Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband is a portable internet solution that gets you online using 4G or 3G services when you’re on the move. They come in different forms, such as data-only SIMs, dongles that plug into a USB port and portable WiFi hubs (or wireless routers as they’re sometimes called).

There are a few options for getting access to mobile broadband. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular ones:

- Data-only SIM cards – Working almost exactly like your mobile phone’s SIM card, these data-only ones come with a data allowance for you to use, without minutes or texts. All you need to do is pop this in the SIM card slot on a compatible device and it’ll get you online.

- A dongle – It’s the internet for one device on a USB stick. Plug it in, let it fire up and then connect your PC or laptop to the dongle’s internet and you’re ready to go.

- Portable WiFi or portable hotspot – They go by many names but they’re essentially the same thing: a small, portable gadget that acts as a router. Once you switch it on and it connects to a mobile signal; it’ll broadcast WiFi so that you can connect your smartphone, laptop, tablet or games consoles while you’re on the move.

You’ll be able to use mobile broadband as long as your portable WiFi hub is charged, and your data-only SIM can connect to a provider. It's worth noting the roaming charges differ depending on which territory you're in, so check before you go.

A WiFi dongle, or a dongle, is a little plug-in hotspot device that goes into your laptop or computer via the USB port. Unfortunately, with a WiFi dongle, you can only connect one device to the WiFi hotspot at a time, and it must be the device you’ve plugged the dongle into.

If you were hoping to connect your smartphone, tablet, eBook reader or a games console, a portable WiFi hub is the option for you.

As long as you have a smartphone with connection to the internet, you can use the mobile broadband as WiFi by creating a personal hotspot.

If you’d rather keep your phone’s data for things like checking WhatsApp and Instagram or making video calls, a portable WiFi hub is the better option. The data-only SIM you use will allow you to connect several devices to the hub’s WiFi hotspot, giving you time to surf, chat or post online whenever you like.

Looking for internet a bit closer to home? Check out our home broadband range.

At Virgin Media, our mobile broadband or portable WiFi is only available on a 30-day rolling plan. On our 30-day rolling plan, you’ll pay our upfront cost plus your monthly cost for the data plan of your choice.

It’s worth noting that getting a mobile broadband tariff with us comes with a bit of flexibility too. If you find you’re using more data than your tariff offers and you’re getting charged at an out-of-bundle rate for each GB of data you use, you could move up to a higher tariff. We can also put you on a lower tariff if you’re not using much data too. Simply get in touch with us to discuss your mobile internet options.