If you can’t sign up to full fibre or part fibre broadband, or you need a more temporary broadband solution, one option is to sign up to 4G or 5G mobile broadband.
You might be wondering if mobile data can be used as home broadband without any problems. Let’s check out the details of using mobile data for your home internet connection.
What are 4G and 5G home broadband deals?
4G and 5G home broadband uses mobile networks to provide home broadband. They can potentially be as fast or faster than many fixed-line broadband services, and you don't need a phone line.
These types of deals, such as Three Home Broadband or Vodafone 5G Broadband, use the same network as a mobile phone or any other mobile broadband service. But, there are two key differences that will matter for home users:
- They often include a Wi-Fi router or Wi-Fi hub
- They’re designed for home use so you can connect multiple devices
- They usually come with unlimited data usage limits.
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
Rewards:
£16 per month
£19.50 from 1st April 2027
£23 from 1st April 2028
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 1 months
£31 per month
- Speed: 50Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
Rewards:
£16 per month
£19.50 from 1st April 2027
£23 from 1st April 2028
Benefits of using mobile broadband at home
Mobile can be faster than home broadband
4G broadband can have quicker download speeds than standard ADSL broadband. It can even reach internet speeds close to those of fibre broadband. Pretty impressive!
In some areas, 5G can be faster than standard fibre broadband packages, although performance depends heavily on coverage and network congestion.
What broadband speed are you getting right now? Could mobile broadband be a faster option? Find out with our speed test.
Mobile broadband doesn’t need a fixed line
Kitting yourself up with a mobile broadband device is an easy way to get broadband without a phone line.
It’s a good option if:
- You’re in temporary accommodation
- You don’t have access to fixed line broadband services
- You’re reluctant to install a fixed line at home
- You want something portable and easy to install
- You want to keep things flexible and have a better choice of contract lengths,
Mobile broadband is portable
Unlike a regular broadband service, mobile Wi-Fi can give you internet access wherever you go. Provided you can get a signal, of course. So you could catch up on Netflix on the move and work from anywhere, too. Just take your mobile broadband hub with you!
This is fantastic if you regularly switch between home locations but don’t want to take out contracts for two home broadband connections.
Mobile broadband has flexible contracts
Most home internet deals come with 12, 18 or 24-month contracts, with limited options for short-term and “no contract” deals.
But home mobile broadband deals tend to offer more flexibility. As well as long-term contracts, you can also choose from rolling monthly mobile plans and pay-as-you-go plans, just like with your standard mobile contract.
Downsides of using mobile broadband at home
Mobile internet relies on a strong signal
Mobile broadband is completely reliant on a strong network signal. The weaker the signal, the slower and more unstable the connection will be. So you need to do some research before you sign up - signals can change at street level.
If you think you might struggle to get the best signal, Vodafone and Three both offer 5G Home Broadband packages with an outdoor hub. These can be mounted on an exterior wall, which can be connected with a single cable to an indoor hub. This then acts as the Wi-Fi network in your home.
These exterior hubs should be easily enough to self-install.
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
Rewards:
£16 per month
£19.50 from 1st April 2027
£23 from 1st April 2028
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 1 months
£31 per month
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
£15 per month
£18.50 from 1st April 2027
Mobile broadband performance can be unpredictable
Even if you have a strong signal, you may find your performance dips depending on network traffic and weather conditions. This can be a problem if you rely on a minimum speed, as you'll never quite know how well your service is going to perform.
Data usage caps can be restrictive
Aside from signal strength, the biggest stumbling block for anyone considering mobile broadband is that data allowance caps are often very low compared to fixed-line deals. This can impact how you use the broadband, as you might not be able to stream as much for as long.
The good news is that all mobile home broadband deals available through Broadband Genie come with unlimited data.
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How fast is mobile broadband?
- 4G mobile internet has average download speeds of around 20mbps
- 5G networks can offer average download speeds over 100Mbps.
Should you replace home broadband with mobile broadband?
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Do I need a 4G or 5G home broadband service?
Assuming you have a strong mobile signal in your home, a 4G or 5G home broadband deal can be a good alternative to home broadband.
Prices may be competitive, and the speeds can be impressive, especially if you can get 5G.
Plus, you don't need to have a line installed or pay line rental, and can easily take the broadband when moving home.
Another advantage is that 4G and 5G home broadband is quick to set up. There's no waiting for an engineer. Just plug in the dongle or router, and you're ready to go!
- Speed: 14Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
£15 per month
£18.50 from 1st April 2027
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 24 months
Rewards:
£15 per month
£18.50 from 1st April 2027
- Speed: 150Mb avg. speed
- Set-up cost: £0
- Contract: 1 months
£29 per month
Price may rise during contract
What do you need to use mobile broadband as home broadband?
To use mobile broadband at home, you don’t necessarily need any special equipment. However, depending on the devices you have and how many people are sharing the connection, you might need to choose some slightly different hardware to make the most of it.
- USB dongles
Standard mobile broadband dongles use a USB connection, something you'll find on any modern computer.
That’s fine if it’s only going to be used by one person at a time, and you only ever want to connect a laptop or desktop computer running Windows or Apple macOS. But sharing the connection with multiple systems or devices isn’t easy or recommended.
In that situation, it’s far better to go with a Wi-Fi dongle.
- Wi-Fi dongles
Wi-Fi dongles, also known as pocket Wi-Fi or ‘MiFi’, provide mobile network connectivity over a Wi-Fi signal. That means they’ll work with anything that supports Wi-Fi, including tablets and smartphones. It also allows the connection to be shared very easily, typically with five to ten devices at once. This flexibility makes them far more useful for home Wi-Fi.
- Tethering
You can also use a smartphone or tablet with a SIM card as a Wi-Fi dongle by tethering over Wi-Fi.
Most modern smartphones such as Android phones and iPhones with iOS will support tethering and can be used as personal hotspots. This could save you from buying a dongle, however, check that your smartphone contract permits tethering otherwise, you might be charged extra fees.
- 4G/5G routers
If you’re considering mobile home broadband as a long-term solution, you should get a 4G or 5G home broadband package.
Choose one which includes a router, so you can use both wired and wireless networking and make use of more advanced networking features.
If you don’t receive a router with your package, we highly recommend purchasing your own. You can buy routers which are specifically designed to be used primarily with mobile networks and have a SIM card slot. However, many standard home broadband routers also support 4G and 5G mobile broadband dongles via a USB cable port on the back.
- Aerials
One final piece of equipment that may be worth investing in is an external aerial. This can boost signal strength for better speed and stability, and could be essential in low-signal areas.
To use an external aerial, you’ll need a dongle or router with an external antenna connection or removable antennas.
Is using mobile home broadband the same as tethering to a mobile hotspot?
Using a phone hotspot can sound like a quick and easy solution for home internet service. And it certainly can be in the short term. But if you’re going to be using mobile data for all your internet usage, you'll want something that can connect to multiple devices and offer more data.
Mobile home broadband is a better option as you will have more generous, or even unlimited data allowances. Some mobile providers also aren’t happy with people using hotspot data on devices other than their phones.
FAQs
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Can mobile broadband replace home broadband?
Yes – if you have a strong 4G or 5G signal, mobile broadband can be a convenient alternative.
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Can mobile broadband be used as Wi-Fi?
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Is mobile broadband fast enough for streaming?
In most cases, yes. 4G averages 20–30Mb and 5G can exceed 100Mb – more than enough for Netflix and video calls. You just need to be sure not to go over any data allowances.
Read more: 'How much data do I need?'
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What’s the difference between tethering and mobile broadband?
Tethering uses your phone as a hotspot. Mobile broadband usually involves a dedicated router or dongle, offering better performance and larger data allowances.
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Do I need a router for mobile broadband at home?
A router is the best option if you're replacing home broadband – it supports more devices and better signal strength.
Switching to a mobile broadband deal
Add your postcode and address into our deals checker to find out if there are any home 4G or 5G broadband deals available in your area.
If you already have a home broadband contract, there’s nothing stopping you doubling up and using mobile broadband as a back-up.
But if you want to cancel your existing home broadband deal and sign up to a 4G or 5G option, take note that One-Touch Switch isn’t guaranteed. We recommend you cancel your old broadband provider manually, which will be easy to do if you’re already out of contract.
We highly recommend checking your chosen provider’s network coverage map to make sure you have decent signal coverage in areas you’re likely to want to get connected.
We like using the nperf 3G / 4G / 5G coverage map for this as it allows you to easily switch between carriers.
For more information, read our full guide to mobile broadband.
Money-back guarantee - sign up and try!
Both Three and Vodafone offer guarantees on their mobile home broadband packages.
Three offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you find the signal isn’t up to scratch, you can cancel penalty-free.
Meanwhile, you can cancel a Vodafone 5G Broadband service within a 14-day cooling-off period.