Mobile internet access

Whether it’s to check email on your mobile phone in between meetings or to update the company website while you’re on the train, a mobile internet connection can help you keep in touch and work efficiently.

Why mobile internet access?

Having a mobile internet connection makes it easier to work when you’re on the move. For instance:

• If you set up your mobile phone so it checks for email automatically, you can respond to enquiries faster – no matter where you are.
• Your mobile internet connection helps you make use of 'dead time'. Each train journey becomes an opportunity to catch up on email.
• The versatility of mobile broadband helps you take a flexible approach to work. You can go to the park or a cafe without losing connectivity.
• It’s a handy backup. If your company’s main internet connection goes down, you’ll be glad to have a mobile internet connection to fall back on.

What you can do with a mobile internet connection depends largely on the equipment you use to get online. Mobile phones are great for checking email and limited web browsing, but a piece of mobile hardware like a laptop will give you much more flexibility.

Getting online with mobile broadband

Mobile broadband uses a mobile phone network to connect to the internet. It’s also called a '3G connection'. Most mobile phones can connect to the internet in this way and will allow you to check email and browse the internet on your handset.

You may also be able to link your phone to a laptop computer, in order to get your laptop online. This can be fiddly, so a popular alternative is to use a mobile broadband dongle. These small adaptors are also called '3G dongles' or '3G modems'.

They plug into the side of your laptop and contain a SIM card (like in a mobile phone). They connect directly to a mobile phone network, giving you mobile broadband on your laptop.

The connection speed of mobile broadband can be surprisingly good – certainly more than enough to check emails and browse the internet. However, it may drop significantly in weak signal areas, and some remote parts of the UK don’t have coverage at all.

Mobile broadband providers usually charge depending on how much data you send and receive. £5 per gigabyte is typical – that corresponds to thousands and thousands of emails, but only an hour or so of high-quality video. As with mobile phone calls, charges for using mobile broadband abroad can be very high.

Wireless hotspots

Wireless hotspots are the other main source of mobile internet access. These provide a connection through a wireless network and can often be found in cafes, bars and pubs. Some hotspots charge by the hour, day or month (£5 – £10 a day is typical), but many are free.

All you need to use a wireless hotspot is a piece of equipment that can connect to a wireless network. Virtually all laptops can do this, along with a growing number of mobile phones. A hotspot connection should be fast and reliable, although the speed may drop if lots of other people are using it.

The biggest drawback of wireless hotspots is you can’t be sure of being near one when you need to get online. It can therefore be best to rely on a combination of access methods. For instance, you can take your laptop to a hotspot when you have something specific to do, but manage email on your mobile phone as well.

Other information related to mobile internet:

• Internet speed checker