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With such a wide range of traditional broadband deals on the market, customers often forget about mobile broadband. If you want to learn more about mobile broadband and its benefits, this article covers the most common questions and the best mobile broadband providers.
Mobile broadband differs from traditional broadband by sending data over a wireless network in the same way you access data on a smartphone. Due to the exclusion of copper or fibre optic cables, mobile broadband has fewer accessibility issues and can be used by people living in remote areas of the country.
It is important to remember that having mobile data on a smartphone is not the same as having mobile broadband in your home; home mobile broadband can be accessed via a sim card installed in a mobile broadband device, such as a dongle or mobile router. These all use a 3G, 4G or 5G network, with the latter being the fastest but least accessible across the UK. Here are some of the key takeaways from the most popular mobile broadband solutions:
| Broadband provider | Deal name | Type of broadband | Contract length | Downloads | Price* | Upfront charges | Extras (included in the cost) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O2 | Alcatel Pocket hotspot 4G | 4G | 24 months | 5GB | £11/m | £0 | Three months of Disney Plus |
| O2 | Alcatel Pocket hotspot 4G | 4G | 12 months | 5GB | £14/m | £0 | Three months of Disney Plus |
| Three | Three 4G Hub | 4G | 24 months | Unlimited | £22/m | £0 | First six months half price |
| Three | Three 5G Hub | 5G | 24 months | Unlimited | £22/m | £0 | First six months half price |
| Vodafone | 4G Mobile Hotspot | 4G | 24 months | Unlimited | £20/m | £0 | N/A |
| Vodafone | 5G Mobile Hotspot | 5G | 24 months | 4GB | £15/m | £0 | N/A |
| EE | Smart 5G Hub | 5G | 18 months | 500GB | £45/m | £100 | N/A |
*Prices correct as of 13 February 2024 and may include limited-time offers
Only several of the best broadband providers offer mobile broadband in the UK, limiting your scope in terms of range. Due to the nature of mobile broadband, you will not find restrictions in terms of postcode, but signal and speed will still vary depending on the region.
Vodafone
Vodafone offers a variety of mobile broadband deals, including wifi hotspots, dongles and sim cards. These vary in price, with the cheapest unlimited data solution costing £20 per month for 24 months.
EE
UK residents can get wifi hotspots and hubs from EE, with the company’s Smart 5G Hub costing £45 per month and £100 upfront on an 18-month contract.
O2
O2 may not provide any traditional broadband solutions, but it does offer dongles, mobile routers and wifi hotspots. The cheapest option is the Dongle 4G, which comes with 5GB of data for £10 per month.
Three
Three offers mobile broadband for up to 10 devices, with products including data only sims and wifi hotspots. You can top up the sims every month or pay as you go for more flexibility.
Now that you have a better understanding of how mobile broadband works, you must consider whether it will be a good fit for your household. Mobile broadband comes with some key advantages and downfalls that you should be aware of before committing to a deal.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Portable solutions (including sims and dongles) can be used on the go and switched between devices | Connectivity to 4G or 5G networks is heavily dependent on your region, with some areas having no reception at all |
| Better accessibility for those in remote areas without access to fibre optic cables | Some providers limit the amount of data you can use per month, making it unreliable for those with internet-intensive habits or workloads |
| More flexible than traditional contracts, with multiple providers offering pay as you go or no-contract models, making them ideal for renters | Like traditional broadband, speeds will generally be slower during peak hours, usually in the evening |
| Much safer and more reliable than connecting to public wifi | May not come with the additional benefits of home broadband, such as phone or TV packages |
| No need for a landline to access the internet | Can be more expensive than traditional broadband, although this will depend on your provider |
| No expensive installation charge due to the easy nature of the setup | Older smartphones, tablets or laptops won’t be able to access 4G or 5G networks, which are more desirable than 3G due to the higher speeds |
| Ideal backup in scenarios where your home broadband goes down or you are without broadband when moving house |
5G is the fastest type of mobile broadband, taking over from 4G and 3G. 5G mobile broadband works in the same way as other types of mobile broadband, connecting to devices via a wireless network from a sim, dongle or wifi hotspot.
According to an Ofcom report from 2023, the level of 5G coverage provided outside of the premises by at least one mobile network operator rose to between 85 and 93 per cent, allowing more people across the country to connect to mobile broadband. Accessibility to 5G mobile broadband will depend on where you live, with rural communities generally seeing less coverage than urban areas.
5G is the fastest mobile broadband network in the country. 5G has the potential to deliver download speeds of up to 200Mbps and is generally 10 times faster than 4G.
Some providers offer unlimited mobile broadband data, while some cap your limit. If you intend to use your mobile broadband for heavy workloads or share it with multiple people, look for unlimited mobile broadband deals to avoid going over your data limit and incurring fees.
MiFi is an umbrella term for wifi hotspot devices. They are small, portable devices that allow multiple users to connect to the internet without the need for a home broadband service.
