O2 3G Coverage

We’re hearing mixed things about the 3G coverage O2 have. One the one hand O2 are getting good reviews from iPhone users using the 3G network to surf the web, on the other, there are a few people on the 3g.co.uk forum who are dissatisfied by the service. O2 do have a mobile broadband coverage checker where you can just enter your postcode, so give it a whirl. This can be a bit misleading however as you don’t necessarily know where you’re going to be when you use the dongle. Doh! Bear in mind though, that as well as 3G broadband access this dongle also entitles you to free WiFi access in most of the UK’s big cities. Also, you get a 30 day happiness guarantee with your dongle. If it turns out that you can’t connect where you want to, just send the dongle back for a refund.

Free WiFi

These PAYG dongles get you free access to over 6000 WiFi hotspots - so if you’re near a Stabucks, McDonalds or a Wetherspoons pub - you’re bound to get a superfast connection. You can check O2’s WiFi hotspot map to see if a location you’re planning to visit has some access points available. This in itself can save lots of cash. Hotels can charge as much at £10 a day for WiFi access and I know I’d rather check my emails in a nice café rather than a cramped hotel room.

O2 Connection Manager & Usage Monitor Software

Supplied with each mobile broadband dongle (actually on the dongle) is software to allow you connect to the internet and will also log you into a website where you can monitor how much data you are using. The software also detects if you are withing reach of a WiFi signal and asks if you want to switch from a 3G connection to WiFi.  You don’t need to install the software, just plug in the dongle and it’ll set itself up.

Top Up Methods

You can top up your PAYG broadband anywhere you can top up your PAYG phone. More information on PAYG top ups.

System Requirements

These dongles tend to work on most laptops or netbooks. The only gotcha is that the software/hardware only works with Windows XP and Vista machines that have 32 bit processors. Brand spanking new laptops may contain 64 bit processors.

If you’re on a Mac, you need to be running OS X 10.4 or higher

O2 PAYG Mobile Broadband Key Facts

PAYG Deal	Daily	Weekly	Monthly
Daily Data Allowance	500Mb	1Gb	3Gb
Max Speed	384 Kbps	384 Kbps	384 Kbps
Dongle Cost	£20	£20	£20
Price per day	£2	£1.07	£0.50
Total Price	£2	£7.50	£15

O2 offers pay monthly plans which provide free modems, and a 3-10GB monthly tariff with 24 months of unlimited Wi-Fi. Additional fees apply for additional mobile broadband data usage. Pay and go packages offer mobile broadband service on a daily, monthly, or weekly basis with a small modem fee. For the professional, business accounts are available in 3-9GB options!

O2 Mobile Broadband offers Pay & Go programs for some posh phone units and has cheap plans for the latest model iPhone and Blackberry. Those attached to their old handset can keep their number and get a new SIM card with one of O2’s special SIM-only tariffs as well. This company also has a great 30-Day Happiness Guarantee that will allow an unsatisfied user to cancel their contract and receive a refund for the cost of the USB modem or laptop purchased.

O2 also give users free access to a WiFi network called The Cloud. This means that if you’re ever surfing the web in a McDonalds, you’re doing it over WiFi rather than using your broadband dongle. They are so certain that you’ll be happy with your mobile broadband that they offer a 50 day no quibble contract cancellation and refund policy.

Not only does Orange Mobile Broadband have the largest 3G network area, but they also have the fastest network. Presently, the Orange network allows download speeds of up to 3.6 mps, but in the near future Orange Mobile will introduce the country’s fastest download speeds of 7.2 mps.

While it is true the Orange Mobile Broadband network offers the fastest download speeds and the largest network, one of the largest advantages is the contract. The Orange broadband comes with either a 18 month or 24 month contract, but if a customer is unsatisfied they can cancel the service at anytime free of charge. Also, Orange Mobile will refund all customers for any upfront costs they incurred for paying for any devices, as long as the customer returns the device within two weeks of cancellation.

Along with the wireless internet access, Orange Mobile Broadband customers get to choose from a variety of laptops to keep. The laptops are then paired with a customer’s selection of usage limitations.

Access is provided through USB based mobile Internet devices. The cost of the devices range from free to £29.99 depending on the device selected. The mobile broadband modem works by plugging into an available USB port located on the consumers laptop or desktop. Compatible with both PC and Mac computers, T-Mobile’s mobile broadband modems allow for true cordless freedom.

T-Mobile offers a variety of plans for their mobile broadband service to fit the needs of a variety of consumers. Consumers who only have occasional need for mobile broadband can pick one of the pay per day plans. This allows users to only pay for the days they use the device. Pay per day prices are: £2 per day, £7 per week, or £15 per month. This is an excellent option for consumers who primarily use home or office Internet access, but find need to access the Internet from the road occasionally.

Users who plan on taking advantage of mobile broadband service more often can take advantage of T-Mobile’s pay monthly or pay up front plans. With the monthly plans customers receive their USB mobile device free of charge and commit to an 18 or 24 month plan. Costs range from £15 - £30 per month depending on the plan and the amount of data transfer the customer anticipates using. Upfront payment options start at £44.99 for 3 months of access to £149.99 for a full year of access.

A fair-use policy limits customers to web surfing and may restrict service for customers who abuse the mobile Internet connection to download large files or stream videos. Unlike some other mobile Internet service providers T-Mobile does not charge for overages in data, but they do reserve the right to restrict usage after the fair-use limit is met. Limits range form 2GB to 5GB per month, depending on plan.

The first call on the UK’s first 3g networks had been made on the 28th of July in 2000 by a Vodafone customer. Since then their 3G network has been extended to every part of the UK. Coverage with Vodafone is guaranteed unless you are deep in the woods.

Prices for Vodafone’s 3G network varies per plan. With the subscription plan you can have 3G Mobile Internet access with a USB modem stick. The pay as you go plans vary in price from 19 pounds to 35 pounds.

There is a plan that is on a pay per month basis you will pay 19 pounds upfront and then 15 pounds per month for 3 Gb of data. If you choose to pay for the 35 pounds upfront you will own the stick and 1 month worth of data but after that you will have to top up your account with 15 pounds. If you end up not topping up your account then your modem will be deactivated until you pay the 15 pounds.

For about 20 pounds a month you will get a USB memory stick and 4 GB of data; the plans run either for 18 months or for 24 months. The price stays the same as well as the data limit. With the higher month fee plans you will get free pc protection with it.

The UK mainland has 3G coverage while the Channel Islands do not have it but they do have GPRS. GPRS is the predecessor of 3G.

3G Mast Site Finder

3 mobile broadband coverage

Vodafone mobile broadband coverage

T-Mobile and Virgin mobile broadband coverage

O2 mobile broadband coverage

Orange mobile broadband coverage

How fast is 3G mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband speeds range from about 384kbps to about 7.2Mbps. 3G network operators are currently upgrading their base station in cities to use High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) which are sometime referred to at 3.5G and 3.75G respectively. HSDPA is technically possible of broadband speeds of up to 14.4Mbps.

How much does a Broadband Dongle cost?
The mobile broadband providers usually give the dongles away with each contract. However is you get a pay as you go mobile broadband deal you might be asked to pay between £30 and £60 for your dongle.

How much does it cost to surf the web using a broadband dongle?
There are plenty of mobile broadband deals out there at the moment. The price you pay usually depends on how long you sign a contract for and the amount of data you use. If you sign up for a 24 month contract you’ll be asked to pay less than for a 12 month contract. If you only want 1Gb of data usage a month you’ll pay less than if you want to download 15Gb of data every month.
How do I install a Broadband Dongle?
Installation is very simple. The dongles come with all the software they need to work already built into them so they are called Plug and Play devices. You just plug them into a spare USB port and in a matter of seconds you’ll connect to the Internet.

What is the coverage of 3G mobile Broadband in the UK?
The major 3G network operators claim to have 90% of the country covered by 3G signals. Coverage is much better and faster in cities and places like airports and train stations. However, if you live out in the sticks and can’t get fixed line broadband it’s worth checking to see if you can get mobile broadband. To check whether your chosen areas can get a decent 3G signal please use the links on our mobile broadband coverage checker page.

Can I use a Broadband Dongle at home?
Yes, in fact if you mainly use a mobile phone and only use your landline for Broadband access you might save a lot of money by using a mobile broadband dongle. To check whether your house can get a decent 3G signal please use the links on our mobile broadband coverage checker page.

Can I run a home wireless network using a broadband dongle?
You sure can. There and more and more devices coming onto the market that allow you to plug in your dongle and share the mobile broadband connection among multiple computers using WiFi.

Linksys 3G Boradband Wireless Router

T-Mobile Share Dock

3 Wireless Router

Draytek Wireless Router

What other options are there for mobile broadband?
Wifi: You need to be near a WiFi hotspot to use WiFi. WiFi hotspots can be found in places like airports and train stations and you might be asked to pay to use the WiFi network.
GPRS: Sometimes called 2G, most mobile phones can get a GPRS connection. The maximum speed of GPRS is 40kbps so it’s not really broadband.
3G phones: 3G phones like the iPhone use the same 3G SIMs that you’ll find in broadband dongles. Only certain websites will appear correctly on these devices properly though.
Pocket Surfer: The pocket surfer comes with a built in GPRS SIM card however it uses an ingenious technology to compress the web pages you look at to make them appear to download at broadband speeds. You cannot watch video on a Pocket Surfer – but it’s okay for general surfing, emailing and IMing.
Netbooks: Netbooks are small laptops, usually with solid state hard drives that are designed to be taken out and about. Some operators are now building these mini PCs with built in 3G SIM cards.

Can I use my mobile broadband dongle abroad?
Most broadband dongles will work in other countries. You’ll need to check with your operator to find out what countries your dongle will work in and how much will cost you to use mobile broadband abroad.
What is a usage cap?
When you sign up for mobile broadband your package will usually come with a capped amount of data that you can download. If you go above that data cap you’ll have to pay for any extra data downloaded. For example a mobile broadband package that comes with a 1Gb data usage cap will allow you to download 1 Gigabyte of data every month.

How much data is 1 Gigabyte?
1Gb of data is equivalent to :
10 hours of web surfing or
1000 sent emails or
5 four minute videos
32 four minute MP3 tracks

What computer specifications do I need to install a broadband dongle?
The first thing you’ll need is a free USB port. Then, most dongles will require your computer to have:
50MB hard disk space
Windows 2000, XP, Vista or and Mac OSX operating system

What is a netbook?
A netbook is a small laptop with a solid state hard drive (like an MP3 player has). Netbooks technically don’t have a lot of memory or storage space and are designed to do one thing really well – surf the web for long periods without needing their batteries recharging. The usually cost from £150 upwards.
Do I need a dongle with a netbook?
Some netbooks come with mobile broadband SIMs built into them. If this is the case you won’t need a dongle. If you have a standard netbook and you want to surf the web on the go, you’ll need a broadband dongle.