Following the release of 02's mobile broadband product, one expert has suggested that it needs to be made more widely available.

According to Steven Hartley, senior analyst at Ovum, by only offering the product to existing cellular and fixed-line broadband customers, O2 is unlikely to attract the same number of users as other major mobile broadband providers.

He also explained that for the product to be competitive, a future price reduction will have to be considered.

Mr Hartley did note however that O2's strategy of marketing mobile broadband as a complement to fixed-line services would show rival broadband provider Orange that the two products could exist together.

Orange's "exorbitant" pricing for mobile broadband services had prevented it from entering the competitive marketplace, he added.

Launched on April 18th, O2's mobile broadband services offer a 3GB usage allowance and free access to the company's wireless network from £20 per month.