If you’re shopping for a mobile internet package, you might have come across the term multi-network broadband and be wondering what the advantage is.
Simply put, multi-network mobile broadband offers more flexibility, reliability and value than single-network plans. If you want to get the best possible connection from your mobile broadband package, choosing a multi-network option is the way to go.
What is multi-network mobile broadband?
Traditionally, mobile broadband plans have been offered by mobile providers directly, and customers are locked into a contract to use their network exclusively.
Multi-network mobile broadband, on the other hand, allows you to connect to more than one of the UK’s four mobile carrier networks.
This offers a major advantage to customers, who can switch to the best network for them mid-contract without paying an exit fee.
How many UK mobile networks are there?
While there are many options for your mobile provider in the UK, the mobile network is divided into four companies: EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three.
Smaller mobile providers such as GiffGaff, Smarty mobile and Lyca mobile use one of the larger carrier networks to carry their signal.
The more of these carrier networks you can connect to, the more options you have for high speeds and reliability.
Advantages of Multi-Network Broadband
One of the key advantages of mobile broadband over traditional fixed-line options is the ability to take your plan with you. However, this convenience can be limited if you’re locked into a single network provider. Vodafone is one of the UK’s most popular mobile broadband providers, but their 5G coverage is only available in 92 of the 120 major UK towns and cities identified by 5G.co.uk.
Multi-network broadband gives you more flexibility and reliability by allowing you to access multiple cellular networks.
More networks, more coverage
With multi-network broadband, you can access whichever provider has the strongest signal in your location. This ensures you always have a strong and reliable connection, even if one network’s coverage is limited in your area.
Another advantage of access to multiple networks is being able to take advantage of upgrades in your area. Vodafone might have the best signal in the home when you take your plan, but if another provider expands their coverage you might be able to get a faster signal on their network. With multi-network mobile broadband, you can simply switch to whichever provider has the best signal.
More networks, greater reliability
Another potential problem facing users locked to a single provider is network outages and downtime. While these are usually short windows without internet access, repairs or maintenance can sometimes leave users unable to connect for extended periods. Providers might offer a refund to cover this period, but that doesn’t help users who need to stay connected.
Unfortunately, network disruptions are all too common. 27% of mobile network users report an outage at least once a month, and more than 17 million traditional broadband customers experience issues every year. For most broadband users, when your network goes down, there’s nothing to do but wait.
Multi-network broadband solves this problem by offering a backup option. If one network experiences disruptions, you can immediately switch over to an active alternative without any penalties. This ensures you stay connected even during provider network issues, improving the overall reliability of your broadband service.
What happens if I want to switch networks?
Switching between traditional broadband networks can require an engineer visit to your property or weeks of downtime as a new provider takes over your line. Luckily, switching networks with a mobile broadband router is much simpler.
If you’re on a multi-network mobile broadband plan, all that’s needed is to request a new SIM. Swapping the SIM in your router and connecting to the new network takes just a few minutes, and then you can get back online without interruption.
Where can I get multi-network broadband with unlimited data?
To get the most reliability, portability and power from your mobile broadband, we recommend choosing a plan with multi-network functionality and unlimited monthly data.
Here at Connectivity, all of our plans come with both features as standard. We know how important reliable, high-speed internet is, so we designed our plans to reflect how real customers use their internet.
Approximately 10% of Connectivity customers choose to change networks during their plans, taking advantage of the flexibility of multi-network mobile broadband. Whether it’s because they’re moving to a new area or a different provider offering better coverage, we’re proud to help them stay connected to the best possible network throughout their plan.
If you’re looking for your own mobile broadband connection, visit our plans page and get a personalised quote and speed estimate for your area.
