How to get online with mobile broadband

Do you want to be able to check your email in the park, update your Facebook status in the park, and stay connected on the move, no matter where you are? Well, look no further, for mobile broadband is here.

Forget hunting around for a WiFi hotspot, or trying to figure out where you are on Google maps on a screen the size of a business card - here's the lowdown on how to get an internet connection, anywhere, any time.

So how do I get it?

The toughest thing about getting mobile broadband is probably finding the best deal for you, so here's a quick look at who is offering what.

3 Mobile

3 is currently offering over fifty different mobile broadband deals, but the highlights include one of the lowest price packages around (Broadband Lite for just £10 per month), or a free HP laptop with a £30 per month contract. Additionally, existing customers get 50% off line rental on all 18 and 24-month mobile broadband contracts, so they're well worth a look if you already have your mobile phone contract with them. And as a basic get-you-connected-for-the-right-price deal, their Broadband Plus package (£15 per month, 12 month contract, 3GB usage cap) is a pretty good bet. They also have a pay as you go option, for anyone not looking for that long term commitment!

O2

O2 don't have such a baffling array of options as some, but they've covered most of the bases nicely. There's a high-use option, offering 10GB of usage per month (£35 per month, 18 month contract); a pay as you go option, offering a range of flexible connection choices from as little as £2 for a day's use; and a good standard option at £15 per month for 3GB on an 18 month contract.

Orange

Orange has two really good simple options, which makes life easy. There's a pretty solid £15 per month offer (18 months, 3GB cap) which would suit most users, or for those looking for a bit extra, there's the laptop deal which gets you an Asus Eee PC for £24.99 per month (24 months, 3GB cap).

T-Mobile

T-Mobile's Broadband Plus deal at £20 per month over 12 months (3GB cap), is well worth considering, and they also offer some deals with massive download limits (10GB for £35 per month) for anyone who's really heavy on the downloads, or a one month rolling contract for those of us who aren't so happy with contract stuff. T-Mobile were recently independently rated as "consistently the fastest of any of the UK networks", so if speed is your thing that might be a winner for you, but they're not currently offering any laptop deals, so if you're in the market for a new laptop you'll need to look elsewhere.

Virgin

Virgin are relatively new to the mobile broadband game, but their offering is pleasantly straightforward, at £15 per month for up to 3GB, on an 18 month contract. Although their advertised speed isn't as good as some, and there are currently no laptop freebies, you do know where you are with this one.

Vodafone

Vodafone have something like 26 mobile broadband deals on the go at the moment, including several which give you the very funky Dell Inspiron Netbook (a laptop no bigger than the average paperback). They also have a good basic package offering 3GB per month for £15 (12 month contract), or a pay as you go option which is unique in that it's 'top-ups' don't expire after a certain time-period.

There - that's a quick overview of what's on offer at the moment, but don't forget: these changes on an almost weekly basis, so don't forget to check in on Mobile Broadband Genie to get the latest info!

Also check out our article covering the basics on what to consider when Choosing a mobile broadband package.