subject: Cheap broadband without a phone line [print this page] Cheap broadband without a phone line Cheap broadband without a phone line
When it comes to cheap broadband options, there's usually a ton of choice for many, but what about if you want low cost broadband but either don't want to use a standard phone line or simply can't? There's are two main options for people who want to enjoy broadband without having a phone installed in their home, and both offer different advantages and disadvantages compared with standard ADSL services, so you'll need to do research into the prices and features of both services before you pick one of these cheap broadband without phone line services.
Cable Broadband
Cable broadband is the main alternative for ADSL broadband in many people's homes. It provides a faster service than most ADSL packages, as well as giving people a maximum speed much closer to the one advertise than other broadband services. It's fast and can be tied in with a digital television service at the same time, making it a great choice if you want an all in one entertainment package for a single monthly price.
However, cable broadband has it's disadvantages. It's only available from one company which means you don't have all that many choices as far as packages and prices are concerned, and it's currently only available in around 50% of the country. If you don't live in a major town it's very unlikely you'll be able to receive cable, as the cable has to be already be in place in your street in order to receive the service.
You can find out if you can receive cable in your area by checking a broadband comparison website or simply by visiting the Virgin Media website. In most cases, cable broadband can provide a very similar experience to typical phone line broadband services and will allow you to use the internet to its full potential. However, if being portable is more important than a fully featured internet connection, there is another choice.
Mobile Broadband
Mobile broadband is a newer technology then cable, and it works without needing any sort of cables at all. You can connect to a mobile broadband service on pretty much any device, such as laptop, netbook, home computer or mobile telephone. The service is available in a large section of the country and can be purchased either as part of a long term monthly contract or picked up in a pay as you go form much like a phone contract.
Mobile broadband has the advantage of not needing a fixed address or the luck of being in close proximity to another service, and it's flexibility means you can enjoy the internet pretty much anywhere you go, providing you don't live in a very remote rural area. However, there are still plenty of problems with a mobile broadband service. Firstly, it's typically much slower than both ADSL and cable, giving UK users average speeds of only 1 Mbps - compare to the lowest cable packages of 10 Mbps!
You'll also only be allowed a limited amount of bandwidth compared to most landline packages, so you need to watch your internet usage. This means that services like iPlayer, playing video games or downloading large files are all difficult or impossible on a mobile broadband connection, making it ideal of light users or travellers but not the best choice for everyone else. Future technology that should be coming in 2011 should make the service both faster and more reliable though, so keep an eye out!
