Orange Mobile Broadband logo

Orange mobile broadband

Orange overview

  • Good range of pay monthly contracts, including 12 month or flexible 1 month options with a 14 day guarantee
  • Download allowances up to 2GB/mth
  • New high-performance dongle gives better coverage, and comes with a free Micro SD card.
  • You can buy add-on data on a 30-day rolling contract basis.
  • Orange mobile broadband customers get 2 for 1 cinema tickets with the Orange Wednesdays offer

Best selling Orange mobile broadband deals

Orange Broadband Genie Road Test results

Orange Road test
Orange Huawei E1752 dongle
Downloads
rating -4 stars4 stars
Uploads
rating -4 stars4 stars
Most stable
rating -5 stars5 stars
Coverage
rating -4 stars4 stars
Feelgood factor
rating -3 stars3 stars
Dongle software
rating -3 stars3 stars
Overall rating
rating -4 stars4 stars

May 2011

2011 Awards: Dongle on the Move overall runner-up, Most Stable Winner & Best Coverage runner-up

It's hard to see how Orange pulled it off, but with last year's dongle (which didn't exactly perform) the provider managed to snaffle the Dongle on the Move runner-up award, alongside two other results. This is its best performance to date and owes everything to one key area: stability.

We criticised the E1752 last year for being cheap looking and fragile, which both stay true today. In fact, probably more so, as the general standard in this regard has improved and it was already the worst. However the software is fine, it installs easily and once it grabs hold of a signal it just won't let go.

While its speed was rarely eye-catching, this isn't what you really need from a dongle on the move. What the Orange dongle did was stay connected and, on most occasions, get the job done. Only the winning dongle from Three completed more tests on the trip, while some of the ones Orange failed it would've completed given more time, including a couple of long downloads you would be foolhardy to attempt on the go anyway.

This is probably the one dongle we used that we would recommend for on the move while not really if you're stationary (unless of course you're in a great Orange mobile broadband reception area). It was really hassle free, staying connected even within tunnels when a lot of its competitors had to be restarted. What it lacked in looks and headline making speeds, the Orange E1752 made up for in rugged determination.

Overall analysis of the Mobile Broadband Genie Road Trip 2011

by Chris Marling May 2011

About Orange

Once the cool, trend setting mobile network with a bright future, Orange Mobile is now established as one of the big boys. Its 'Orange Wednesdays' two-for-one cinema ticket deal has been a sure-fire winner with mobile broadband customers, although many of its rivals have now caught on and copied it with similar offers. However, in terms of performance, its mobile broadband speed test results have been consistently behind the curve.

Back in 1994 Orange became the new kid on the mobile network block (a title it has since passed to 3). The company was taken over by France Telecom in 2001, along with the internet branch of the company originally known as Wanadoo (under which name it took over Freeserve): it became part of the Orange brand in 2006. As for mobile internet, while Orange has introduced a one-month rolling contract, there is not a specific pay as you go mobile broadband deal available. It no longer does so-called 'free' laptop deals direct, but has branched into both iPad SIMs and mobile Wi-Fi.

In the UK, Orange integrated with T-Mobile in July 2010. While keeping their separate identities on the high street, the combined networks were renamed Everything Everywhere. The long term plan is for a 'super-network' giving bigger and better coverage.

Looking for Orange home broadband?

Orange customer reviews

Show all 98 Orange Mobile Broadband reviews»

  • happy

    by Andy at 01:07 on 24 Mar 2012Report abuse

    Just taken out a 12 month mobile broadband contract with Orange on a light user package (500Mb/month)
    Very pleased with customer service and connection speed, done speed test and am getting download speed of 4.33Mbps and upload speed of 1.5Mbps and for only £5 per month.
    Very Happy Customer.

  • unhappy

    by Karen Brunskill at 08:54 on 11 Nov 2011Report abuse

    Mmmmm!!! Thank god I read these reviews before buying an Orange Dongle .... I'm going to live abroad and need a Dongle for my laptop so I can keep intouch with people back in England .... Can anyone help me as to which network I should buy?? I am currently with 3 and they are sooooo bad even in England so won't be using them!!! :O(

  • unhappy

    by M Hughes at 18:24 on 10 Oct 2011Report abuse

    I have been using Orange Mobile Broadband at my current address in Bedford for nearly 2 years. Although better than the awful fixed-line speed to start with it has gradually declined to the point that the last month or so has seen a total drop off in line speed. My contract is up soon, but they are now charging a fortune for my current 3 gigs a month. This is no surprise since their phone coverage is worsening by the week. WAKE UP ORANGE !!! You are not keeping up with the advancing technology and usage levels so stop flogging promises of service that you know you can't meet.
    PEOPLE, DO NOT enter into a fixed contract until you can check the equipment at home/work etc. There should also be a 28 day trial/refund period on all long contracts to check these product work as advertised.

  • neutral

    by Steven at 21:49 on 12 Aug 2011Report abuse

    Orange are the worst network. I bought a phone from HMV, the checked my area and told me it had excellent reception...Now I'm stuck paying £30 per month for an HTC that is not much better than a paper weight. I was previously a customer with Orange from their very beginning and when I contacted them about the lack of service in my new area, they did not want to know. The future is pish, the future is Orange!

Add a review

Post a reply to this thread

 

 

Please describe your emotions in making this comment:


Powered by reCAPTCHA

Unless you are a verified user, comments will be moderated before they appear. Comments submitted entirely in capital letters, containing advertising or excessive swearing will be rejected; please try to be polite. The best comments are relevant, factual and balanced; think about all aspects of the package, such as speed, connection quality and customer service. We reserve the right to edit comments.