Mobile broadband is on the march. Many people have already been won over by the promise of broadband that goes wherever they go, and - more importantly - doesn't require them to pay twice: once for the broadband and once for the phone line. So should you be preparing to join them?
In this feature, we'll examine whether mobile broadband, Naked DSL or ADSL - or a combination of the three possibilities - is the best option for various different types of lifestyle.
From light surfers to hard-core gamers to small businesses, we'll be delivering our verdict on which option makes the most sense for their particular needs.
We'll also be recommending specific broadband packages for each of the different lifestyle categories, based on our own tests and the feedback of 20,000 PC Authority readers from our recent Reliability and Service survey.
We've pushed mobile broadband to its very limits, to see just how far a 3G data connection will stretch in both the workplace and the home.
We'll also be examining what effect the various types of USB dongle have on connection speeds, examining how regional speeds compare to metropolitan maximums and testing newly released 3G routers to see if they deserve a place in your home or business.
Our speed tests of all of the Australian mobile broadband networks revealed that mobile broadband is really only a practical option in areas covered by a strong 3G network. In areas blessed with High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA) connections, actual throughput speeds greater than 6Mbits/sec are a genuine possibility. In areas that only have GPRS connections, you're looking at sub-1Mbit/sec speeds or much worse.
With regional Australia and New Zealand, the situation is worse - GPRS speeds may be all you can hope to attain. So, before committing to any mobile broadband network, check coverage maps on the network's website to ensure you're in a 3G area.
Better still, grab a mobile phone on the network you're planning to use and check it can get a 3G signal in any room you plan to use your broadband connection from, since signal strength can vary from building to building.
Light Surfers
Those who only use their home internet connection for a little light surfing and email are those who potentially have the most to gain from a move to mobile broadband. And we're not only talking about internet newbies here: there are probably plenty of IT professionals who are so sick of staring at a screen all day that they barely touch the internet when they arrive home.
Even in June 2008, there were a surprising 800,000 wireless broadband subscriptions - 14% of all internet accounts - according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and that was before mobile broadband had reached the mainstream market. How many of the remaining 85% were keeping their landline just to maintain a broadband connection?
With Telstra charging $25 a month for line rental - before you even get to the monthly broadband fee - the economics of mobile broadband are very attractive. "Some people are using mobile broadband so they could scrap the line rental," said Andrew Ferguson, editor of Thinkbroadband.com.
With networks such as 3 and Virgin offering mobile broadband from as little as $20 per month, it can actually represent a saving on the landline alone. "You almost get the broadband for free if you think of it that way," Ferguson adds.
Ferguson believes that mobile broadband suits a particular type of home user. "Those most likely to switch are people with a bit of light usage - people who are doing a bit of shopping, a bit of banking, and not much else."
Many people are put off mobile broadband by the relatively restrictive data caps. The limits on the cheaper plans are often 1GB or less, and for mobile broadband, unlike ADSL, uploads and downloads are counted toward your quota.
Yet, even those who consider themselves "heavy" internet users tend to overestimate the amount of data they actually need. The average internet user consumes 2-3GB of data a month, although Ferguson said that some ISPs believe that figure is climbing nearer to 10GB. Nonetheless, those who use a broadband connection only for web browsing and email will never come close to even 2GB.
Light internet users are also more likely to be single-PC households, which are better suited to mobile broadband than multiple PC setups, because you can plug the dongle into your PC and be up and running within a minute or two, without having to worry about how you're going to split the connection.
Best broadband deal?
If you can survive on a 1Gb ration a month and it isn't as restrictive as you might think - then 3's $15 per month Broadband Lite option offers great value.
For those outside metropolitan areas, 3 is considerably more expensive: consider Dodo's 1GB monthly plan, which is $18 per month on a two-year deal and uses Optus' network. In New Zealand, Whoosh's $29 1GB plan is the best deal, though coverage outside of metropolitan areas can be patchy.