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†If you shared information on how much you pay for your broadband, your results will highlight deals with an annual saving of £5 or more. Annual savings show what you could save in the first 12 months. Your savings are the difference between the annual cost you entered for your current deal and the deal you could switch to. The annual savings amount does not include:*The "average" speed displayed in Mb represents the speed available to 50% of customers with this product during peak time (between 8pm and 10pm). The actual speed you will get depends on your cabling, your area and (with non-fibre optic products) time of day and how far you are from the telephone exchange. Most providers will tell you the likely speed you will receive when you begin your online sign up — this may differ from the average speed displayed on our table.
The deals available at your postcode are subject to local availability. The provider will confirm availability for your line.
We aim to take the strain out of broadband comparison. Good broadband deals aren't just about the price, it's also about what's included in the product, the speeds offered and any extra incentives providers are offering. To balance all of these, we have developed a ranking formula that takes into account deals that are proving to be popular with our customers, that are competitive in the market and have a smooth buying process.
If you prefer, you can sort deals by monthly cost, speed or contract length. You can also choose to show costs as monthly or full contract, which lets you see the total spend over the contract period, including any setup costs.
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For most people, their home broadband connection is delivered via either a copper or fibre-optic underground cable that connects their home directly with a local exchange. But this is not the only way in which households can get online.
Mobile broadband delivers internet connectivity to your home over a wireless network, in much the same way as you would access data on your smartphone when you're out and about. When you sign up to these deals, you'll get a mobile broadband SIM; however, there are a few ways in which you can use this.
| Package | Broadband speed | Contract length |
|---|---|---|
| Three: 5G BB Unlimited | 150Mb average* | 24 months |
| Three: 4G Plus BB Unlimited | 14Mb average* | 24 months |
| Three: 4G Plus BB Unlimited - 12 months | 14Mb average* | 12 months |
There are a number of reasons to opt for a mobile broadband deal, but one of its biggest advantages may be for users in more remote parts of the UK, where fixed-line access is limited.
Many rural areas still don't have access to fast fibre broadband, and as homes may be long distances from the nearest exchange, copper ADSL speeds are likely to be very slow. However, if these locations are covered by 4G or 5G mobile networks, mobile broadband can offer faster and more reliable speeds than ADSL and many fibre connections.
Another reason for opting for mobile broadband is the flexibility it offers. If you have a data SIM-enabled laptop, or choose a USB dongle, you can take your internet connection anywhere you can find a mobile signal. You won't have to worry about poor Wi-Fi not reaching the bottom of the garden, or rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots if you're out and about.
Mobile broadband hubs, like Vodafone's GigaCube, need to be plugged into a wall. So they're not as mobile as dongles, but you can still unplug them and take the router to another home wherever there's a good connection.
There are a couple of things to bear in mind if you're considering a mobile broadband deal. Firstly, they won't be available everywhere, so you'll need to check what signals are available at your home first. If you already struggle to get a signal on your smartphone to make calls when at home, you're unlikely to be able to get mobile broadband.
Also, mobile broadband deals often contain some differences from fixed-line contracts. For instance, while almost every fixed-line deal on offer in the UK now comes with unlimited downloads, usage limits are still commonplace on many mobile broadband offerings, though there are some unlimited services available. They are also less able to offer guaranteed speeds and may come with a price premium.
Mobile broadband works by accessing the same nationwide signals that serve mobile phones, usually running off one of the four networks provided by the UK's four large mobile operators: O2, EE, Vodafone and Three.
It uses these networks' 4G and 5G data services to send and receive information. As this is delivered wirelessly, there are a few differences from regular broadband.
For starters, the speeds you get will depend largely on where you are. If your home is covered by a fast 4G or faster 5G network, you could enjoy faster speeds than fixed-line broadband connections, with the UK's average 4G speed being 24Mbps and 5G being around 150Mbps, depending on the network operator and location.
Parts of the UK now have access to 5G mobile broadband. This type of connection uses 5G networks to connect via a data-only SIM — which is the same way mobile broadband connections work now.
The difference between 4G and 5G mobile broadband comes down to the speeds offered. Although 5G mobile broadband speeds vary due to a weaker signal strength, they can provide up to 300Mbps — which is higher than superfast fixed line connections can offer.
Of course, 5G is still a new technology that’s still rolling out to most places, so speeds will fluctuate widely across areas and networks until it's muhc more established.
As noted above, mobile broadband services run off the same data networks as mobile phone signals, so all the big operators offer mobile broadband deals. Some of the biggest names include:
It's important to remember that unlike most regular broadband deals, these networks will not necessarily overlap, so you'll need to check whether your preferred provider's signal will reach your home.
Many of these offer both one-month rolling contracts or longer 12- or 24-month terms. There are also a choice of data plans available, ranging from around 15GB usage per month to fully unlimited packages. It therefore pays to compare mobile broadband deals to ensure you're selecting the right option for your needs.