I've had '3' mobile broadband for a little under a year now and have been pretty impressed with the service. I initially got this when moving house as i was going to be without a landline and therefore a fixed broadband connection.

How can you get mobile broadband?
You can pick up one of these modems from many places, including '3' Mobile stores. If you buy a pay as you go modem you literally just pay the money, register the SIM and away you go. If you're getting this modem on a contract it will typically be free upfront but you will need to sign up to a contract and monthly Direct Debit.

How much does it cost?
There are several different payment options available from Pay as you Go (where you have to pay for the modem itself) or Pay Monthly (where the modem is typically free) - much like a mobile phone contract. I'm on a £15 per month contract and have a free modem, contract prices range from £7.50 per month for 1GB data allowance to £20 per month for 15GB data allowance.
For Pay as you Go prices for the modem range from £29.99 to £79.99 with various levels of data downloads included.
Have a look at the '3' website for more information (www.three.co.uk).

How does it work?
The modem i have looks like the one pictured. You literally just plug this in and away you go. There is software stored on the modem which installs itself when you plug it in. The software has a small window which shows you the signal strength and has a button to connect/disconnect. You can also use this window to access your online '3' account where you can view your usage.

Signal coverage:
I have been very impressed with the signal coverage for '3'. I previously had a Vodafone mobile broadband dongle and the signal coverage i get from '3' is actually better (somewhat surprisingly). I live in central london so signal should not really be much of an issue but i do occasionally lose signal in basments etc (but then the Vodafone also lost signal in these areas too.

Summary:
I would definately recommend mobile broadband to anyone who is out and about alot with their laptop and needs internet on the go, or has no access to a permanent fixed broadband connection. The connection speeds are understandably slower than fixed broadband but its more than sufficient for day to day browsing/email use.

I would also recommend '3'. The modem is very easy to use and i have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the signal.