How to choose a mobile broadband package and broadband dongle

We know the market can be confusing with so many different options, hopefully this article will help you make a clear and concise selection based around your individual needs.
After you've read this page, you should be ready to choose the broadband dongle you actually need.

First of all we need to establish “what for?”

What will you be using Mobile Broadband for?

If you're going to be using it strictly for email and just browsing a few of your favourite sites then you need to be opting for a low use package with a 1GB or 3 GB download allowance. 1GB is enough for simple tasks like this. You can view all of the 1GB packages and compare prices here. Or if you want to opt for slightly more you can view our 3GB packages here.

Streaming and Downloading

If you want to do more with your broadband such as downloading music, browsing YouTube and viewing streaming media such as BBC iPlayer then this will require a lot more allowance. To indulge in this you will definitely need a considerable amount of download allowance. If you frequently view videos online and download music then the minimum realistic allowance you will need is 3GB. However, if you wanted to play it safe and have some room to breathe then 5GB would be a much wiser choice.
Tip: Windows updates are often extremely large in size and could contribute to as much as 1GB of your allowance or more.

Heavy use

For heavy users who play a lot of online games or download large files (music, videos, game demos) and generally need a lot of usage. We have 7GB and even 15GB packages that offer you a complete solution and should cater for all your needs without any extra charges on top of your price plan.

Mobile broadband speed

The next thing you should consider is download speed.

Some providers offer faster download speeds than others. This can be an important factor if your time on the internet is limited each day. Faster download and browsing would mean that time would be spent more productively as opposed to waiting for large downloads to finish and web pages to load.

The choices that you have available are:


The higher this number the faster you will be able to download files and browses the internet. Although, it isn’t as black and white as that may seem. These speeds can vary drastically depending on the network coverage. That brings us onto the next topic.

Mobile broadband network coverage

Just like your trusty mobile phone, the USB-modems need to be in the right area to work properly. This is going to be the over ruling factor in making your selection. You may be liking the sound of Vodafone’s 7.2Mbps download speeds, but what use is that if you’re in an area that can’t get any signal. So, we have provided you with the links to check the 3G signal in your area by simply entering your postcode and clicking a button. It couldn’t be any simpler.

Check your network coverage at any of the following links:

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