What is Mobile Broadband Modem Firmware?

Firmware is control software that is the interface between the modem hardware and the software that uses the modem e.g. connection manager software.

EE’s 4G mobile internet is not for me

The UK now has super fast 4G mobile broadband thanks to mobile operator EE (previously called Everything Everywhere).

Three Huawei E586 Firmware Software update instructions

A new firmware update has been released by Three for the Huawei E586 wireless modem \ MiFi.

There’s no detailed change log showing exactly what the update does, but it’s primary focus is on resolving problems with games consoles connecting to the MiFi.

How to find the best 3G \ 4G mobile broadband signal using a directional antenna

We recently had a customer who lives in a remote country location and had bought a directional antenna for his mobile broadband modem. He connected the modem and antenna and then spent an entire day pointing the antenna in different directions in the hope that he would see his signal strength go from the intermittent one signal bar he was getting to something better. Unfortunately his efforts were in vain and he ended up contacting us for help.

How to use a USB modem with an Android Tablet

Many Android tablets are WiFi only and to get an internet connection they must connect to a wireless access point that’s connected to the internet. It is possible with some builds of Android to connect a USB modem for mobile broadband internet access.

How to increase 4G mobile hotspot battery life

Have you moved to a 4G mobile broadband provider recently? If you have then you’ve probably noticed that the battery life of your 4G wireless modem or mobile hotspot has become considerably less compared to when you were on a 3G network.

Mobile broadband and data roaming

What is data roaming?
Data roaming occurs when your mobile network provider has no coverage at your current location and an alternative mobile network operator is used i.e. you roam from your ‘home’ network provider to a different network provider.

What you need to know about 4G from EE

Several years after the first countries adopted 4G, the UK will officially have its first super fast 4G mobile broadband service, when network operator EE launch their 4GEE service on the 30th October 2012.

5 Free ways to improve mobile broadband internet speed

Everyone who uses the internet always wants faster speeds, so below are some free and very simple methods of improving wireless internet speeds.

Huawei E3256 dongle review and specifications.

Huawei released the new E3256 USB modem at the beginning of October (2012) and it’s currently available on the Three network. The modem boasts impressive download speed of up to 42Mbps.

Rollout of 4G networks in the UK

Not so many years ago the UK was considered to have one of the most advanced mobile networks when 3G was rolled out before many other countries. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the rollout of the latest 4G network. Unlike the US, Australia, Germany, Sweden and many other countries where 4G networks are already widely used, the UK is still stuck with 3G.

Huawei E3231 Dongle Review & Specifications

The Huawei E3231 is the latest Standard Dongle to be sold by the Three network, replacing the Huawei E353 Modem.

10 questions to ask before buying a wireless broadband modem

There has been a massive increase in demand for mobile broadband data access over the past few years. With this increase in demand there has been an increase in the number of hardware devices used to connect to the internet.

Vodafone R210 Review

The Vodafone R210 is Vodafone's first LTE 4G capable mobile WiFi device, offering download speeds of up to 100Mbps!

Free Mobile Broadband in the UK

A brand new 3G data service has been launched in the UK that allows users to access the internet for FREE!

The company offering the service is called Samba and can be found at: http://www.sambamobile.com.

All new customers need to purchase a SIM card (currently £5 including P&P) and pop it into to an unlocked dongle or built-in modem.

USB modem or mobile hotspot

Mobile broadband is rapidly growing in popularity with more users than ever before getting connected to the internet wirelessly. One question that many people ask is what type of device should I use to connect?

What is a femtocell and will it work with a mobile broadband data connection?

A femtocell is a mini cellular base station that’s used mainly by businesses and home users who are unable to receive a decent mobile signal from the main cellular base station (macrocell). The Femtocell will work with both mobile phones and mobile broadband data devices .e.g. wireless modems, mobile hotspots etc.

How to Debrand a Huawei USB Modem

Huawei is one of the largest manufacturers of mobile broadband modems and data cards. Most of the wireless devices manufactured are not sold directly from Huawei, but are re-branded and sold via the mobile network operators.

Problems using a mobile phone as a wireless hotspot

Many of the latest Android mobile phones and iPhones are capable of running as a portable hotspot enabling WiFi devices (laptops, games consoles, tablets etc) to use the phone's mobile connection for internet access.

Huawei E587 Mobile WiFi Review

The Huawei E587 is a high end wireless modem (aka MiFi, Mobile Hotspot, Mobile WiFi) supporting Dual Carrier HSPA+ making it one of the fastest 3G devices available

Comparison of 3G mobile WiFi and MiFi devices

Mobile WiFi devices are becoming more popular with nearly all the main UK network operators offering an option.

The only network of note not to currently supply a mobile WiFi device is O2. Who seem to be pushing WiFi hotspots supplied by The Cloud and BT OpenZone.

Huawei E5331 ‘value’ MiFi Review

Three UK have recently (June 2012) released a new ‘Value’ MiFi device which appears to offer excellent value at only £49.99 on Pay As You Go and only £29.99 with a monthly rolling contract of £15.99.

Sierra Wireless AirCard 313U USB Modem Review

The AirCard 313U is one of the first LTE (4G technology) USB modems from Sierra Wireless. The device offers the highest possible mobile broadband speeds of up to 100Mbps download and 50Mbps upload.

Review of the Huawei E3131 USB dongle

The large Chinese tech company Huawei has released a new USB modem called the E3131. The dongle is currently available from Orange and T-Mobile in the UK on both Pay As You Go and on contract.

Best UK Mobile Broadband Network Provider

We’re regularly asked by people travelling to the UK for business or holiday which is the best network operator to use for mobile broadband…….not an easy question to answer!

Huawei E353 Modem Review

The Huawei E353 is a new breed of budget USB modem capable of download speeds reaching 21.6Mbps and upload speeds up to 5.76Mbps. These speeds can only be achieved (theoretically) when using the latest HSPA+ mobile networks.

Novatel MiFi 2352 and MiFi 2372 de-branding procedure

The Novatel MiFi supplied by some mobile network operators has been customised to the operators own branding. In some cases the mobile network connection settings (Access Point Name settings) have been hard locked to the network that supplied the device. This means that even if the MiFi has been successfully unlocked it will not work with SIM cards from different operators.

How to get mobile internet abroad without paying a fortune

For many people having internet access when going abroad on holiday or travelling the world is becoming more of a necessity. Unfortunately the costs can be extremely high. With unsuspecting mobile internet users coming back home to bills in the £1000’s.

Option iCON 431 Modem Review

The Option Icon 431 is a top end 3G modem that is packed with all the latest 3G technology.

Huawei E586 Wireless Modem Review

Three (UK) and several other mobile operators have just released (September 2011) their new HSPA+ MiFi, the E586. The device is made by the Chinese tech company Huawei.

Three Huawei E5830 MiFi Review

The Three MiFi (which is a re-branded Huawei E5830) combines the functions of a mobile broadband 3G modem and a battery powered wireless (Wi-Fi) router into a single device.

Sierra Wireless 754s Mobile Hotspot Review

The AirCard 754S is the latest and greatest mobile hotspot device to come from Sierra Wireless.

Huawei E160 Modem Review

The Huawei E160 3G modem is very common and used in many countries by different mobile operators. Generally considered a lower end model and for this reason is often the dongle supplied with Pay As You Go mobile broadband. Although lower end, it is a perfectly capable modem and for most users easily fulfils their requirements.

Sierra Wireless 753s Mobile Hotspot Review

The AirCard 753S is a new mobile hotspot device to come from Sierra Wireless. The device is exactly the same as the 754s except it doesn't support 4G LTE networks, only 3G networks.

Huawei E1550 Modem Review

The Huawei E1550 is a budget USB 3G modem used by several mobile network operators from around the world. It’s the replacement model for the earlier E160 and E156 models which have now been discontinued.

Can a mobile phone SIM card be used in a modem

With the massive increase in smartphones many mobile network operator are providing the usual voice and text packages but are also offering a data allowance. Data allowances on offer vary from a few megabytes to several gigabytes and some operators are offering ‘unlimited’ data packages.

ZTE MF627 Modem Review

The MF627 dongle is a budget model manufactured by ZTE for Three.