Mobile broadband coverage

The speeds that you are likely to enjoy using mobile broadband depend on a number of factors. It is therefore important that you consider your location before choosing your package.

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Factors that impact mobile broadband coverage

The mobile broadband provider you are with
Distance from mobile phone mast
Height of buildings between you and the mast
Thickness of walls in your house

Mobile broadband coverage can be hit-and-miss in certain areas, so, as a rule of thumb it is worth considering the quality of the mobile phone coverage in the area where you will predominantly be using it.

The key UK mobile broadband operators are:

Click off the above pages to check the coverage in the area you will predominantly be connecting from.

Mobile broadband: compare the UK's best deals here.

Fast mobile broadband:

Orange, O2 and 3 offer speeds of up to 3.6Mb, while T-Mobile customers can expect a maximum connection speed of 4.5Mb. Vodafone and Virgin Media offer greater speeds of up to 7.2Mb - making them the fastest mobile broadband providers.

Mobile broadband sticks and coverage

Depending on the type of USB modem or MiFi you are using, your speed can vary. For example, though speeds of 7.2Mb are available on Vodafone, these are only available using the Vodafone USB stick. Conversely, speeds of up to 3.6Mb are available with the USB modem (dongle). It is therefore worth considering the device you will be using to connect to the internet when choosing your package.

People using a MiFi may also find that their connection speed is slower when the signal is being shared between multiple devices.

4G mobile broadband and the future

4G will replace 3G as the technology upon which mobile broadband operates. Put simply, 4G technology will mean that the mobile airwaves are utilised in a more efficient manner. This means that data will be able to travel across the airwaves faster than ever before.

4G will mean that coverage is no longer the issue that it currently is, as coverage will be more widespread. Although though discrepancies in speed are inevitable, 4G technology will improve mobile broadband coverage for everyone.

Additionally, laptops with inbuilt modems are on the market - bypassing the need for MiFis and dongles. Such laptops connect to the internet wirelessly via mobile phone networks without the need for external modems. In the meantime, people who want to connect to the internet via laptops must decide between the different types of mobile modems.

Those considering investing in a laptop would do well to click on our broadband and free laptop page

To learn more about mobile broadband see our what is mobile broadband page.