Internet anywhere!

Posted on 19 May 2008 at 10:17

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The alternative offered by some operators is that once you hit your limit, you start getting charged for further downloads by the megabyte. In some cases the cost is merely expensive; in others, such as with Vodafone's service, it's astronomical. We don't think this is a fair approach at all, and we'd like to see it discontinued on consumer tariffs.

In all cases, you're obviously best off trying to find a service with a download limit that exceeds your likely monthly requirements. BT's Total Broadband Monthly Usage Calculator (www2.bt.com/static/i/btretail/consumer/broadbandusage) can give you a good idea of the amount you'll need. Our reviews and table show you the download limit for each service and what happens if you exceed it.

Contract on your head

As you'd expect from mobile companies, there's no such thing as a simple contract. There are many different variations for each product, depending on the length of your commitment. In some cases, taking a longer contract out will reduce your monthly cost; in others, it reduces the cost of the USB modem or bags you a free one. Don't get carried away, though, and only sign up for the length of time you feel comfortable with, bearing in mind that prices are likely to go down over the coming months and years. To make things easier for you, we've trawled through all of the mobile operators' websites and accumulated all of the tariffs in our tables at the end of each review, so you can see exactly what your options are - though you'll need to double-check that the terms haven't changed before you sign up.

Remember, it's worth comparing the costs across all four mobile operators, as you may find one that looks more expensive from the start is actually cheaper in the long run for your purposes. And although it may be cheaper to go with the same operator as your existing mobile phone, that's not always true.

Do watch out for restrictions. Mobile accounts are much more tightly controlled than home broadband, although we'd hope this will change in response to consumer feedback as time goes on.In particular, a lot of mobile operators specify certain services that you're not allowed to run, such as VoIP ('voice over IP' or Internet telephony services, such as Skype) and video streaming. Some even block access to everyday data services like Instant Messaging.

Other operators don't block these services, but instead charge for them by the megabyte at a completely separate rate to your normal service. This can make some accounts really expensive to use if you're not careful. Read our table and reviews, and check the small print before you buy, to find out what you're allowed to do and what you're not.

Holiday rentals

One of the benefits of having broadband that goes everywhere with you is that you can also take it abroad when you go away and keep in touch with colleagues, friends and family. This sounds great, but the reality often differs massively from the dream. Even where 3G is available in other countries, a lot of services are restrictively expensive to use abroad. Your 'free' download quota won't apply when you leave the UK, and you'll find you're getting charged by the megabyte. The costs are generally very high, and you can soon run up a very scary bill just by sending emails and browsing a few web pages. There are deals to be had, though, and if you're expecting to travel a lot it's worth buying a package that reduces your 'roaming' costs.