Pay As You Go (PAYG) 3G Mobile Broadband Dongle - the 'must have' Christmas gift this year
Every year we see a new 'must have' Christmas gift emerge; previous hits have ranged from iPods to Goats!
Well, this Christmas, there's little doubt that Pay As You Go 3G Mobile Broadband dongles will be up there as one of the most popular - and best value - gifts of the Christmas season. We confidently predict that PAYG Mobile Broadband will be particularly popular with parents who have teenage kids. A Chritmas gift of a mobile broadband pay as you go dongle is the ideal stocking filler for your kids. If they've been lucky enough to get a laptop, netbook or notebook PC, then a PAYG mobile broadband dongle is a great add-on.
In the same way as mobile phones gave teenagers communication independance, so mobile broadband dongles will give them broadband independance. You may not have landline broadband at home and your children have been pesterring you to get it, or you may simply want to separate their broadband consumption from yours; well a pay as you go mobile broadband package is definitely the answer for you.
What are the PAYG mobile broadband options?
There are two main options available to you in terms of pay as you go mobile broadband for Christmas:
- Rolling 30 day or 'Top-Up' types that give you a fixed usage allowance - typically 1GB of downloads
- Pay-per-day types whereby you simply pay for each day (or part day) that you use the dongle
What both PAYG mobile broadband options have in common - and what makes them an ideal Christmas present - is that there's no ongoing commitment or contract.
Recommended PAYG mobile broadband best buys for Christmas
The following table lists all the best pay as you go mobile broadband deals that we think would make great Christmas gifts this year:
Network | Plan Name | Term (Months) | Cost (Per Month) | Dongle | Max Data (Per Month) | Excess Data | WIFI Incl | Total** Cost | Total** Data | Total** Cost/Gb | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Pay Per Day (1 Day) £2 per day of use | Rolling | £0 | £48.92 | 3 Gb | None | Y | £48.92 | 3 Gb | £16.30 |  |
 | Mobile Broadband PAYT Includes £15 top-up (1GB) No data expiry! | Rolling | £0 | £39 | 1 Gb | £15 /GB | N | £39 | 1 Gb | £39 | |
 | PAYG Monthly £15 per month | Rolling | £0 | £29.35 | 3 Gb | None | Y | £29.35 | 3 Gb | £9.78 | |
| PAYG Weekly £7.50 per week | Rolling | £0 | £29.35 | 1 Gb | None | Y | £29.35 | 1 Gb | £29.35 | |
| Pay Per Day (30 Days) £20 for 30 days access | Rolling | £0 | £48.92 | 3 Gb | None | Y | £48.92 | 3 Gb | £16.30 | |
 | Broadband PAYG Just buy a Top-up and convert it to the Add-on of your choice | Rolling | £0 | £48.93 | 1 Gb | £1.00 /MB | N | £48.93 | 1 Gb | £48.92 | |
| Pay Per Day (7 Days) £10 for 7 days access | Rolling | £0 | £48.92 | 3 Gb | None | Y | £48.92 | 3 Gb | £16.30 | |
| PAYG Daily £2 per day | Rolling | £0 | £29.35 | 0.5 Gb | None | Y | £29.35 | 0.5 Gb | £58.70 | |
| Mobile Broadband 3GB Save £2.50 on Home Broadband Plus unlimited Wi-Fi included | Rolling | £15 | £97.86 | 3 Gb | £0.20 /MB | Y | £112.86 | 3 Gb | £37.61 | |
 | Internet everywhere - 30 days 3GB | Rolling | £20 | £48.5 | 3 Gb | £0.0146 /MB | N | £68.5 | 3 Gb | £22.83 | |
| 3GB Mobile Broadband | Rolling | £20 | £49 | 3 Gb | £15 /GB | N | £69 | 3 Gb | £23 | |
| Mobile Broadband Plus - 30 Day 30 days notice to cancel your contract | Rolling | £20 | £48.92 | 3 Gb | None | Y | £68.92 | 3 Gb | £22.97 | |
| Internet everywhere - 30 days 10GB | Rolling | £29 | £48.5 | 10 Gb | £0.0146 /MB | N | £77.5 | 10 Gb | £7.75 | |
| Mobile Broadband 10GB Save £2.50 on Home Broadband Plus unlimited Wi-Fi included | Rolling | £35 | £97.86 | 10 Gb | £0.20 /MB | Y | £132.86 | 10 Gb | £13.28 | |
Click to view all mobile broadband plans
