If you are anything at all like me, you are addicted to the Internet. While my addiction has not yet reached the Internet Anonymous stage, I definitely am a junkie and cannot get enough of just knowing what is going on all the time and keeping in touch with my friends and family via email and the social networking sites. Fortunately for me however, I don’t need to go without the Internet anymore as with the advent of Mobile Broadband I can keep up with what is important to me, both at home and on the road! Here is a list of 5 things to consider when choosing your Mobile Broadband provider.
1. Signal Strength – Your Mobile Broadband connection is really only as good as the signal that your device is able to receive. While most of the providers have a fairly good level of coverage in built up urban area’s there are distinct differences between them when you get out in the more remote areas of the country. If you are planning on using your device in one of these areas, you would be very smart to check this out in advance.
2. PAYG or Contract – Pay As You Go (PAYG) with devices on Mobile Broadband networks is very similar to Mobile phones (not surprising really as it’s the underlying same network and the same companies providing the service!) and just like Mobile phones, you can “top up” your usage if and when required. However, the rate at which you pay for data on PAYG is significantly more than if you were to pay for a monthly contract so while the flexibility of PAYG appeals, care must be taken to ensure that the choice is appropriate to your needs.
3. Downloading and Over usage – Depending upon whether you choose to go with a PAYG service or a monthly contract, you will have a certain amount of data available for you to use. As mentioned earlier, if you exceed your allotment with PAYG you can top it up, similarly if you are on a monthly contract and exceed your usage, you can also pay for more data. However expect to pay quite a bit more in both instances for this, so if you can ensure that you choose a plan up front that provides you with a bit of a buffer in terms of how much you are going to use.
4. Freebies and Deals – The great thing about some of the new Mobile Broadband packages out there are the deals that are on offer for new subscribers! While a USB dongle is not too expensive, getting it for free is always better than having to pay for it, and considering that this is on the low end of the deals on offer, you would be very foolish for not taking a look at what you can get simply for signing up for a service that you were going to get any ways!
5. Price – Price must always be a consideration, as while the Internet is undoubtedly useful and is able to save you money in quite a few different ways, paying too much for something – especially if you already have residential Internet access available and this is your second connection – is never nice. While I mentioned in the earlier point that the Mobile Broadband providers are offering some significant deals – make sure that you do the math, as while some of the items are essentially free, some of the more expensive items – Laptops and Tablet PCs for example – have a slight surcharge added to the cost of your normal broadband service.
