Mobile broadband plans

Mobile broadband is an important tool for many businesses as well as a useful one for students and other users. There is now a wide range of options available for broadband, both in terms of the way it is provided and in the way you pay for it. Taking the time to choose the right plan before you connect to a mobile broadband provider will ensure that you are getting the service you need, for an affordable price, particularly as mobile can be a more expensive option than cable based internet provision.

Mobile broadband: Choosing plans

There are many plans on offer, from a range of providers in Australia. Most of them are targeted at a particular type of user. Ask yourself these questions before deciding on a plan:

• What type of user am I? This relates to how much you use the internet, and what type of use, which will dictate how many megabytes you will need
• A light user is someone who surfs occasionally and perhaps reads a few emails. Average and family users will need a larger plan (12 gigabytes is a good start) and a gamer, heavy downloader (you may fall into this category if you download videos and music) or business will need more – a 20 gigabyte plan may suit
• Most plans offer somewhere between 4 and 20 megabytes of data, and this will be balanced against cost, as well as other factors such as speed
• Consider how many emails you send, how many mp3s you download, how many film clips or youtube clips and how many online games you play in a week when assessing your user status
• Consider what happens when your download credits run out. Many plans, instead of stopping your use altogether, offer a swap to dialup speed if you use more than your plan allows
• Mobile broadband tends to be a little more expensive than cable broadband, but this difference is lessening, and may soon be irrelevant as providers compete
• Read the ‘fine print’ in any contract. Many bind you to a minimum period of a year at least, and you may have hefty fees for withdrawing from the plan early, or for wanting to switch providers. The best way to find a great plan and provider is word of mouth – what experiences have your family and friends had with providers?

Finding the right plan for you means balancing the cost of the plan against how much download or data you will use.

Shop around to save on mobile broadband

The right mobile broadband plan for your home or business depends on a few factors, the most important one being your usage status. It is not worth skimping on your plan if you will run out of broadband before the end of each month – the cost is not prohibitive, and shopping around a few providers will ensure that you get the best plan for your needs.