobile Broadband - A summary of 3's mobile internet offering
- UK Mobile Phone FAQ - Need help with UK phone settings or networks? Try here
- Dell laptops - Looking for a new laptop? Build your own Dell
- Mobile phone connectivity - Help with getting your mobile phone online for mobile surfing.
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