O2 has launched its HSDPA-based O2 Mobile Broadband service today – available for existing customers. Using a USB modem, customer will have access to the internet either through O2 mobile network or the The Cloud’s 7,500 Wi-Fi hotspots. Princes will start at £20 a month for 3GB worth of included UK data usage on the O2 network & “unlimited” Wi-Fi every month.
O2 launched its home broadband offering last October and joins Vodafone, 3 UK, Orange and T-Mobile in offering mobile broadband.
“Getting the customer experience right is crucial. We are confident our broadband services complete a great communication experience for our customers however they want to connect to the internet, whether that be at
home, on their mobile phone or laptop.” said Sally Cowdry, Marketing Director, O2 UK. “Our O2 Mobile Broadband product exclusively allows O2 customers to access the internet wherever* and whenever they want with clear and predictable pricing.”
Customers can choose to take out an 18-month price plan for GBP20 a month with a USB Modem included free of charge, or pay GBP20 a month for a rolling one-month package plus the one-off cost of the USB Modem (GBP119.99). Both price plans give customers Wi-Fi access and 3GB per month worth of inclusive UK data (on the O2 network).
O2 Mobile Broadband will automatically connect customers to the fastest network available – GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA, or via the 7,500 Wi-Fi hotspots available through The Cloud.
As for HSDPA coverage and performance, O2 says broadband speeds of up to 1.8 megabits per second will be “the standard” across the whole O2 network. From June, O2 says it will begin increasing this to up to 3.6 megabits per second across the network, as it undertakes a £500 million network upgrade.