VIRGIN MOBILE BROADBAND
$80 per month
http://www.virginbroadband.com.au
Rating: 4/5

With laptops having long overtaken desktop computers as the PC de jour for consumers, every company that doesn't make notebooks is looking for a way to muscle in on the action. That's one reason why mobile broadband is now the cool kids' table in the technology market, and the mobile phone companies have got the very best seats. They've got the networks in place and those networks are being upgraded to handle high-speed internet alongside phone calls.

Virgin Mobile's play for your attention combines a decent data deal with a bundled mobile phone and high-value voice plan. 1GB of downloads for $80 a month seems on the high side at first, especially compared to Three's deal of 1GB for $29 a month (which ranks as our cheapest mobile broadband deal).

However, the Virgin package includes a USB modem for which 3 charges an extra $120 over the 24-month contract period. More appealingly, you also get a sharp-looking black Nokia 6120 phone with $520 worth of call credits at fairly standard capped-plan rates (30c flagfall and 40c for 30 seconds).

The USB modem is a squat black wedge that covers any ports (USB or otherwise) adjacent to the one it occupies but fortunately Virgin includes a small extension USB lead so you can use the modem at the same time as other plug-in devices. Connections are carried over Optus's 3G mobile network, but while most mobile broadband services redline about 1.5Mbps, Virgin customers are pegged to 700Kbps and even that speed is dependent on your location (we managed a reliable 650Kbps from a townhouse on Sydney's lower North Shore). You can check coverage in your area at Virgin's website, but don't expect the reach of Telstra's Next G network. Then again, as long as you're within the Optus 3G footprint, you won't have to pay Telstra's prices to enjoy the internet on the go.