Best Mobile Broadband Data Plans

There are many types of broadband internet options, and one of the most popular nowadays is mobile broadband. Mobile broadband connects your devices to the internet through SIM Cards. This means that, unlike the NBN, mobile broadband connects to a data network wirelessly.

You can get mobile broadband from a carrier who provides a broadband stick that connects your laptop, smartphone, and other devices through. They typically use a device that attaches a mobile broadband plan through a SIM card, like a pocket WiFi, giving users the freedom to access the internet wherever they go.

Choose a mobile broadband with good network coverage in your location. Some mobile network providers offer better deals than others. There are various mobile broadband devices that have different uses.

• A mobile router is an ideal alternative to a fixed broadband and to connect many devices.
• WiFi or broadband stick is suitable for your laptop and other devices without SIM capabilities.
• Check 4G vs 5G coverage in your area

You can purchase a mobile broadband device and plan from Optus, Telstra, Vodafone and some MVNOs. These carriers offer prepaid or postpaid plans depending on your needs.

Once you get your mobile broadband, activate it by following the directions below:

WiFi

A WiFi mobile broadband device connects multiple smart devices to the mobile network. To activate it:

1. Take off the back cover and battery of the Wi-Fi device.
2. Slot the SIM card with the gold-coloured chip in a downward facing position.
3. Insert the battery and replace the back cover.
4. Move your device into an area of your home or office with good mobile coverage.
5. Press and hold the power button until the mobile broadband powers on.

What you need to know about Wi-Fi mobile broadband:

• A prepaid plan must be activated prior to first use.
• A WiFi mobile broadband may take up to 5 mins before connecting to the carrier’s mobile network.

Connecting other devices to your WiFi mobile broadband:

• The mobile broadband WiFi device has the name and password registered on its dashboard.
• Search for your mobile broadband WiFi name on your smart device and enter the password.

 Broadband Stick

Your mobile broadband stick attaches to your PC’s USB port to give it access to mobile internet. To use your broadband stick:

• 1. Take off the detachable panel by sliding it away from the broadband stick.
• 2. Place the SIM card with the gold-coloured chip in a downward facing position.
• 3. Replace the detachable panel
• 4. Press and hold the power button until the mobile broadband stick powers on.

What to know about broadband sticks:

• Some broadband sticks may provide Wi-Fi service when connected to an AC adapter. That way, you can place the device in any area of your home or office when using it.

Connecting other devices to your mobile broadband stick

• If your mobile broadband stick has WiFi capabilities, you may find the network name and password in the pack or on the device.
• Use your smart device to search for the WiFi name and insert the password. You may also plug your broadband stick directly into compatible devices.

This depends on what you’ll be using your broadband for. Whether it will be simply social media and emails, you’ll need a smaller plan. If you intend to stream Netflix and TV then you’ll need to go much higher. A good rule of thumb is to take what you think you’ll need, and double it.

One hour of streaming a show in HD will take up roughly 1GB, so work out how much you plan to watch. Of course, you can adjust your streaming settings to be at a lower quality to use less data. 

Social media uses much less data and will only use roughly 1.5-3MB per minute.

The main highlights of mobile broadband are speed and portability. With mobile broadband, you can get fast internet connectivity wherever you go. As long as there’s 4G or 5G network coverage, you’ll be able to use the internet through a mobile broadband.

Although carriers in Australia offer mobile broadband plans with huge amounts of data, mobile broadband is generally more expensive compared to fixed broadband. It may also have slower speeds with higher latency and stricter download thresholds.

Although carriers in Australia offer mobile broadband plans with huge amounts of data, mobile broadband is generally more expensive compared to fixed broadband. It may also have slower speeds with higher latency and stricter download thresholds.

Prepaid data plans are often more expensive than postpaid mobile broadband plans of the same value, per gigabyte (GB). A great advantage of picking prepaid is if you’re not going to use the service every month — it can sit unused, but so long as you don’t recharge it, you won’t pay anything.

Here are the pros and cons of prepaid and postpaid mobile broadband:

• Bill payments – Prepaid mobile broadband subscriptions come with many more bill payment options. You can pay the bill via scratch cards, make bill payments by visiting the respective sales and service centre, using a debit/credit card, or even using apps. However, when it comes to postpaid, you lack many of these options.
• Billing cycle — Postpaid billing comes with a fixed billing date, which is often the 1st of every month or your billing cycle. However, when you choose prepaid plans, you can pay bills whenever you want to renew your subscription.
  This is one of the major deciding factors when you choose a mobile broadband plan. If you have a postpaid subscription, you strictly have to pay your bill within the 1st week, otherwise you’ll be fined with late payment charges or face a temporary service disconnection.
• Contract — Because prepaid plans are pay-per-use, customers don’t have a set lock-in period with the service provider. As a result, they can quickly switch to another provider if they aren’t satisfied with the current network provider, at any given time.
  On the other hand, with a postpaid mobile broadband plan, consumers are committed to paying the monthly amount for a time period.

Risk of overspending — With prepaid, you can only use the amount of the service you’ve subscribed to, so controlling your data costs is easier. With a postpaid plan, there is the risk of spending more than you planned. Before signing up for a postpaid plan, consumers should be aware of how much data, texts, and calling minutes they usually consume every month. It enables choosing the right plan for their needs while avoiding extra charges every month.