Posted: 11th Jun, 2008 By: MarkJ
Broadband comparison site Top 10 Broadband has predicted that mobile operators could be in a position to offer "
FREE" Mobile Broadband services by 2009. It's likely that such deals, if they were to surface, would probably be included as part of a bundle with other services (e.g. line rental, mobile phones etc.):
With competition reaching its zenith in the mobile broadband market, it is only a matter of time before mobile broadband modems (aka dongles) are offered for free in conjunction with mobile phone packages in the same way as ISPs such as TalkTalk currently offer free home broadband with home phone deals. Says Jessica McArdle from
Top 10 Broadband.
McArdle continues:
The public has an insatiable appetite for cheap mobile broadband, and this hunger has led to packages that are cheaper, faster and more inclusive than they were two years ago. This move towards free mobile broadband is especially notable when you look at Vodafones current flagship mobile broadband offering. At just £15 a month this package is 65% cheaper, four times faster and three times more inclusive in terms of download allowance than its £45 equivalent of two years ago.
It's certainly not impossible to perceive mobile operators moving into this territory sooner rather than later, although nothing is ever free and like it or not customers would still need to spend money on something to gain such a service.