Mobile Broadband Coverage
Mobile broadband coverage can vary widely from town to town and street to street. It’s very important to check the mobile broadband coverage in your area before you buy to make sure you don’t get stuck in an 18 or 24 month contract with a service you can’t use.
How do I check Mobile Broadband coverage in my area?
To check the mobile broadband coverage for either Vodafone, T-Mobile, 3, Orange, O2 or Virgin Media in your area just click on the green buttons below:
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5 Tips about Mobile Broadband Coverage
- When checking mobile broadband coverage remember to check all of the areas where you plan to use it, not just your home address. If you plan on using mobile broadband at your parents house, your favourite coffee shop or your workplace then make sure they have great coverage.
- If you have a 3G mobile phone why not use it to check 3G coverage for your current network yourself? Most phones have a small 3G icon that appears when you have 3G coverage. This is the most accurate way to judge 3G, and therefore mobile broadband, coverage due to the factors highlighted below.
- Ask your neighbours and friends. If you know anyone who has mobile broadband or a 3G phone next door to where you live ask them which network they are on and whether their coverage is good. If you plan on using your connection in a favourite spot, such as a particular coffee shop, why not ask other people using mobile broadband about their coverage?
- Buy a Pay as you go mobile broadband package to test out the service and then sell it on eBay if it’s not good enough.
- For the time being mobile broadband coverage is likely to be patchy so it may be worth considering a deal that includes access to WiFi hotspots. O2 and T-Mobile include hotspot coverage in their deals. T-Mobile hotspots exist in all Starbucks coffee shops whilst O2 partner with BT Openzone and The Cloud which gives them the widest coverage in the UK, often in city centre locations.
What affects mobile broadband coverage?
Mobile broadband coverage is affected by many different factors that are worth considering when assessing whether mobile broadband is right for you.
- The mobile broadband provider and their coverage in your area
- The thickness of walls in the building you are in
- Your distance from the nearest mobile phone mast
- The height of the buildings or hills between you and the mast
Aside from the obvious issue that 3G coverage is still not as good as normal mobile phone coverage, the biggest factor to be aware of is the fact that 3G signals are not very good at passing through walls. If you plan on using mobile broadband deep inside a particular building you may find performance disappointing. You could be in an area with the fastest HSDPA coverage available but still have limited or no service depending on your exact location. Bricks and steel are not the friend of mobile phone signals.
Mobile broadband coverage and the speed you receive can also depend on the type of USB modem you are using. For example, 3 offer speeds of up to 7.2Mb, but these you’ll need to use the E169 modem. It is worth considering the device you will be using when you choose your mobile broadband package.
I’ve had mobile broadband for a couple of weeks and the coverage varies a lot depending on where I am.
Are there any ways to boost my coverage when I’m in an area with poor reception?
Hi Johno
Have you tried using the USB cable that should have come in the box? This can extend your mobile broadband coverage a little. Being nearer to a window or door (or being outside on a lovely sunny day!) should improve your coverage too.
Anyone got any suggestions for improving coverage of your mobile broadband?
Hi we are going to Scotland on holiday, touring, starting at Isle of Skye following north coast to John o’Grotes then going to Inverness which mobile broadband has the best coverage?
That’s a tough one. I would imagine mobile broadband coverage is pretty poor up there. Most mobile broadband operators have only 80% population coverage at best so I would guess the Isle of Skye and North Scotland has pretty much zero coverage.
The only thing I can suggest is to check the postcode of the places you are staying to see if there is any coverage with one network or other. Perhaps get a mobile broadband tariff with WiFi hotspots included, like O2’s package that includes The Cloud and BT Openzone coverage as I imagine a few towns with have WiFi hotspots.
I’d also recommend buying Pay as you go mobile broadband as you will only have to pay when you’re in coverage.
I hope that at least helps a bit.
Hi, we are due to go on holiday to the South Lake District. Any ideas on the best mobile broadband to buy? Can’t seem to find any providers with coverage in that area. Help. Thanks
Hi Jo
I think the mobile broadband coverage in places like the South Lake District will be very patchy for a few years to come. I assume you’ve tried the coverage checkers for the town or village/s you are staying in? If there’s no coverage where you’re staying then buying mobile broadband is a bit of a gamble.
As with the previous question I would recommend buying Pay as you go mobile broadband so you are not tied into a long term contract. You should also pick one with WiFi hotspot access included so that you can get free/cheap access in coffee shops or pubs. The modems cost as little as £15 and you pay as little as £2 per day so it’s not a huge cost these days. Worst case you can sell the modem on via eBay and recover some cash.
The best options are compared in my Pay as you go mobile broadband section.
Sorry I can’t be of more help on this occasion.
Can anyone in the South Lake District area let us know if they get good mobile broadband coverage from any particular network?
There is one missing out so why can you put BT company there with all one so would be nice see all company in one webstie is more easy to access all in one not missing one out wht is BT check
for south lake district use vadaphone
*vodaphone