The world of mobile broadband can be confusing to consumers at the best of times. With several mobile broadband providers to choose from and different mobile broadband deals offering cheap mobile broadband, free laptops with mobile broadband deals and ultra-fast mobile broadband deals, it can be difficult. And just to throw another spanner in the works we have to contend with the mobile broadband myths that continue to confuse consumers even further.

Here at Simplifydigital we aim to dispel the myths. We won't be able to say whether or not UFOs have landed or if Nessie is really cruising up and down Loch Ness, but we will try and answer a selection of the myths surrounding mobile broadband.

Myth #1: Mobile broadband laptop deals are a great idea

Well, not always. In some cases after you have signed up to mobile broadband with a provider they offer a free laptop with mobile broadband. But if you read the small print you may find that the laptop isn't free and you will end up paying for it as well.
Some mobile broadband laptop deals are good but sometimes it would be better to buy the laptop separately and select a cheaper mobile broadband plan.

Myth #2:  There's no point in having mobile broadband - it's better to stick with home broadband

Hang on a minute! You need to think of the possibilities mobile broadband can offer you over home broadband. If you don't have a landline at home and you don't want to pay BT £120 to get one installed mobile broadband is the best solution. Mobile broadband does not require a landline and works from the 3G mobile broadband network. Also, with plans starting from as little as £7.50 per month mobile broadband offers better value over a landline which would normally cost you around £12 per month plus your monthly broadband fee.

Myth #3:  You can only use mobile broadband at home

It's not just at home you can surf the web wirelessly, you can 'go mobile' and take your laptop out and about wherever you go. All you need is a small dongle that plugs into your laptop. This is available from the mobile broadband provider and it can be plugged into any laptop or PC that you have to hand at the time - meaning its not tied down to one device. So   if you want to use the on-demand TV catch-up service from BBC iPlayer you could watch last night's episode of Watchdog on the bus! You may need to plug in some headphones though.

Myth #4:  It's not possible to get cheap mobile broadband

Not true! You can get surprisingly cheap mobile broadband from mobile broadband providers these days.
Mobile broadband providers like 3 currently offers a massive 15GB download with a free USB stick and a mobile broadband speed of up to 3.6Mbps. 3 has great coverage in the UK as does T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile who all currently use  the 3G mobile broadband network.

Myth #5:  Mobile broadband is too difficult to set up, it's just not worth the hassle

No, it's quite simply really. All you need to do is plug your mobile broadband dongle into your laptop or PC and your off and running. There's no need to remember different passwords or log in details and you can use multiple laptops by just unplugging the dongle and plugging it into another computer. Now that's simple mobile broadband!

Myth #6:  You will be left out of pocket when you exceed your mobile broadband download limits

This is not the case. Although it is true that If you exceed the data usage limit on your contract you could be liable for extra expense, most mobile providers will offer you an upgrade to mobile broadband tariffs with higher download limits to suit your needs. Some mobile broadband providers also provide a webpage service to view your personal account and see your current data usage, so you should be able to keep track of how much you use.

Myth #7:  Mobile broadband coverage is not reliable

Mobile broadband coverage depends on many factors. Where you live and which mobile broadband provider you are with are the main factors. If you live in an area like London then you should be able to get good mobile broadband coverage, but if you live on a farm deep in the countryside, you probably won't get good mobile broadband coverage or no mobile broadband coverage at all.

This is due to the fact that most mobile broadband providers' transmitters are situated in urban areas. Some mobile broadband signals can reach the outskirts of cities and some rural areas but the speed of the service would not be as fast. Some users on Vodafone mobile broadband can get ultra-fast mobile broadband speeds of up to 14.4Mbps in major cities like Liverpool and Birmingham and other urban areas could get equally as ultra-fast mobile broadband speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. You can view more information on mobile broadband coverage in the Simplifydigital mobile broadband coverage guide.