Choosing a Mobile Broadband Package

February 27th, 2010 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Broadband Comparison

The possibilities of mobile internet access are growing each day, and over recent years consumers have been provided with a wealth of different mobile broadband options.  With the advent of the Smartphone, mobile broadband has leapt forward in the possibilities it provides for the user. 

Mobile broadband will provide you with the ability to check e-mails, read documents, download videos, and do just about anything else while you are on the move.  Mobile broadband means that the user does not need to be fixed at a particular location while using the internet, just as with your mobile phone. 

There are different methods by which a person may use mobile broadband.  If you would prefer to use your mobile phone, this is possible as long as you have an up to date handset that supports mobile internet access.  Many new mobile phones allow users to make use of mobile broadband, however on particular handsets users may find that the mobile broadband is limited to particular functions, such as reading e-mail or checking social networking websites.  If you would like your mobile broadband to allow you to achieve more, it is probably best that you invest in a higher quality handset.

If you would like to use your laptop on the go, then mobile broadband can also accommodate this.  You can purchase a ‘dongle’ from many of the major mobile broadband providers that you plug into a USB port on your laptop.  This then effectively turns the machine into a sophisticated mobile phone allowing internet access.  It is important to remember that if your mobile phone has poor reception in certain areas then the broadband connection will reflect this.

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Be Broadband or O2 Broadband?

February 24th, 2010 | Broadband, Broadband Comparison, Broadband Providers

Both Be and O2 offer broadband internet coverage in the UK.  Both rank at around 80% customer service satisfaction from current customers, and both offer coverage throughout the majority of the UK.  So how do you decide between the two?

Both offer services at 8 Mb and 20 Mb; Be Broadband offers one package at the 8 Mb level while O2 offers 4 packages at that level.  Both companies offer four packages at the 20 Mb level.

If you’re a light to moderate user, one of the 8 Mb packages might work for you.  Be’s “Be Value” Home Light package includes 8 Mb transfer speed, free setup and only a £7.50 per month fee, including VAT.  This is, however, on a 12-month contract, so you would need to be sure that this would suit your needs.  Upgrades during the contract are permitted however, so it usually pays to start small and upgrade if and when needed.

O2’s selection is a bit broader, with four 8 Mb plans available, two for current O2 mobile telephone customers and two for non-customers.  These plans are also priced for a 12-month contract, with the customer contracts priced slightly lower.  For example, the Standard plan includes upload speeds up to 1.3 Mb, one McAfee security licence to help keep viruses away from your computer, up to ten O2 e-mail addresses and up to 100 free web texts per month.  The Access plan for non-customers is priced £10 per month higher, with up to three anti-virus licences, but only 448 kbps as the maximum upload speed. 

Compare the two services at a site like Broadband Finder, where you can check them side-by-side, and decide which one looks the best for you.

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Broadband Cable Internet Connections

February 23rd, 2010 | Broadband, Broadband Providers

Several UK broadband providers are branching out and offering cable internet connections as an option for their customers.  If you have a cable operator in the area where you live, you may already have cable television.  Cable internet uses that same cable connection to bring the internet to your door.  When you compare broadband options you may find that a cable internet broadband connection answers your needs.

Cable television is made up of audio and video data that streams from the cable operator through a line to your home.  Once it reaches a cable TV box, or in some cases the television itself, the data “packets” are re-assembled into the picture and sound that you experience.  Cable internet connections are no different.  Data packets arrive from the internet, stream through cables to the provider, and then to you, where they’re re-assembled in your computer as spreadsheets, reports, pictures, music or movies.

The biggest advantage to cable internet is its speed.  It is much faster than either ADSL or SDSL, the two most common types of UK Broadband.  However, along with that higher speed can come higher cost, although broadband providers typically offer good deals to new customers and some of those deals can have reduced prices for as long as a year.  For business broadband, cable is an obvious choice as it allows you to get business done much more quickly than other broadband solutions.

If you want to make the leap to cable, call several cable broadband UK providers and see what types of deals they can offer.  You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised.

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Mobile Broadband or Satellite?

February 19th, 2010 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband

As more and more providers are offering a wider range of services, those making the switch from dial-up access to a broadband internet connection are faced with perhaps one more question: should they make the switch to wireless broadband, or satellite?

A mobile connection actually involves wires.  The data is transmitted from the Internet Service Provider, or ISP, to one of their towers, and from there is broadcast through the air to any subscribers within range.  Satellite broadband, however, involves no wires at all, just a clear line of sight to one of the satellites broadcasting the signal.

Your decision to go mobile or satellite will, in part, be answered by your location.  In some of the more remote corners of the UK, satellite reception is the only option available.  In most other parts of the UK, mobile broadband is available, but again, you must be within range of a provider’s tower to get a signal, similar to a mobile phone.  Zero bars of reception means nothing will get to you from the internet or vice versa.

If satellite is your only option, or is the option that will work best for you then investigate what provision is available.   You will need to have a satellite dish installed at your home so the set-up costs will be high.  The total installation could cost around £600.  Monthly costs are likely to be in the region of £30.

A primary consideration when any kind of wireless access is an option is the coverage.  Most providers will allow a 15 or 30-day “trial” time period to test your equipment and their signal.  With mobile broadband be sure to access the internet from all your most common locations and test both the upload and download speed, preferably several times, at different times of the day. 

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Broadband Comparison – finding you the best deal

February 18th, 2010 | Broadband Comparison, Broadband Deals, Mobile Broadband

When it comes to choosing between the broadband providers, there are just so many of them that a visit to one of the numerous broadband comparison sites is advisable. These keep you up to date on all the deals and special offers, and list the relative speeds of connection, support and contract types available. Comparison of the mobile broadband deals on offer is also recommended, as these can be just as labyrinthine as land connections. Compare broadband provision across a range of broadband providers and you’re sure to narrow it down to your best match.

Be broadband offers good value, unlimited and professional packages. These packages have differing downloads, uploads, usage limits and lengths of contract, which gives some idea of the minutiae that have to be taken into consideration when choosing between broadband providers. It depends whether you require just a basic home connection or have a complex corporate need that has to be heavily customised.  Your needs might, of course, fall somewhere between these two.

Tiscali broadband (now part of TalkTalk), O2 broadband and Tesco broadband are all very popular broadband providers for the average user, and come with great broadband deals that can be checked out by making a broadband comparison on any of the sites that compare broadband providers. Plusnet Business broadband, on the other hand, comes with a customisable choice of business options, and as it owns and manages its own platform it can prioritise time-critical services. The broadband providers have clear websites that provide all the broadband information you need.

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Broadband in the UK

February 15th, 2010 | Broadband

Broadband service in the UK has now been in existence for several years.  Broadband has made it possible to access the internet at high speeds and download lots of information easily and quickly. 

When you are using broadband in the UK you will have access to lots of different broadband internet providers who will all offer different types of broadband deals.  Broadband in the UK is a lucrative area for providers, and the broadband providers will all want to tempt you to sign broadband contracts with them.  When considering what broadband package to sign up for you should make a comparison to check out the best deals available on the market.

Whatever your location in the UK it is essential that you check that you have adequate broadband coverage in your area.  Some broadband internet providers may say that they provide coverage in your area, however the broadband speed may be quite lacklustre so it is always best to read independent reviews about their service.

Broadband in the UK can be a very fast method of using the internet but the promised download speeds are not always met.  If you have cable installed in your town or city you are more likely to be able to access high speed broadband than if your area is still served by BT’s old copper wires.  Throughout the UK you should be able to connect to broadband in one form or another; through the use of mobile broadband if necessary.  Many up to date mobile handsets now offer an internet connection on the move, so make sure you have a powerful enough phone if you want to access broadband in this fashion. 

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Orange Home Broadband – what do you get?

February 11th, 2010 | Broadband, Broadband Providers

Orange Home Broadband is a broadband internet service provided by the large and well known Orange mobile phone company. 

Orange Home Broadband offers various packages for customers to suit all needs.  With most of the packages you will not only get a high speed broadband internet connection, but added extras such as a free wireless router, allowing you to connect more than one computer to your broadband internet connection.  You will also benefit from free evening and weekend calls on your landline. On selected broadband packages you can also receive a reduced rate on the cost of your broadband package for a certain number of months.

Orange Home Broadband also offers many deals alongside their mobile phone services.  Signing up to certain broadband packages will mean that you are entitled to receive a new mobile phone, such as the iPhone. 

Orange Home Broadband offers other broadband services such as business broadband; you can choose from many different business broadband packages.  If you would only like to use one computer but need 24-hour business support and unlimited download usage, then you will find a package that is suitable for you.  Furthermore, other broadband packages are offered that provide broadband services on several computers at the same time, all of which may be downloading large amounts of data.

If you would like to sign up to Orange Home Broadband check out their broadband website or call customer services.  There are many different broadband packages available which are suitable for all types of customer requirements.

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BT Total Broadband Review

February 10th, 2010 | Broadband Providers, Broadband Reviews

BT Total Broadband is a broadband internet service provided by BT. The company state that their broadband is superior to other providers due to the high quality broadband speeds that customers are able to receive at all times of the day, even during the peak use periods.

When signing up for a broadband package with BT Total Broadband you will have many different options available to you.  Their most popular deals will include the cost of the telephone line rental in the price, as well as free weekend and evening telephone calls.  BT Total Broadband offers customers broadband services with excellent security, as well as round the clock customer support.

If you are considering broadband with BT Total Broadband you may want to consider one of their most popular broadband packages, which allows downloads at a potential speed of up to 20mb.  Signing up for this broadband package will allow you to browse the internet at high speeds, and enjoy the online experience a whole lot more.  You will be able to download songs in only a few seconds, send large e-mails and upload photographs quickly; web pages appear in a matter of seconds.

BT is also planning to test out super fast broadband internet speeds in the UK.  They plan to test speeds of up to 40mb in some parts of the country.  They feel that this is necessary for the future development of broadband internet services.  

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Comparing Broadband Packages

February 8th, 2010 | Broadband Comparison, Broadband Deals

Buying a broadband package can be a confusing business for someone who does not understand the many different broadband deals available to new customers.  This is why it is very important that you compare the different broadband deals so that you can get the best offer for you.

It is important to consider what you want from your broadband package.  Do you need to use several different computers at a time, all downloading large amounts of data?  If you do then it is probably best that you get a business broadband deal that is faster than the average broadband package.   If you are not going to be using your broadband for downloading films or other large amounts of information then it is probably not necessary to buy a broadband package that offers you high speeds.  Make sure that you compare the different broadband deals so that you get one that best suits your needs.

When comparing broadband deals you must also look at the different costs, and establish whether the price can be bettered elsewhere.  You may find the same broadband provision costing a whole lot more with one particular company than it does with another.  If you look and compare the different broadband packages on offer you will probably be able to find one that is reasonably cheap, and will offer you the service that you need.  Basically, as when purchasing anything, make sure that you are getting what you need at the best price on the market.  Also read independent reviews about the service provided by the companies before you sign up with one.

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Think Broadband – giving you information about broadband

February 5th, 2010 | Broadband, Broadband Reviews

Think Broadband is the largest and most informative broadband information site in the UK.  The site provides information on broadband providers, internet services, and troubleshooting broadband problems.  Think Broadband also provides independent advice and reviews on broadband services, and is a valuable resource when comparing different broadband providers.  Think Broadband was recently renamed, and was formally called ADSLguide.co.uk.  

There are many different services available to internet users on the Think Broadband website.  Consumers are able to rate the service of their broadband provider.  The consumers themselves then collate the information so as to provide a review of the most highly ranked broadband providers.

Also provided on the Think Broadband website is a broadband comparison tool, where you can compare the different broadband packages and providers so that you can get the best broadband deal that is suitable for you.

If you are unsure of your broadband speed, or you want to check that you are getting the broadband speed that you have been sold by your broadband provider then you can also test this out on the website.

You can also use the chat forums on the Think Broadband website if you would like to talk about anything related to broadband.  The forums have different sections and you will find plenty of experienced and helpful people ready to answer any questions that you have about broadband.

Think Broadband is an essential broadband website for the consumer, and if you are looking for impartial advice about broadband services you should head there first.

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