Mobile broadband is sent to customers by mobile phone signals and can be accessed on numerous devices, including mobile phones, tablet computers, laptops, and PCs. You can usually get mobile broadband from network providers, such as Vodafone, Three, o2, etc, as a one-off service or as part of a bundled mobile phone tariff. If you need broadband on the move you will usually be given a USB ‘dongle’. A dongle is essentially a portable modem which can be used with any of the above devices, provided they have a USB port.

There has been a lot of attention on the cost of mobile broadband in recent months due to the changes within the EU. The roaming data charges from internet service providers were sending mobile phone bills through the roof as people were unaware of the true costs of using the internet abroad. The focus is now turning to the cost of mobile broadband here in the UK, and whether it is a suitable alternative to standard home broadband.

Mobile phone broadband tariffs

The way we use our mobile phones has significantly changed since the introduction of smartphones. Nearly every day most of us access the internet on our phones to check emails, download apps, read the news and use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This has led to the majority of phone tariffs including a data allowance or having it as an additional bolt-on to the standard package. This is often one of the easiest ways to save money and have access to mobile internet.

Mobile broadband dongle

Alternatively, you might be looking for a mobile broadband stick or dongle which can be inserted into any portable device with a USB connection. These prices can range from £5 per month right up to £50 per month, depending on the package you choose.

On Vodafone £5 per month can buy you a monthly 3GB data allowance but this would tie you into a 24 month contract and work out at an average of £1.66 per GB data. If you have a bigger budget, you could get better value for money – for example, Three offers a monthly 15GB data allowance on a 24 month contract for £15.99 per month, which means a cost of £1.06 per GB, saving you 60p per GB.

Home broadband comparison

If you spend most of your time at home, you might not need mobile broadband, or perhaps when you are home you use the internet a lot to watch movies or download music. If this is the case, mobile broadband would not suit you as it usually has tight download limits and lower speeds. However, it can come in handy if you can’t access any other type of internet connection but get a good mobile phone signal.

For example, for £6.50 per month Talk Talk offers a home broadband package including a free wireless router, 40GB monthly download limit, and completely free evening and weekend landline calls. This would work out at around £0.16 per GB of data plus all the added extras – a significant saving on the mobile broadband prices.

Value for money

When you break it down, the cost of mobile broadband per GB, even for the cheapest packages, is far higher than that of home broadband. One thing that consumers need to consider is how much data they actually use. It seems ridiculous to have home broadband installed with huge 40GB download limits if you only access the internet to check a few emails each day. Sometimes, the best value for money is not the best option, and consumers need to think about what they use. For example, it might be better for you to opt for a £5 package because you only consume 500MB data per month, making anything more expensive a waste of money. Mobile broadband is far more expensive per MB or GB than home broadband, but based on the luxury and flexibility it offers, it is not too expensive.