Sales of mobile broadband have been running at over 150,000 subscriptions per month in the last few months, as more and more people opt for a broadband connection straight to their laptop via the mobile phone 3G network. This does not require a landline and is accessed by means of a "dongle" plugged into the USB port of the laptop.

Mobile broadband, also known as mobile internet therefore has some major advantages, as it really does offer broadband on the move and has no need to rent a landline at home - but what are the drawbacks? And how does it really compare in terms of price and usability to a standard home broadband connection?

Before you splash out on either option, here are the pros and cons that you should be aware of before making your decision.

Mobile broadband - the Pros

• If you do not have a landline at home (and installing one may cost up to £125 from BT), then mobile broadband is an obvious start point. Mobile broadband does not require a landline as it works via the mobile telephony 3G network.
• As mobile broadband is accessed via the 3G network, straight to your laptop, it really does offer the chance of broadband access on the move. You will be able to get full broadband access on your laptop, wherever you can get a 3G phone signal - at home, or on the road.
• As you access your mobile broadband subscription via a "dongle" that you plug into the USB port of your laptop, it means that you can keep the dongle with you and plug it into any laptop or PC that may be handy at the time - so it is not tied to one device.
• Mobile broadband can be very good value - from as little as £10 per month with no landline rental cost (which itself is normally £10.50 per month).

But, for all its advantages there are some significant drawbacks that may make a home broadband service preferable for in home use by the family.

Mobile broadband - the drawbacks

• The first major drawback is that mobile broadband connections rely on the mobile phone 3G network. Although the major 3G networks cover most of the UK population, getting a proper signal within a coverage area can still be a real problem. Local topography and buildings with thick walls can seriously compromise the 3G signal and this will create havoc with your broadband connection. The connection may either drop altogether or switch to the much slower GPRS network mid-session.
• Mobile broadband packages offer slower speeds (than the faster home broadband alternatives) and much reduced usage limits (an average of a 3Gb cap), so if you or your family are looking to download a lot of songs or video (e.g. BBC iPlayer) then a mobile broadband connection is definitely not the best alternative for you . If you do go over your usage limit on your mobile broadband service, expect a heavy bill to follow.

The Verdict

As with everything it's "horses for courses". Many people love the flexibility and ease of the mobile broadband connection and could not live without the ability to be able to access the web on the move. And for those who don't have a landline at home it is the natural choice.

On the other hand, families who really rely on their broadband connection to run the household and give the kids access to the internet, may well find that a mobile broadband connection is not robust enough and does not offer the usage limits required. In addition signal strength may be a real issue in home, depending on where you live and the structure of the building that you live in.

So our advice would be that if you want a cheap, flexible and very easy to use, low usage broadband connection - choose a mobile broadband package. But if you want a "hard working", higher usage connection that is likely to be used by all the family - and you don't want the risk of poor signal strength, then definitely choose a home broadband service.