Internet service providers spend more money on mobile broadband networks than any other wireless products, new research has suggested.

Analysis by WDSGlobal has revealed that the costs associated with supporting mobile broadband services is 200 per cent more than traditional wireless offerings such as basic mobile phones.

The research found that customer calls to technical departments take an average of 28 minutes to resolve when related to mobile broadband. This compares to the ten minutes it takes a mobile operator to resolve an inquiry about a traditional handset.

David Foulkes-Jones, Chief Executive of WDSGlobal, explained that the use of third-party products such as USB dongles and laptops can add to the infrastructure costs of offering mobile broadband.

"Mobile broadband introduces the need to manage a wireless product on a third-party device such as a laptop," he said. "You have to contend with hardware performance and conflicts, driver incompatibility and buggy software."

"Diagnosis and fault resolution therefore becomes more complex, negatively impacting support times," the expert added.

The study considered over half a million calls made to 600 mobile operators' technical support centres between September 2008 and February 2009.