Use of mobile broadband via dongles shows dramatic increase

The number of people using mobile broadband to connect to the internet has risen, according to Ofcom.

Ofcom, which has published its first ever research into the performance of mobile broadband in the UK, found that in the last quarter of 2010 around seven per cent of people used mobile broadband as their sole means of getting internet access.

This is an increase on 2009 figures, when only three per cent of people were using mobile broadband as their sole internet connection. Ofcom said for some people mobile broadband may be a "less expensive" option than fixed-line services and has published a guide on how to choose a mobile broadband service.

"The most important factor affecting mobile broadband performance is coverage, and consumers should check with their provider how good the coverage is likely to be before buying a service.

"Consumers should also consider what they most want to use mobile broadband for. As well as being able to use it in different locations, mobile broadband may also be less expensive for some consumers as it does not require a landline, and pay-as-you-go tariffs are available," Ofcom said.

Ofcom's research, which surveyed people who only used dongles and datacards but not smartphones, was carried out between September and December last year. It involved more than four million tests and measured the average speeds and performance of five mobile operators where there is good 3G coverage

Broadband monitoring specialists Epitiro, found that the average download speed achieved by consumers in Ofcom's consumer panel survey was 1.5Mbits/sec and basic web pages took on average 8.5 seconds to download.

But in areas that have good 3G coverage, average mobile broadband speeds were slightly higher at 2.1Mbits/sec. Differences between the services of operators' networks was also seen; with O2, Vodafone and 3 offering faster average download speeds than T-Mobile and Orange.

Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, said: "This research gives consumers a clearer picture of the performance of mobile broadband dongle and datacards as consumers use these services to complement fixed-line services or sometimes as their principal means of accessing online services.

"The research is another important step in Ofcom's efforts to ensure that consumers have the information they need to exercise their choice effectively and to make the most of competition in the market."