I’m reluctant to sign up to another 18 month contract (already got one with my mobile phone) for something I can’t really try and test beforehand – and the fact that every network seems to be launching a new mobile broadband package/tariff each month makes me wonder if I should hold off until they all decide what works best, in order to get the best deal?

From what I’ve researched so far, Vodafone offer the best speed & service for the most money, 3 offer an ok service for a lower ok price and O2 are offering something similar to 3, but it’s only available to O2 mobile phone customers. Orange seem to be some somewhere in-between Voda and 3, but aren’t really in the race as they have not promoted their service at all (from what I can see). Need to look into T-Mobile…

Hmm.

since i changed my living arrangements last october, i’ve actually been on the t-mobile web & walk package using a nokia n95 as the modem as my sole internet connexion; that had an actual data transfer rate of 1mb/s – which was the same as i’d had on my previous fixed-line broadband – & when i upgraded to the w&w max package the speed increased to 1.7mb/s (i’ve had some trouble over the last month, but that’s outside the scope of this comment…).

a friend of mine has the early 3 dongle (the while oval shaped one), & he reports typical speeds of between 2 & 3 mb/s, though i don’t know whether that’s a bogus speed factoring compression in.

overall, apart from the recent problems i’ve found it no less reliable than fixed-line broadband; then again, mentioning recent problems, the previous time i moved house it took bt wholesale my actual provider a whole six weeks to cease & reprovide the connexion, which was particularly annoying when i was hosting websites from my box in the living room…