Guide to mobile broadband for the over 50′s
Posted on October 14, 2010 by admin
There’s no doubt that the internet and email has been beneficial for anyone who has adopted it, and that’s certainly the case for the over 50′s. Having instant access to anything and everything in cyberspace can revolutionise the way you run your life, with facts, figures and fun all being at your fingertips.
Added to that, there is now the convenience factor associated with mobile broadband. This takes the essence of a high-speed internet connection that you’ve got at home or in the office, but allows you to take your connectivity with you, pretty much where you go.
Mobile broadband basics
There’s plenty of choice if you’re on the lookout for a great mobile broadband deal, with something to suit every kind of budget too. If you’re a newcomer to the technology then fear not, it’s actually very straightforward to get yourself a mobile broadband package. Beginners, for example, might like to investigate a mobile broadband dongle pay-as-you-go deal whereby you only pay for the time you’re connected.
There are lots of these around from all of the leading mobile providers. Mobile broadband with a dongle allows you to access the internet and email while you’re on the move by using this small plastic device to plug into a laptop or smaller netbook computer. It works in a similar way to mobile phones and taps into the same kind of network. It can be reasonably speedy too.
Searching for providers and dongles
It’s a great idea to use the services of a free comparison website, like Broadband Genie, which can help guide you through the process of getting the right deal. A variety of providers have contracts of all shapes and sizes, including BT, 3 Mobile, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone.
You’ll want to spend some time looking at the main areas of mobile broadband, which will include hardware. This means the computer that you’ll use to receive it. Lookout for free laptops with mobile broadband, as some deals throw one in for free although you’ll need to sign up for a contract and often for a longer period.
You’ll probably get more perks with a package like this over pay-as-you-go but the charges will be higher. And price is everything when it comes to these mobile broadband deals. It’s a very competitive market, but read the information in relation to deals, particularly the special offers that can often revert to a different price after an introductory period.
What else to consider?
Check that there are not setup costs with a package, and also spend time scrutinising the contract length and terms and conditions if you’re looking to sign on the dotted line. You’ll find contracts from 1 month through to 24 and they all have their own rules and regulations.
Lookout for speed and availability of mobile broadband services too. You’ll commonly see speeds quoted alongside ‘up to’ estimates, which will generally be overly optimistic. Coverage can fluctuate too, across all of the providers, and this can be affected by the network, network traffic, geography and also things like buildings and the amount of people tapping into the mobile broadband supply.
You’ll also have to pay attention to download limits, as there can be caps on how much you can use over a specific period of time. There can be charges or penalties for exceeding these limits, although it should all be spelled out clearly when you spend some time comparing deals on the aforementioned Broadband Genie website.
And finally…
Remember that mobile broadband can be nippy and convenient, but it is not a complete replacement for a traditional home or office based broadband services just yet. It’s mighty handy, but don’t try using it if you’re going on holiday abroad either as it might not work and if it does it could end up costing a fortune as you may well incur roaming charges.
Again, you can find clarification of any mobile providers stance on this as you pick through their terms and conditions. Aside from a few minor things to keep an eye on, the world of mobile broadband is one that anyone and everyone can enjoy, no matter how much they want to spend. About the author: Rob Clymo writes on behalf of www.broadbandgenie.co.uk, the independent comparison website for broadband, mobile broadband and smartphones
