Читать книгу 50 Top Tech Tools and Tips - David Sandy - Страница 27

Purpose: Providing your non-internet-enabled devices with mobile internet access.

Having a connection to the internet is pretty essential for most businesses nowadays, but you might find that you are not always somewhere where you have fixed-line broadband.

Of course, if you have a smartphone with a data tariff then hooking up to the internet isn’t too much of a problem. But when the small size of a phone screen or lack of proper keyboard doesn’t cut it, you might be better off looking at mobile broadband.

Mobile broadband normally comes in the form of a ‘dongle’ – a small modem device with SIM card installed which plugs into a USB socket on your computer or laptop. The device has software installed which connects your device up to the internet using a mobile phone network – in the same way that a smartphone does.

All of the mobile networks offer mobile broadband devices in a variety of colours and styles. Tariffs above ~£15 per month include on average around 2GB of data usage per month and will either throw in the USB dongle free or there might be a small one-off charge.

Tip

When deciding which company to go with, you may be swayed to go with your existing mobile network provider. However, strongly consider where in the country you’ll be using your mobile broadband and check coverage offered by the various networks in that area. Poor signal will result in an internet connection reminiscent of the early 1990s.