Mobile broadband providers could please customers by introducing a no-strings option to their range of packages, recent reports indicate.

While many consumers who have fixed broadband at home see no need to fork out for a mobile broadband deal, an option operated on "true" a pay-as-you-go basis - with no rental fee and minimum spend - may see more laptop owners persuaded to purchase a dongle.

As one contributor to technology news provider ZDNet put it: "I want mobile broadband on occasions, days, weeks, etc, when away from my home, I certainly do not want a year or 18 month contract that would largely duplicate my wired service.

"A true [pay-as-you-go] offering with no rental charge and no minimum spend at a very convincing rate would see me take it up for my travels."

According to the latest figures, over 30,000 dongles are being sold every week in Britain.