Best 4G Mobile Broadband Deals

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		Setup	Monthly price	Contract	Speed	Downloads
1	553 reviews	FREEdongle	£15.99/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go 0800 988 8147Check coverage>
	Standard Broadband 15GB	Extras: High-speed HSPA+ dongle (up to 21Mb).
2	553 reviews	FREElaptop	£36.41/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Samsung NC110 + Standard dongle	Offer: Up to £150 trade in for your old laptop Extras: 10.1" display, 1GB memory, 250GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter. 150 text messages/mth included. Includes FREE Standard dongle.
3	553 reviews	FREElaptop	£37.43/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Samsung NC110 + Premium dongle	Offer: Up to £150 trade in for your old laptop Extras: 10.1" display, 1GB memory, 250GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter. 150 text messages/mth included. Includes FREE Premium dongle HSPA+ (up to 21Mb); rotating head allows dongle to sit vertically for increased efficiency.
4	306 reviews	£29.99	PAY AS YOU GO	NO CONTRACT	4.5Mbmax speed	£2/day £7/week £15/30 days(fair use policy)	Go Check coverage>
	Pay up front - 90 days' data included	Extras: 90 days' usage included; then pay per day. Unlimited browsing: No extra charges over 1GB/mth fair use limit but peak time downloading/streaming may be restricted.
5	553 reviews	FREEdongle	£13.32+ VAT/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	15 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Everyday Business Broadband 15GB	Extras: High-speed HSPA+ dongle (up to 21Mb) BUSINESS CUSTOMERS ONLY
6	267 reviews	£29	£30/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	2 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Acer D257 with 2GB mobile broadband	Extras: 10" netbook, 1GB memory, 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter. 2GB UK data/mth plus 2GB Wi-Fi via BT Openzone.
7	267 reviews	£49 + VAT	£27.50+ VAT/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	2 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Acer 5250 Vodafone Business with 2GB mobile broadband	Extras: 15.6" laptop on on Vodafone Business Connected, 3GB memory, 500GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. 2GB UK data/mth plus 2GB Wi-Fi via BT Openzone.
8	267 reviews	£29	£25/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	1 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Acer D257 with 1GB mobile broadband	Extras: 10" netbook, 1GB memory, 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter. 1GB UK data/mth plus 2GB Wi-Fi via BT Openzone.
9	267 reviews	£49	£35/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	2 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Acer 5250	Extras: 15.6" laptop, 3GB memory, 500GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. 2GB UK data/mth plus 2GB Wi-Fi via BT Openzone.
10	267 reviews	£69	£37.50/mth	24 months	7.2Mbmax speed	2 GBper month	Go Check coverage>
	Mobile broadband + Acer Timeline 4830T	Extras: 14" laptop with built-in mobile broadband, 2GB memory, 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium.

What is 4G mobile broadband?

Without getting into the boring technical side of things, 4G mobile internet is quite simply the latest technological jump in mobile broadband - hence 4G coming after 3G. There are some geeky quibbles about whether or not 4G is an appropriate name for the technology, but the title seems to be here to stay.

If you're completely new to the concept of mobile broadband we suggest you check out our comprehensive Beginners' Guide before you continue. 

What's important to us is that 4G dongle broadband should bring a really significant jump in speed to uploading and download when you're on the move. And we really are talking about a big jump here - perhaps 10 times the average mobile broadband speeds we're getting now, or more.

This will bring 4G mobile internet speeds in line with many fixed-line home broadband services, which could lead to a whole new price war as consumers start to consider whether they need both a mobile and home broadband connection. 4G really could change the face of the broadband world forever.

When can I get 4G mobile internet?

If you head to certain parts of America, you can get 4G mobile broadband now, but that would be a bit extreme. If you want to stay in the UK, we're afraid you're going to have to wait until 2012 to get your super-fast 4G mobile broadband.

Ofcom announced an auction for 4G licences in early 2011, which will see the available spectrum divided up into lots that the mobile broadband suppliers can bid on. This means that while not all shares will be equal, customers of Three Mobile Broadband, T-Mobile, O2, Orange and Vodafone should all be able to transfer over to 4G mobile internet when it arrives.

Exactly when this will be isn't clear, but the good news is that the mobile broadband suppliers have been testing 4G technology for a long time now. We saw demos by O2 parent company Telefonica back in 2009, and the others are sure to have been doing the same. Once the auction is over, we shouldn't have to wait too long.

How fast will 4G mobile broadband really be?

Until it arrives here it will be impossible to put a number on 4G mobile internet speeds, but if the American experience is anything to go by we should hope for something at least pushing 20Mb, perhaps even 30Mb. 

The theoretical speed is actually much higher, being 100+Mb, but it will be quite some time before we can hope for 4G mobile broadband speeds in that category.

However, what 15-30Mb speeds will offer is instantaneous browsing and streaming of content, as well as lightening fast downloads. It should also be a really big boon for mobile Wi-Fi and MiFi units, as that kind of capacity means a bunch of laptops, netbooks and other mobile broadband compatible devices will be able to operate at once from a single mobile broadband SIM.

So what's the downside of 4G?

Unfortunately, there is likely to be a bit of bad news. This just speculation, so don't take it as gospel, but these are the things we can see putting you off 4G mobile broadband:

• Equipment upgrade: It is almost guaranteed that you will need to buy some new equipment so that you will be able to receive a 4G mobile internet signal. This is likely to be in the shape of a 3G/4G dongle. If America is anything to go by, this upgrade could cost as much as £50 on a two-year contract, with a pay-as-you-go version costing several hundred pounds. On the plus side, they should be future proofed to cope with speeds up to 100Mb.
• 4G mobile broadband contract: With some paying as little as £5 per month or less for their mobile broadband right now, you could be in for a 4G shock. The current US monthly costs (which subsidise the 4G dongle) are the equivalent of around £40 per month. However, on the plus side, you get unlimited data usage.
• Patchy signal: We're going to have to see if 4G mobile internet networks really are a brave new dawn for mobile broadband, or if the same old problems rear their ugly heads once more. It's all well and good having a flashy dongle that can get 25Mb speeds, but not if you have to balance on a wall to get them, holding your laptop in the air!

What should I do until 4G dongles come along?

This really depends on your situation. If you don't already have mobile broadband, there are some really cheap deals around. As long as you're willing to accept that speeds can be slow and coverage patchy at times, a mobile broadband connection can be a real life safer. It can get you online on the train, on holiday, in cafes that don't have Wi-Fi when you need to check your mail or check something online.

If you already have mobile broadband but are crying out for faster speeds - perhaps you can't get a good landline connection - then there may a glimmer of hope. While you're waiting for 4G broadband to come along, keep your eyes on Three Mobile Broadband.

Three was the first to market with its MiFi (mobile Wi-Fi) offering and it looks like it will also be firs out of the traps with its 3G+ dongle. It has the potential to really push 3G to the limits, with theoretical speeds of up to 20Mb and beyond.

Right now Three is improving its network, so don't expect immediate results. However, if all goes to plan, Three customers could be getting speeds twice what they are now on mobile broadband before the 4G auction has even begun.

But rest assured, as soon as those 4G mobile internet dongles start popping onto the market, Broadband Genie will have all the best deals here on site for you to compare as soon as they are available. 

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