Save money by ditching your current internet plan for a cheaper, more flexible option. Robert Irvine explains the benefits and drawbacks of 4G and 5G home broadband
Why you should switch to mobile broadbandIt can be cheaper than traditional broadband
The main reason to ditch your fibre or cable connection in favour of 4G or 5G broadband is that it will save you money. According to Uswitch, the average cost of traditional home broadband in the UK is around £27 a month (see www.snipca. com/49680), but you also need to factor in annual price rises, setup charges and the cost of line rental (for ADSL and FTTC plans), plus an exit fee if you end your contract early.
In contrast, some mobile-broadband plans don’t charge you anything upfront – neither for the equipment they send you or for setup. Three’s excellent-value 4G and 5G Home Broadband plans (www.snipca.com/49692, pictured below) cost £22 a month for unlimited data, discounted to only £11 for the first six months of a two-year contract.
Mobile broadband doesn’t require installation
With mobile broadband, you don’t need to wait for an engineer to install or activate your internet connection, and can set up everything yourself within minutes. The 4G or 5G provider will send you a router or hub and a SIM card, which may already be inserted in the device or you can slot it in yourself.
The SIM card receives mobile signals in the same way as the one in your phone, which the router converts into Wi-Fi. You can then set up your home network by connecting your computer and other devices to the router, either using Ethernet cables or wirelessly. Because mobile broadband doesn’t require a landline, you don’t need to connect the router to a phone socket or worry about the Copper Switch Off. You’ll be able to make VoIP calls by plugging your home phone into the router.
You don’t need to commit to a contract
You can avoid being tied to a lengthy contract with a mobile broadband provider by choosing a 30-day ‘rolling’ plan. These deals usually cost more per month, and may have an upfront fee, but they allow you to avoid mid-contract price hikes and termination fees, and mean you can ditch them and return to traditional broadband if 4G or 5G don’t work out for you.
Three offers by far the best rolling deal, at £25 a month for unlimited 4G and 5G data (www.snipca.com/49693) with no upfront cost. Vodafone’s cheapest no-contract plan is for its 4G GigaCube, which costs £40 a month for 200GB of data, plus £50 upfront (www.s
