The Whole Truth

As I come to the end of my mobile broadband package comes the question: How shall I move forward and what is the best advice I can find too help me pick the right package should I want to continue with my contract?

Obviously I have a choice of the top providers in the industry : 3, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange and O2. With Virgin Media and BT now both offering a mobile broadband service. Of course its impossible to say how good the service will be, based on the fact that the UK as a whole is not entirely covered by the signal and there are a large proportion of ‘not spots’, making choosing the best package something which should not be taken lightly.

Of course no one wants to take out a product/service where they know the service potentially will be below par i.e signal fluctuation. Unfortunately with contract Mobile Broadband and Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband this is almost something to be taken for granted, should you take out the wrong contract.

Broadband Genie offers this useful informative guide as to how to compare MB packages.

How do I compare mobile broadband packages?
Take the time to think about what you want from your mobile broadband package. Here are some of the main criteria to bear in mind:

1) Usage/download limits? Probably the most important thing to consider is whether you’ll be a heavy or a light user (in the same way as you would judge a mobile phone contract by how much you’re likely to use it). For the vast majority of users a lower limit (perhaps 3GB) will be absolutely fine, but you’ll need more if you plan on file sharing, downloading lots of music, or streaming content such as YouTube or the BBC iPlayer.

2) Speed? Different providers advertise different speeds, but the chances are you’ll get a similar performance from all of them – your location will probably be more of a deciding factor, due to mast locations. We wouldn’t recommend choosing a package purely on the basis of the speed offered.
Monthly contract or pay as you go? Decisions, decisions…

3) Free laptop deals? Many providers offer deals where you pay a bit more and get a ‘free’ laptop as part of the contract. This can be a great way to get online if you need a new computer, but do make sure you add up the total contract cost and check that it’s not cheaper to just go and buy a laptop. Also, are you really getting a laptop that exactly fits your needs?

4) Price versus contract lengths? Generally, you’ll get a cheaper monthly tariff if you’re prepared to commit for a longer contract. But due to the ever improving nature of the mobile broadband market, this can also be a risk.

As a young person I am always swayed by the free laptop deals that several of the companies offer and I never look at perhaps the best deal.

This is what I want!