Mobile Broadband Internet

It has been announced by the popular mobile broadband provider of the United Kingdom, 3 UK that it has brought back its mobile broadband dongle deal of 15GB usage with the fresh prices starting from GBP 25 per month.

The mobile broadband dongle package the packs with it a data usage allowance of 15GB has been availed by 3 UK on its official website. The download speeds offered is up to 7.2Mbps.

Generally, data usage allowance of 15GB means that a consumer can download seventy five videos of four minute duration, four hundred eighty music tracks of four minutes length, surf the internet for one hundred fifty hours and send around fifteen thousand emails per month.

The mobile broadband provider showcases a number of options here for the aspiring buyers of the dongle, based on data usage. The packages range from a monthly allowance of 1GB to 15GB, and the prices start from GBP 7.50 per month for the base package of 1GB allowance.

3 also packs a dongle deal with a data allowance of 3GB on a one month rolling contract for GBP 15 per month. Furthermore, the mobile broadband provider is also offering a tool for the customers to check their data requirement, on its website.

The results from 412 respondents to ISPreview.co.uk’s latest survey have revealed that 54% of people are interested in Mobile Broadband but, when asked which aspect of the service they “[needed] to see improved the most”, speed topped the list with 25% of the vote. Bigger usage allowances came a close second with 23%, followed by “Service Reliability” (22%) and last of all “Lower Prices” (18%).

It’s quite understandable that consumers expect Mobile Broadband to be fast, much as they would with any Internet access service that has “broadband” in the title, but many often buy such products only to be disappointed by the performance. In reality data capacity costs money and Mobile Broadband revenues cannot keep up, thus real-world download speeds are often found to be considerably lower (1-2Mbps) than the theoretical maximum of 14.4Mbps promised by existing technology (HSPA).

“Mobile Broadband users clearly expect a lot from operators but the good news is that the situation shouldn’t get too much worse, although admittedly it might have trouble getting better too, at least in the short term,” commented ISPreview.co.uk’s Editor and Founder, Mark Jackson. “Some operators (3 Mobile) are already adopting traffic management measures to improve how they handle Internet data and future Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, which will replace HSPA, should make more efficient use of existing capacity.”

It’s important to remember that Mobile Broadband is by no means a proper replacement for traditional fixed lines. Mobile networks are costly beasts and lack an equal level of service; though admittedly both suffer from similar issues of coverage and performance, albeit not to the same degree.

The facts are, without a rise in prices or tougher usage restrictions - unlikely in this competitive environment, Mobile Broadband performance will not change much over the coming year. Cash strapped operators won’t be bumping up usage allowances like they did in 2008/9 and service speeds aren’t going to leap forwards like a Kangaroo, but it should improve.. eventually.

Orange has been named the top mobile broadband provider in the UK, by YouGov.

The research organisation revealed that the network provider came top in nine out of 15 categories including customer service, reliability, ease of use and upload speeds.

Orange was also voted top mobile broadband provider by YouGov in October 2009.

Asif Aziz, director of broadband and home, Orange UK said: “Retaining our position as the top mobile broadband provider in the UK is a great accomplishment which we’re really proud of”.

“This win is recognition of our strong focus on network quality and brilliant customer service and its our aim to build on these, as well as the products and services we offer, to ensure our customers continue to benefit from a high quality user experience”.

Mobile operator Vodafone has brought its Access Gateway 3G-boosting device out of the shadows as it looks to add unique appeal to its iPhone offerings.

Vodafone UK has rebranded its femtocell service and cut its price to boost the appeal of its iPhone package. The existing Vodafone Access Gateway has been given the far softer title Sure Signal, benefiting from a marketing push into the bargain as Vodafone tries to raise its profile.

A femtocell is in effect a small cellular base station linked up to a home or office broadband connection to guarantee signal. It then creates a limited network of 3G coverage – effectively taking the mobile phone mast out of the picture. Up to four devices at a time can tap into it, with its proximity implying faster speeds and better, more consistent signal.

Telecoms regulator Ofcom published a map of so-called 3G “notspots” in July, showing large tracts of the country unable to access fast mobile internet connectivity. And while the situation has undoubtedly improved, it remains a frustration for many – whether at work or at home.

Vodafone Access Gateway was originally launched last June, with Vodafone the first femtocell provider in Europe. The Sagem-made device was initially priced from £160 for home users, and Vodafone made little of its presence in its product line. However, that price has now been slashed to as little as £50 – or £5 a month for a year – to contract holders already paying £25 or more per month, or £120 in total - £5 per month for two years - for those paying less than that.

Vodafone is the latest UK operator to offer the data-hungry iPhone on its network. And with a large part of the iPhone’s appeal lying in the myriad of web-enabled apps available through the App Store, Vodafone is perhaps banking on the fact that any system that can improve 3G coverage is bound to add to its allure as an iPhone carrier – especially one that none of its rivals can match.

“No other network in the UK can ensure a great mobile phone signal in the home, because the Sure Signal is unique to Vodafone,” said Vodafone UK chief executive Guy Laurence in a statement.

“Customers tell us it is life-changing. If they live or work in a basement for example, the only way they may be able to get consistent mobile coverage could be with a Vodafone Sure Signal.”

Vodafone says that although only four handsets can be used on Sure Signal at any one time, up to 32 different numbers can be registered as eligible for access, and these can be updated at any time via the Sure Signal portal on Vodafone’s website. The system supports only Vodafone handsets, and you’ll need broadband speeds of at least 1Mbps for it to work.

The blaze of iPad related gossip continues to burn strongly, and the latest snippet concerns which mobile operators will stock the device when it comes to the UK. This rumour is based on the micro-sim card the iPad uses for mobile broadband, which as the name suggests, is a mini version of a standard sim card.

Those of you with an existing sim card won’t be able to simply lob it into your new iPad, unfortunately. You’ll need one of the micro-sims.

And it just so happens that O2 and Orange have reportedly placed orders for these micro-sim cards in large quantities.

This could mean that these firms have a joint exclusive on the iPad – but equally, they could simply be buying stock up as they know people will need these cards.

As ever, we’ll find out soon enough. O2 would certainly be keen to secure some manner of hold on the iPad, as it had the UK exclusive on the iPhone and did very well out of it.