Pay-as-you-go mobile broadband 'to be big this Christmas'

Pay-as-you-go mobilebroadband dongles are expected to be a big hit with consumers this Christmas, according to a broadband comparison site.

Mobilebroadband dongles are the small USB devices that connect to computers and offer internet access over mobile phone networks.

SeekBroadband.com claimed that the fact they offer "flexible mobile internet access" will appeal to consumers, while the pay-as-you-go tariffs avoid the "worry of being tied-in to a lengthy contract".

The website's Manoj Solanki said: "As there is no lengthy tie-in period, it suits users who may not use it every month, including those living away from home, such as students and mobile workers.

"It's also handy at a time when money is tight in many households, leading them to cut monthly outgoing costs due to current economic conditions."

The site also predicted that mobilebroadband and laptop bundle deals will also prove popular as gifts this year.

A study last month from Nielsen Online found that the use of mobile internet is growing faster than PC-based.

The sector saw growth of 25 per cent, from 5.8 million in the second quarter of 2008 to 7.3 million in the third.