I needed to be able to connect to the web when I was out and about without having to find hotspots etc. I had a look at other mobile broadband providers e.g. Vodafone etc, and 3 came out the best, especially because it didn't go on about daily download limits. 3 has monthly contracts and the modem is free, but I opted for the pay as you go option and paid £99 for the modem.

The installation couldn't have been easier - plug the modem in to a USB port and the software (which is stored on the modem itself) installs straightaway. You can only access the 3 website at first where you must top up some credit and then purchase one of their mobile broadband monthy options (1gb £10, 3gb £15, 7gb £25). Registering a credit card can take up to a week, so if you want to start surfing immediatly you''re best to buy a top up voucher in advance and credit your account that way.

I purchased 3gb because I was going to look at some property sites which of course contain a lot of images. I… more »

I needed to be able to connect to the web when I was out and about without having to find hotspots etc. I had a look at other mobile broadband providers e.g. Vodafone etc, and 3 came out the best, especially because it didn't go on about daily download limits. 3 has monthly contracts and the modem is free, but I opted for the pay as you go option and paid £99 for the modem.

The installation couldn't have been easier - plug the modem in to a USB port and the software (which is stored on the modem itself) installs straightaway. You can only access the 3 website at first where you must top up some credit and then purchase one of their mobile broadband monthy options (1gb £10, 3gb £15, 7gb £25). Registering a credit card can take up to a week, so if you want to start surfing immediatly you''re best to buy a top up voucher in advance and credit your account that way.

I purchased 3gb because I was going to look at some property sites which of course contain a lot of images. I also expected these images would make the whole thing take a long time - but I was very wrong.

The speed of surfing was excellent - no fingers tapping on the table waiting for the pages to load. It's definitly better than an old-fashioned dial up connection and I would go so far as to say it was as fast as the first broadband fixed line connections. Even after an afternoon of very heavy surfing, I still had amples of my 3gb allowance left.

When researching mobile broadband I had read that this was a superb option for people who didn't want a twelve-month fixed line contract (e.g they moved house frequently) but still needed a decent connection.

You can connect to the internet anywhere where a mobile phone signal can be picked up - in the park, on the beach, round your friend's house etc. And you don't have to take your own laptop to your friend's house - just take the modem and use it on their computer.

I think this could be the way forward and I'm now a convert.