3 has launched another first to the UK Mobile Broadband market with a SIM Only product aimed solely at mobile broadband users without the requirement for a USB Dongle.
The basis for 3′s SIM Only mobile broadband offer is their excellent 1-month rolling broadband contract with 5GB of monthly download allowance, keenly priced at £15 per month. You only need to give 30 days notice to end this contract so it’s pretty risk free.
The saving you make with the SIM Only version is the £9.99 upfront dongle cost – to confirm, with SIM Only mobile broadband there is no upfront cost.
So who will this product suit?
The future is laptops and notebooks featuring ‘embedded’ 3G technology that effectively makes USB dongles redundant. All the electronic workings and antenna will be housed within your laptop. The number of laptops and notebooks that now feature this technology is growing every week and 3 obviously see an opportunity here - although quite how the software that’s required to run the service is passed to the host laptop is not yet clear.
Additionally, those consumers that purchased 3 Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband as the ‘safe’ option when mobile broadband was first launched may now see the need to enjoy the ease of a contract but already have the hardware from Pay As You Go. USB Dongles haven’t changed much in the last 12 months and early models are just as capable despite the aesthetic changes. Moving from PAYG to a 1-month contract is not such a big step in terms of commitment but the user experience is much improved. Topping up mobile broadband has never been entirely easy and we’re sure that many existing customers will be more than happy to enter a contract for this reason alone.
Early days for Mobile Broadband SIM Only but this is likely to grow and grow in the future as embedded 3G laptop technology becomes the norm.
For more information on 3′s SIM Only Mobile Broadband > click here
