Mobile broadband just keeps getting better, and now Virgin Mobile has raised the bar even higher. The ISP has just launched its latest update to its mobile broadband offering, with a new dongle that allows users to reach speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. The upload speed has also been increased from 384Kbps to 2Mbps.
The new dongle includes a microSD slot, and is up to twice as fast as the previous Virgin dongle, which was only capable of reaching speeds of 3.6Mbps. It is available on a number of different contracts: an 18-month contract with a 1GB data allowance is available for £10 a month, and a 3GB data allowance is available for £15 a month. It’s not a great download limit, but the speeds should make up for that with a far superior browsing experience.
However, although the advertised speed is 7.2Mbps, as always, it is unlikely that users will be able to reach such speeds. Numerous factors come into play when using mobile broadband, such as the location and distance from the nearest mobile tower and the number of users in the area.
Why are faster speeds so important? It really depends on what you use the internet for. A faster download speed dramatically improves the quality at which surfers can watch online video content, such as on YouTube or the BBC iPlayer. It also allows users to download larger files from the internet much more quickly.
Graeme Oxby, the mobile executive director at Virgin Media, said that the company was “thrilled” with the new service. He also highlighted the benefits of mobile broadband, saying that it is “the best way of staying connected on the move”.
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