Unlimited mobile broadband - What options are available?

Unlimited mobile broadband is highly desirable as it allows you to share internet with all of your devices at or on the move offering an alternative to home broadband.

However, finding an unlimited mobile broadband plan isn't as easy as you might think. But fear not as we'll run you through all the options to find the right deal for you.

✘ Get a mobile broadband or data only plan

None of the UK's mobile networks offer unlimited mobile broadband plans as offering such plans tends to put a strain on their network capacity.

The highest data Data Only plan currently is 50GB with Vodafone, EE and O2. Three offer a good alternative with 40GB of data with Go Binge, which enables you to use Netflix, Apple Music, Snapchat, Deezer, Soundcloud and TV Player without using up your data allowance.

iD Mobile, Asda Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, Smarty, VOXI, Plusnet Mobile or FreedomPop don't offer any mobile broadband plans.

✔ Use an unlimited voice SIM in a tablet or dongle

One way to get unlimited mobile broadband is to buy an unlimited voice SIM on Three and use it in a Mobile WiFi dongle to tether data to other devices. Three now allow the use of voice SIMs in mobile broadband devices and have no tethering restrictions.

The only thing to consider is you'll need to acquire a dongle or Mobile Wi-Fi dongle seperately and order one of the SIM plans listed in the table below.

Pay Monthly Unlimited Data Plans

	12 Month Contract Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts	£27 a month View Deal
	1 Month Contract Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts	£32 a month View Deal
Both plans include Tethering, Go Binge, Worldwide Roaming and Wuntu

Pay As You Go Unlimited Data Add-on

	Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts	£35 View Deal
Includes Tethering, Worldwide Roaming and Wuntu

GiffGaff and Virgin are the only other networks to offer unlimited voice SIMs, but don't allow you to use them in a tablet or dongle.

✔ Tether (personal hotspot) your phone to share unlimited data

Another option that effectively delivers unlimited broadband is to use your phone to share data to other devices over a personal Wi-Fi hotspot. Three's unlimited plans, listed above, are suitable as they don't have any tethering restrictions.

This is a great option, but the downside is tethering quickly drains a smartphones battery, so you'll need to keep it plugged in or charge it frequently.

Virgin and GiffGaff also offer unlimited data plans, but the former doesn't allow any tethering while the latter only allows up to 6GB tethering per month.

Do you really need unlimited data?

If none of the other solutions are suitable then you might consider if you actually need unlimited data.

If you’re using mobile broadband instead of Wi-Fi at all times then you may eat through 30GB+ of data every month, and if you’re also heavily using it for streaming video and the like then in that case unlimited data might be helpful.

But if you’re only using it as it’s designed – which is for when you’re out and about, travelling, or having short-term Wi-Fi issues, then even if you use mobile broadband heavily with multiple devices connected you should be fine with the 50GB maximum that it’s possible to get.