| Orange
Orange offer home broadband, phone and mobile broadband packages. If you're an Orange pay monthly mobile customer there are special discounts and Home Broadband Starter is free. No connection fee for switching or connecting your Orange broadband makes the packages attractive.
All Orange home broadband packages include a free wireless router with up to 8Mb broadband. Orange Select Broadband and Orange Max Broadband come with an Orange Livebox router which enables you to make calls to UK landlines, Orange mobiles and various international destinations with a second line.
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Up to 20Mb broadband, free calls & free wireless router Inclusive wireless router plus free evening & weekend calls. Up to 20Mb Unlimited Broadband Free Wireless Router Inclusive Evening & Weekend Calls | Up to 20Mb broadband & free wireless router £9 for Orange pay monthly mobile customers. Free wireless router. Free security software. Up to 20Mb Unlimited Broadband Free Wireless Router Free Security Software | Free Livebox wireless router & anytime calls Up to 20Mb unlimited broadband. Inclusive Livebox wireless router. Free calls. £10.50 for Orange pay monthly mobile customers. Up to 20Mb Unlimited Broadband Free Wireless Router Unlimited Anytime Calls |
Featured Orange packages
Orange's History
Orange was among the first UK providers of mobile phone services in the UK, operating as part of Hutchinson Telecoms in the early 1990s. Having launched the brand successfully in other countries, Orange was sold to Mannesman AG, owners of Vodafone at the end of the decade, before being sold on to France Telecom, owners of Freeserve/Wanadoo internet.
Since then, the company has been keen to make best use of the technology available, being the first UK provider to offer 'smart phone' services to both business and individual customers. It has also made use of its expertise across internet and mobile phones, by combining the two to become one of the key competitors in the UK mobile broadband market.
This allows users to access internet services via a personal computer, using a wireless network card or a USB modem, although some lap top computers now have wireless broadband connectivity already installed. The data for mobile broadband is carried across Orange's 3G mobile phone network (this is the upgraded network that allows the use of extra services on mobile phones, such as video calling).
However, Orange mobile broadband is operated separately from the company's mobile phone services - customers do not have to be a user of an Orange phone or Orange land line broadband to take advantage of mobile broadband.
Compare Orange Mobile Broadband Packages »
The company currently offers their mobile broadband service on two different types of arrangement - stand alone broadband, or with a compatible computer included. Most of the options available for broadband only are on an 18 month contract, which offers maximum speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps, which is the same for all packages, with the actual speed varying only by the area where you are situated.
The difference between price plans is instead reflected in the download limit available. For example, at the time of writing the company offers 1 GB, 3 GB and 5GB monthly download limits on its £10, £15 and £25 packages respectively. Another difference between price plans is the inclusion or otherwise of a mobile broadband modem. This is not always included in the cheaper monthly price plans, and is currently £29 extra for those choosing the cheapest price plan.
However, Orange frequently produces special offers where this is included free on all packages, and it is also worth noting that most new laptops or netbooks may already be wireless enabled. The other option for 'internet only' from Orange, is a 30 day plan. This means you are free to leave the agreement each month, whilst still having a set download limit (currently 3 GB or 10 GB). The drawback of these is that they are generally charged around £5 a month more than the 18 month equivalent, and the USB modem will be around £50 to £60.
The other option Orange have introduced is broadband with a computer included. These are usually on a 24 month contract only, but offer more flexible options in respect of monthly usage. Orange also offer cut price deals for customers taking Orange mobile broadband at the same time as an Orange mobile phone. Although higher speeds are not available at present, the company has stated it hoped to offer an up to 14 mbps service in future: the maximum that the current 3G networks can offer.
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