Savings Advice

In a few short years, mobile broadband has become hugely popular. The laptop/dongle combo is a fixture in every train carriage, while new technologies such as mobile Wi-Fi and tablet PCs are keeping the industry moving forward at a pace.

But if you’re not interested at keeping up with the Joneses there are plenty of ways to get online on the move without spending an arm and a leg. From being frugal with your data use to looking for new deals, there are plenty of ways to save.

1) Be prepared

One of the biggest costs when it comes to data use is downloads. Of course it isn’t always possible, but whenever you can download at home or at work before you leave, do so. This is especially true of large files such as video and even audio, or large documents you may need for a work project. Anything you can do offline is going to save you MBs, and therefore money.

2) But only the data you need

Once you’ve got your data usage habits under control, regulate what you use and be sure to get a contract that is giving you only what you use – you won’t get those unused MBs back, so why pay for them? You may find you’re better off on a prepay deal, especially if you’re only an occasional mobile broadband user. Also, look out for data deals beyond the normal. For example, in the UK T-Mobile does not charge extra if you go over your monthly allowance.

3) Get smart

Most smartphones now give access to the internet via bundled data and can be a great way to save money, even cutting out a bill altogether. While a smartphone’s screen may be small it should be perfectly sufficient for most people to do the basics – check email, use social networking sites and look up pages on the web – even for sat nav and steaming audio.

4) Stay in the UK

If you’re heading out of the country, either on business or holiday, take a long look at the costs you’ll incur from mobile roaming. Data is unbelievably expensive, even if you pop over the channel to France, so be prepared. You may be better off finding a local cafe for Wi-Fi, or buying a SIM abroad. You can buy universal dongles fairly cheaply that should work with any SIM, so if you travel to a lot of countries they can be a great and simple to use gadget.

5) Switch regularly and look for great deals

If you’re on a contract, keep an eye on when your current deal runs out and look at the competition as soon as you’re able to switch. This is especially true if you’ve been on a so called ‘free’ laptop deal, where the price of the hardware would’ve actually been spread out over your monthly payments. If you’re on prepay, try to check out the prices of other mobile broadband providers on a regular basis.

About the author: Chris Marling writes on behalf of Broadband Genie, the independent comparison website for broadband, mobile broadband and smartphones.

Choosing a broadband service can be confusing thanks to all the jargon and the huge array of packages available.  This article is provided to help you with selecting the right broadband provider for you.

The importance of your Postcode

Not all broadband packages are available throughout the UK.  Some Internet Service and  broadband providers install their own equipment in BT’s telephone exchanges to provide certain services – this is known as Local Loop Unbundling.  If you live in a city or urban area, your BT exchange is more likely to be unbundled, giving you a far greater choice of the latest services.  If your exchange isn’t unbundled, you may not be able to receive them or pay extra for them.

The availability of mobile broadband is even more dependant on your postcode.  Where if you live in a rural location  your mobile broadband coverage is likely to be much poorer than that of someone living in an urban location.

Broadband Speed

Most broadband is provided through a technology known as ADSL.  Virgin is the exception and delivers broadband services through its own fibre-optic network.  Most ADSL services have a quoted download speed of 8Mbit/s, although the fastest services offer up to 24Mbit/s, whil Virgin has a 50Mbit/s fibre-optic package.  The speed you’ll actually receive depends on a range of factors.  For ADSL broadband, this includes how far from your telephone exchange you live and how many other people in your area use the same service.

Data Cap

Most ISPs cap the amount of data you can download each month.  Some packages have a limit, such as 10GB.  If you want a higher limit,   you’ll have to pay more each month.  Some broadband and Internet companies have fair use policies instead of, or in addition to, a set limit.  These policies explain which kinds of heavy usage are acceptable, but their terms can be vague so check out their websites for details.

The consequences of exceeding your limit or fair use policy vary.  Some providers will charge you for exceeding the limit.  Others will cap your download speed at peak times until your usage drops.  Some will even ask you to move to a more expensive subscription package.  You need to choose a package with the mright download limit for your needs.

Even if your broadband brovider has a generous download allowance, your online activities may be subject to traffic management or traffic shaping.  This means that your broadband provider prioritises certain types of internet traffic, such as viewing web pages and sending emails.  The broadband provider is effectively trying to discourage excessive downloading, so look out for this in the terms and conditions.

Free Equipment

To use your broadband connection you’ll need the right equipment. Most ISPs provide a wireless router for sharing your broadband connection wirelessly between several computers.  Your computer will need a wireless networking adaptor – they’re widely available and almost all laptops made in the past few years will have one built in.

If you’re not satisfied with the range or speed of the router received from your broadband provider, you can buy one from an electrical shop such as Maplin.  Most free routers remain the property of your ISP, though, so hold on to it even if you buy a replacement. 

If you already own a wireless router, it may be incompatible with your new service.  ADSL services, especially at speeds of 20Mbit/s or faster, use an updated version of this technology called ADSL2+.  Many older routers won’t work with such connections or will make your service slow or unreliable.  If your broadband is provided over cable by Virgin, you’ll need a cable router rather than an ADSL model.

All mobile broadband providers use a USB 3G adaptor, or as it’s sometimes known as a dongle, for accessing their service.   The longer your contract, the less you’ll have to pay for it  – if at all.

So remember to check out which equipment your broadband company will be providing you with and how long your contract will be.

Customer Service

One of the most important features to look out for when selecting broadband providers has to be Customer Service.  So check out which provider offers the customer service package that suits you. Some broadband providers will 0ffer 24 hour customer service support, with UK Call Centre’s and others will only offer web based customer service support. So check out the customer service that is on offer as part of your package, as it is very important.