The term “mobile broadband coverage” describes the areas which are serviced by a mobile broadband network signal. If you happen to be in an area with no coverage, signing up for a service is a waste of time and money.

Thankfully, the vast majority of the UK now has coverage at one level or another, with over 99% of the country now covered. This is great news for people who are considering using a mobile broadband service for the first time, as it’s almost certain that you’re in an area with some service.

There are, however, different types of coverage and areas with only the most basic coverage will not allow for true broadband speeds – in fact, they’ll often be even slower than standard dial-up internet, so it’s definitely worth checking the coverage a network offers in your area before signing on the dotted line for your 24 month mobile broadband contract.

Pay-as-you-go mobile broadband plans are a good way to reduce the risk of signing up with a poorly performing network. You can now pick up a USB modem at a fairly low price, buy a top-up and see how well it works without committing to a pay-monthly contract.

That said, there is now an even better way to try before you buy. The major providers know that a big drawback for many of us, is the doubt over performance, and to encourage us to give it whirl, they’ve started to offer a money back trail period, so that you can try their service out risk free. You’ll still have to pay for it initially, but if you find it’s not working for you, simply send your hardware back for a full refund. This is a good time to try mobile broadband out.

The mobile broadband coverage in your area can also be affected by things like trees, buildings, hills and weather conditions – just like your mobile phone signal can. This can make it very difficult to establish the quality of the connection you’re going to get until you actually try it out. If possible, ask someone who already uses mobile broadband in your area before deciding on a provider.

All of the networks are currently pouring lots of resources into improving their mobile broadband coverage. This is great news for the future of mobile broadband and many predict that it will become the predominant way to connect to the world wide web in the future – even those who are more sceptical agree that mobile broadband use is going to increase massively in the next few years.

Related posts:

1. Why 3 Broadband PAYG is Beating Contract Broadband
2. A Closer Look At Having A Wireless Internet Provider
3. The Future Of Broadband : A Short Guide