Choosing a MBB provider

Hi folks,
I want to sign up for a new mobile broadband deal, but I want it to work well at home too, so I can drop the adsl account (I can't get better than about 5mbps with a stable connection anyway, so I'll happily drop back to 2 or 3 mbps and save the extra ££s).

I think, from past experience, that the individual phone company's coverage maps are hopelessly optimistic, but I've discovered OFCOM's sitefinder website. This shows that within 250 - 500 metres of home, on the edge of the city centre, there are 14 sites with 17 base stations. Of those 9 are Vodafone. That seems to me to be a pretty good argument for going with Vodafone, but is it that straightforward?

Ha! Now realise its only the UMTS stations that matter - which still leaves vodaphone or 3 as the obvious choices...

Take a look at Orange - they have a good Business Everywhere Package, and the coverage is far better than 3, especially "out in the sticks".

Home ADSL: Be Unlimited LLU
Business ADSL:
Be LLU supplied by Andrews & Arnold
Orange 3G Business Everywhere Mobile BB

We personally use Vodafone for day to day usage when required but have backup dongles from T-Mobile and Orange.

Vodafone does perform consistently well all over the country. The only place where we had an issue with that was Teddington, London. T-Mobile was used instead and performed amazingly well.

T-Mobile also is quite competitive on the usage/cost and has no run on rates should you go slightly over.

Most of the MBB networks use image compression by default which, depending on what you use the internet for, could deliver a poor experience. (It is often possible to reload the images without compression by pressing a key-combo).

Matt

-
xilodsl.net
t: 0800 848 8468
Official Maidenhead & Milton Keynes Speedtest.net Host
CPW LLU Pre-registration | Our current offers

Thanks for all the advice folks; I'm nicely set up with a 3 connection - running between 1.5 & 2.3 mbps so far, which is at least 3 or 4 times faster than the t-mobile set up it replaces. 15gb data allowance for £15 a month (via Tesco but I think you can get the same deal direct), which here in Hull is great 'cos the only adsl we can get is Karoo (due to Hull never having had BT lines), and they currently charge £16.99 for just 10gb. OK, its quicker than mobile but WTH - I can stream video on this connection, what more do I actually need?

FWIW I also installed Linux Mint 8 yesterday, and it recognised the Huawei e1550 dongle and I was online in about three clicks, which has to be quicker and easier than setting it up under windows! If you've played with Linux and not looked at Mint yet, I would highly recommend it, very nice, very user friendly and fast.

Cheers all

Ian

Edited by videopoet (Tue 09-Feb-10 16:54:50)