Laptop and mobile phone
Fast forward many years and a fresh batch of reports are claiming that mobile broadband deals spell the end for the home phone. Andrew Stucken investigates.
What exactly is mobile broadband? As the name suggests, it is the facility to connect to the internet using your mobile phone and laptop computer. It can be used wherever a mobile phone signal is available.
How does this work exactly? It is pretty straightforward. Plug in a dongle to a USB port, install the software drivers and you are away (given a phone signal). Dongles cost up to £80 but some networks offer them free on signing a contract.
How much does it cost? In the face of a price war between the major networks, the cost has fallen to just £10 a month. That compares very favourably with fixed line broadband packages. Contracts vary from 12 to 24 months. But beware data caps – they tend to be far lower than comparably-priced fixed-line broadband deals. And you may be heavily charged for exceeding them - so be sure to check the small print carefully.
Can I get it where I live? You need to be able to pick up 3G (third generation) mobile – at present over 90% of the population can. The networks will advise you.
Is it as quick as landline broadband? Speeds can very enormously according to network, location, and even whereabouts you are in the building. Vodafone’s fastest connection - with a theoretical maximum speed of 7.2Mbps - is the quickest currently available. As Steve Weller of price comparison site uSwitch puts it, ”You get faster speeds and better internet connections from a land line…but mobile broadband does give you some pretty good speeds.”
Do I need this? There are several types of internet user who might want to use the service. Dial-up users too far from exchanges to get broadband should find speeds significantly improved – provided they can access 3G mobile networks. Users who only maintain a landline to use the internet are another category who will be very tempted to switch – then ditch the land line altogether.
So – is this really the end for the home phone? According to figures supplied the regulator Ofcom, 11% of UK households already do without a land line – while 92% possess a mobile phone. While the former is slowly dropping as the latter steadily rises, a spokesperson for Ofcom said: “While people are using their land lines less and mobiles more, there is still a place for the fixed phone.”
Whether that statement still rings true in a few years’ time remains to be seen.
Information correct at time of publication.