You may have heard about mobile broadband as it is currently one of the flagship products that has allowed mobile phone networks to grab a piece of the broadband internet pie and its technology has made it possible to have a truly portable internet connection that is the solution to many of the problems with land line broadband.

You may also be aware that mobile broadband products are usually marketed around a USB Modem, more commonly referred to as a 'dongle', and it is on the tiny shoulders of this device that the mobile broadband revolution is being born.

But what a mobile broadband USB dongle is exactly is never made perfectly clear in much of the advertising surrounding it, so it's important to clear up a few key things in order to make sure that you're well equipped to choose the mobile broadband dongle and deal that's right for you.

Mobile Broadband USB Dongle Technology

Though each different make and model of dongle will vary in specification, there are a few universal technologies that every dongle will share. Firstly every dongle will have a small modem and a receiver which facilitates your connection to the 3G networks that allow access to the internet at broadband speeds.

Though the dongles all vary in size and colour depending on the manufacturer and the network that you choose, they will all be roughly the same size as a USB memory stick or USB flash drive that you may already own. Because the dongles only measure a few centimetres they are easily stored and transported in your laptop case or even just in your pocket, and they require no external power, drawing all they need from the USB port so it is a truly portable technology.

Secondly, pretty much every USB modem in dongle form intended for the mobile broadband market will come with all the necessary software and drivers held within the dongle itself. That means there's no CDs or other media that you need to use first, you literally plug the dongle straight into an available USB port on your Mac or PC and the dongle should begin the installation of all the necessary programs that you'll need to get connected to mobile broadband.

The Differences Between Dongles

If you've browsed around the various mobile broadband sections of the major mobile network's websites you may have noticed that many of them have more than one dongle available and that there is a price difference between each one. This is because some dongles will perform differently to others, depending on their hardware and the capabilities of the network operated by the mobile broadband Internet Service Provider.

The main area in which dongles will differ is in download and upload speeds. Most networks will offer a maximum of 'up to' 3.6Mbps in areas of good network coverage, however other networks will offer 'up to' 7.2Mbps download speed which is the theoretical maximum for the current generation of networking technology.

In order to get a dongle that is capable of this higher download speed you will either need to pay more monthly, pay a one off lump sum up front or commit to a longer contract. Each network will offer a different type of dongle so do your research and make sure you choose the one with the right features for you.