Major ISP offers faster mobile broadband

Faster mobilebroadband speeds are being offered by major internet service provider (ISP) Virgin Media, potentially enabling customers to have more efficient use of VoIP solutions.

Most mobile broadband packages still only offer connection speeds of around 3.6 megabits per second (Mbps), but Virgin Media's mobile broadband USB modem stick will deliver speeds of up to 7.2Mbps.

The faster speeds could encourage more people to connect to the internet from a laptop while and about, rather than choosing to use increasingly popular smartphones.

Graeme Oxby, executive director of mobile at Virgin Media, said: "Mobile broadband is the best way of staying connected on the move and we're delighted to be making this a speedier, more pleasant experience for our customers."

Both the two-month flexible tariff and the 18-month plan of the one gigabyte (GB) and 3GB packages offered by Virgin Media will provide the new stick.

The ISP recently launched a 50Mbps fixed-line broadband service and plans to increase this speed in the future.