A new study has found that people looking for the best nationwide roaming experience with mobile broadband should opt for T-Mobile.

The marketing of mobile broadband can often obscure how the different providers will be able to perform in the hands of the consumer and so the study took six of the UK’s largest mobile broadband providers on the road to see how well they stack up.

The journey took the Broadband Genie team from Cambridge to Bournemouth by rail and during the trip a variety of data-intensive tasks were carried out using different mobile broadband services.

It was discovered that, in general, there was no single provider that performed notably below the basic expectations of the testers and tasks such as downloading audio tracks and streaming content from the internet were by and large achievable.

Last year during the same study it was discovered that Vodafone was the outright winner, as its mobile broadband service was able to triumph in all of the tests that were thrown at it. This year things were not so good for any one provider, as each failed in at least one category.

The highest overall achiever this year was T-Mobile, whose mobile broadband service hit a maximum download speed of 4.8Mbps after it was clocked downloading a 13MB file in only 22 seconds.

The three slowest mobile broadband providers were Virgin Media, O2 and Orange, with 3 and Vodafone coming closer to matching T-Mobiles winning speeds.

In the last 12 months every major mobile broadband provider has upgraded their free USB dongles, except for O2, which is still using last year’s device.

Simon Gerrard, Simple Broadband’s Communication Manager commented “With wireless broadband prices falling, it is good to see mobile broadband providers keeping up on the technology front.”

Customers looking to get into the mobile broadband market might be interested to learn that Vodafone has slashed the price of its basic mobile broadband package to just £4.25.

This package is intended for business users and for the first three months this low price will apply, before increasing to £12.77 for the remainder of the contract.

Vodafone’s mobile broadband networks can offer download speeds of up to 7.2Mbps and the provider has been shown in recent surveys to offer some of the fastest and most consistent mobile broadband connections in the UK.

The standard business mobile broadband package from Vodafone comes with a 3GB monthly data allowance, which it is suggested will give you about 100 hours of use each month.

Vodafone includes a free USB dongle with this package and there are a host of other freebies to enjoy. You get a software suite to protect your PC or laptop from viruses and hackers and you also gain access to free online backup and data restoration, which means that sensitive files and documents can be copied and protected. Up to 2GB of your data can be stored in this way.

There is a minimum 24 month contract with this new low-cost business mobile broadband deal and it compares favourably to other wireless broadband prices.

If you do not want to commit for the full 24 month period, there is an 18 month option. The initial monthly premium is higher, at £8.50, but after three months it rises to precisely the same level as the 24 month option.

Simple Broadband’s Communications Manager Simon Gerrard noted “Mobile broadband can be a real asset for business users, allowing them to get online virtually anywhere and Vodafone is now making it as cost-effective as possible”.

People looking for shorter minimum contract periods in the mobile broadband market will be able to take advantage of a new pay monthly package from Vodafone.

For £15 a month you will get a 3GB data cap and there is a 12 month minimum contract to cover. However, your money also bags you a free USB dongle to help you get online.

Vodafone offers a similar package for people who want a rolling contract similar to a pay-as-you-go scheme. The monthly price and data cap are identical, but with a one month minimum contract you will need to pay £19 for the dongle.

Whether you like the sound of this Vodafone package will depend on how you respond to wireless broadband prices. If you know that you will need the service consistently for at least 12 months, then it is a good deal as you will save the £19 fee for the dongle.

Vodafone has undercut its closest 12 month-offering rival Orange, which has the same data cap and free dongle deal costing £18 monthly. Orange gives you the option to upgrade the USB dongle to a premium edition that comes with a free microSD memory card and the claim of offering a better connection, but you will have to pay £20 for the privilege.

By looking at these latest deals it is easy to see how much mobile broadband prices have fallen over the last year. Data caps have virtually trebled in this lower price bracket and a pay-as-you-go mobile broadband contract is nearly as attractive from a financial point of view as a fixed term option.

Simple Broadband’s Communications Manager Simon Gerrard added “Vodafone now offers its users some of the most competitive mobile broadband packages out there, along with fast download speeds.”

Although the availability of 3G networks is fairly high if you live in built up, heavily populated areas, being stranded in a so-called ‘not-spot’, where coverage is limited, is not uncommon. Thankfully a new technology is being introduced by Vodafone that will help to provide mobile broadband for those in dead zones.

For just £50 you can get yourself a new product called the Vodafone Sure Signal. This is a small box based on femtocell technology and it plugs directly into the back of your home broadband router.

Once you have the Sure Signal turned on, it will act as a miniature mobile base station, generating a short range 3G network which can be accessed by your mobile broadband enabled devices. It will also allow for better network coverage for voice calling and will ensure that you are always available.

The obvious issue with the technology is that it requires that you already have a home broadband connection provided by a landline. If this is the case, most people will already have Wi-Fi or Ethernet access to the internet, making the mobile broadband enhancements of the device a little redundant.

However, the femtocell technology will prove to be particularly useful for business and enterprise customers, as not only will it make mobile broadband available to them, but it will also provide mobile network coverage for phone calls and mobile browsing.

If you are a Vodafone customer and you have been unable to effectively compare wireless broadband prices and explore options including Vodafone in your area up until this point because there is inadequate 3G coverage in your area, then this will be an excellent product to pick up. And if you are not signed up to a Vodafone contract, but are thinking about switching loyalties, then now could be a great time to compare wireless broadband prices and get a better deal.

The Ford motor company has produced a new and unique system for its range of future vehicles which integrates mobile broadband to create a broadband connection for drivers wherever they roam.

The SYNC system is one of the most advanced communications systems as yet to be installed in a car, capable of using a 3G mobile broadband receiver to connect the vehicle to the internet. In addition the SYNC system will broadcast a Wi-Fi signal, producing a wireless hotspot on wheels.

Obvious applications of mobile broadband whilst driving include the ability to receive live traffic updates, as well as accessing entertainment functions including music and video streaming to keep the driver informed and the kids happy.

The mobile broadband connection will also allow the driver to make voice calls without needing a mobile phone with them and when stationary they should also be able to browse the internet, check emails and even instant message.

The SYNC system has avoided the one major pitfall which it could have faced by allowing users to plug in their own mobile broadband dongles to get connected, rather than tethering them to a single provider with an expensive built-in connection.

Ford President Mark Fields spoke of the conveniences that the SYNC system would offer. He gave the example of a family driving to a grandparents house, with one parent at the wheel whilst the other shopped online for the groceries and the kids were kept busy by talking to their pals online.

The SYNC system will be made available to customers in the US purchasing new vehicles some time in 2010, although news of its migration to the UK is not yet forthcoming.

Simple Broadband’s Communications Manager Simon Gerrard added “this is a very interesting development from Ford and once SYNC is available in the UK, we should expect that a Vodafone mobile broadband USB dongle could be used to get online whilst on the road.”

Despite the recent announcement of the merger deal that will see Orange and T-Mobile become the largest single mobile broadband provider in the UK, the feelings of unity are not spreading to the rest of the providers, as the newly joined firms are refusing to share their portion of the radio spectrum.

Industry regulators Ofcom are likely to demand an explanation for the decision by Orange and T-Mobile, which will shut out the other major providers from over half of the available radio spectrum over which services including mobile broadband and cellular networking are provided.

Recent investigations into radio spectrum allocation carried out by an independent research firm advised capping the amount a single organisation could own and if the merger goes ahead then Orange and T-Mobile would be in serious breach of these recommendations.

There were some hopes that over the next year, all of the major mobile broadband providers would share their radio spectrum, allowing people with Vodafone mobile broadband USB dongles to benefit from improved coverage as part of industry-wide cooperation. This spirit of sharing has been somewhat dampened by recent events.

Although the merger of Orange and T-Mobile, which would give them close to a 40% stake in the mobile broadband market, was initially going to be subject to a competition review, it seems that murmurings from the Office of Fair Trading suggest independent investigations into the merger have been put on hold. This is likely to result in the formation of the new provider occurring far quicker than was previously thought.

Industry observers are fairly sceptical that any industry wrangling which takes place before the general election in 2010 will actually have any lasting effect. Changes in legislation are inevitable no matter which party comes to power, although the stubborn behaviour of all providers could sour relationships in the future.

For anyone considering making mobile broadband part of a Christmas present, the news that Vodafone has unleashed a new laptop on its pay monthly packages will be most welcome. There is nothing to pay up front and the bundle includes a free laptop and free Vodafone mobile broadband USB dongle to get users online wherever they are. You will need to commit to a 24 month contract, but the specifications of the new laptop make this an attractive package.

Unlike other free laptop deals, the Compaq Presario CQ60 which is included is not a lightweight, low-powered netbook. With a large 15.9 inch high resolution screen, a powerful processor, 2GB of RAM and Windows Vista pre-installed it will be able to deal with all of the latest software and tasks that you could reasonably require of it. There is even a limited subscription to a security software suite included, as well as 60 days access to Microsoft Office straight out of the box.

As you might imagine, the CQ60 is far from feather light; indeed at nearly 3KG it could give you quite a workout if you are going to lug it around all day, but that is the price you invariably pay for a more powerful and versatile system. A DVD writer and a built-in card reader round off the package, making it ideal for multimedia playback and image storage on the 250GB hard drive.

The CQ60 may come with built in wireless connectivity, but you will still need to plug in the Vodafone mobile broadband USB dongle if you want to connect to the mobile broadband network. Current Vodafone customers will be able to take advantage of a lower monthly cost than new customers, which means that if you have a Vodafone mobile contract or an existing mobile broadband deal with the company then this offer becomes even more appealing.

It has been announced that Vodafone has joined Orange and O2 as a reseller of the universally adored iPhone. The UK is the only major country which has more than one network offering the iPhone and, while the exact terms are not known, this newly created competitive market must only be good news for the consumer.