Nevertheless, it's a question that pops up a lot. Mobile broadband is becoming increasing popular for a number of reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is cost and convenience. For not much more than the cost of Cable or DSL, just about anyone could have a broadband card that sticks into their laptop.

And just like that, they get broadband speeds anywhere in the country they travel. It's excellent especially if you're out working more than you are at your house. It just makes sense. Get the best Rural Bradband via RuralWiFi.ie.

There's not much that can be said about convenience. What more can you say than being able to connect anytime and anyplace. Wondering if a WiFi hotspot costs money or if its even their becomes a thing of the past. Power went out? No problem. How about we MapQuest the nearest restaurant in this new city? The possibilities are endless. Oh, and you can check email too.

But you already knew that.

You're here to find out who's the best amongst the plethora of available options. You might have heard of satellite broadband, mobile broadband and even WiMAX. I'll help you set the record straight with some easy but detailed guidelines on how to pick the best mobile broadband provider.

Should I go Prepaid or Contract?

It all depends.

Essentially, there are two kinds of prepaid mobile broadband plans:

1. Plans designed for long-term use

2. Plans designed for intermittent short-term use

It's important to mention the notable differences between prepaid mobile broadband and 'contracted' mobile broadband. While we compare prepaid to contract mobile broadband, bear in mind that we're comparing the plans designed for long-term use (by Cricket).