Broadband sales hits highs in 2009

According to the broadband comparison Website, 2008 saw mobile broadband sales increase by around 40 percent.

However, Broadband Expert analyst Rob Webber believes this is only the tip of the iceberg with the technology set to experience huge growth in 2009.

He claimed Australia will experience comparable growth to Western European countries, where research company CSS Insight estimated around 26 million laptops were connected to mobile data networks by the end of the year, with some countries witnessing an 18 percent month on month growth for the first six months of 2008.

“The convenience of being able to access social networking sites like Facebook, visit shopping sites or read the news on the beach, the train or even the pub will see mobile broadband overtake fixed broadband sales within two years,” he said.

Mobile broadband, offered by the likes of 3, Dodo, Vodafone, Virgin and Optus, works by plugging an internet key into the USB port of a computer or laptop to give access to the provider’s 3G mobile network.

According to Webber, most major Australian cities have coverage because more is invested in the networks supporting mobile broadband and there should be a significant increase in coverage and speeds.

Furthermore, prices are falling as providers fight for a share of this growing market, he claimed.

“For example, 3 has recently followed Vodafone and Optus in cutting prices and plans to double the maximum speed of their mobile broadband network from up to 3.6Mbs to 7.2Mbs in 2009,” said Webber.

“With mobile broadband being so well suited to laptops, Broadband Expert is predicting that mobile broadband sales will be boosted further by an increase in packages offering a laptop as part of the deal.”

He believes deals are likely to prove attractive as the consumer can spread the cost of a new laptop over the length of their mobile broadband contract.

However, Webber does issue a word of warning to mobile broadband users to keep track of their usage since 'exceeding download limits can prove expensive'.

“The lower download limits of mobile broadband (in comparison to home broadband) means the technology is less suitable for heavy Internet users including those who regularly download films and online gamers who are better suited to faster home broadband services with high download limits,” he said.

“This problem is likely to be addressed in 2009 as the providers improve their networks and higher data usage packages become available.”