Mobile broadband 'to overtake fixed-line by 2010'

The growth in sales for mobile broadband could see the technology overtake traditional fixed-line connections within the next two years, according to reports.

Computer Shopper said comparison site Top 10 Broadband started tracking the sales of mobile broadband six months ago and since then, they have recorded 50 per cent rises month-on-month.

Jessica McCardle said customers were attracted to mobile broadband as it offers more flexibility, especially for laptop owners. It also means that users have consistent broadband access, rather than having to rely on finding a Wi-Fi hotspot.

"It is absolutely taking off, people are loving the broadband dongles," she told the site.

However, one of the drawbacks to mobile broadband compared to fixed-line connections is the amount of data that can be transferred. The cheapest mobile broadband deals have monthly download limits of 1 GB, while £25 a month packages have a cap of 7 GB, which the site says "compares poorly" with ADSL and cable.

McCardle said that to get the right deal, customers should know what they will be signing up for and how they will use the connection.

Technology blogger Ephraim Schwartz recently predicted that business users would move away from Wi-Fi to mobile broadband over the next two years.