Tips on Choosing the Best Mobile Broadband Provider

Shopping for a mobile broadband provider can sometimes be like trying to choose the best item from a mall that is packed with the same stores.  After a while they all seem to offer the same thing and you do not know which one is the best.  The same rule applies to choosing the best mobile broadband provider.  There are so many choices that offer a wide array of different services it is difficult to know which one will provide you with the best services at an affordable price.

The best place to begin is from the practical side of things.  What do you need? What is unnecessary?  How do you plan to use a mobile broadband service?  Where will you be using the service?  What is your budget?  What types of devices will you be using?  What do you require in terms of data transfer speed?

By covering all of the bases ahead of time you will be more likely to choose the best mobile broadband provider that will provide you with the services you need instead of services you will never use.  The key to mastering this art is choosing the right plan, the right speed, and the right coverage at the right price.  Here are a few tips:

Buy Only What You Will Use

When you shop around for mobile broadband plans you will find ones with a lot of bells and whistles you will never use.  If you want to get the most out of your plan then you must choose one that suits the purposes for which you will be using the plan.  For example, if you know you are going to use mobile broadband everyday plus you tend to travel around a lot then you should go with a plan that is designed to serve this purpose.

If you do not travel around a lot but you use the connection everyday then you may be able to get by with a plan that offers less coverage in terms of distance.  If you only use your cellular broadband as a backup connection it doesn’t make sense to commit to a long term contract and a shorter term service may prove to be more appropriate.  Along with a wide choice of services when you look for a plan you can also choose from contract plans, prepaid plans, and day passes depending upon the broadband service provider.

Data Transfer Speed

If you use mobile broadband on a daily basis then it will not matter how cost effective the plan may seem.  If the Internet connection is too slow this will result in extreme frustration or worse yet, not being able to get tasks accomplished related to the workday or personal business.  Unfortunately broadband is not always synonymous with “fast” and can work at a much slower rate depending upon the time of day you use it and how far you are located from the nearest tower that provides the signal.

If you only use mobile broadband occasionally or as a backup data transfer speed should not pose an issue. However if you work with a lot of content and media or depend upon your connection for daily tasks then you should inquire about data transfer speed before you commit.  All mobile broadband providers always give you the top rate of speed that is possible but this depends upon a lot of variables including how many people are sharing the connection with you at any given time.

Broadband Coverage Area

Mobile broadband providers offer broadband in third generation or 3G or fourth generation known as 4G.  3G coverage is a lot more common since 4G is just starting to appear as the next generation of broadband connectivity.

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mobile broadband coverage is determined by broadband connection that exceeds 768Kbps or kilobits per second.  Although this is the standard, with 3G coverage this may mean speeds that can range anywhere from700Kbps to 1.0 Mbps (megabits per second).  In terms of measurement kilobits are smaller than megabits.  4G coverage can range anywhere from 3 megabits per second (Mbps) to 6 megabits per second (Mbps) with the capability to reach up to 100Mbps.

If this seems like a lot of gibberish, as long as you understand what the average speed for coverage is then you can avoid being taken advantage of and you can determine what the best bet is for your money.  When it comes to coverage the data transfer speeds can also vary depending upon distance and the time of day you are accessing the Internet.

In addition to asking your mobile broadband provider for an honest account of the coverage try to look for customer reviews or talk to people who you know for a fact are using the service.  There is no better advice than through word of mouth so make sure you take the time to gather feedback for each mobile broadband provider you are thinking about using.