With the current economic climate affecting us all at the moment there’s never been a greater need to cut back on costs, which if you’ve been considering getting mobile broadband, or are already a subscriber, means that it’s well worth shopping around for new deals and offers.
Thanks to a very competitive marketplace right now, it’s actually never been a better time to get kitted out with a state of the art mobile broadband account. But before you sign up, it’s a good idea to use the services of a free comparison website that will point you in the right direction of the best packages to go for.
Here are our top five pointers for picking the most cost effective deal:
One – Compare and contrast what’s out there with the aid of a careful search. Beforehand, spend some time considering what you need your mobile broadband for, and if you’ve got a lot of heavy use in mind then be prepared to head for the contract deals as these are usually more cost effective on that front. They should also have more generous data allowances too.
Two – Decide on your budget, because if you have a set amount that you’re prepared to spend each month then you’ll be able to get a better idea of what’s affordable. Don’t be tempted to overstep that amount either, because you may end up in a contract that you can’t afford. A great way to cut costs is to go for a pay as you go mobile broadband dongle, as these only need to be topped up, you pay for what you use and there’s no contract.
Three– spot the deal and lookout for freebies and other incentives that might come with it. Mobile network providers are keen to get your business, so a comparison site will show all sorts of goodies, including free laptops with some longer contract packages. There will also be software and hardware, plus it’s a great idea if you get free technical support of in case of any problems further down the line.
Four – share it out, and invest in a MiFi if you’ve got family, friends or work colleagues. The MiFi is rather like a wireless router that you might have with your traditional broadband setup at home. The difference is that it enables you to share your mobile broadband connectivity with up to five other authorised users. Data allowances get divvied up across whoever is using the supply though, so be sure to keep tabs on what’s being downloaded, but it’s a good way to get a few people online.
Five – shop around and move to another deal if you see that things are cheaper elsewhere. Of course, if you’ve locked yourself into a contract deal then you may be stuck with it for a year or two – which is why it’s best to compare and contrast carefully before you sign up. However, if you plump for a cheap and easy pay as you go deal then it’s no problem to move to another offer when it comes along.
Simply use up the existing credit on your current dongle and head straight for the next bargain-basement connection option. Easy!
This article is a guest post by Rob Clymo of Broadband Genie, the online consumer advice and comparison website.