Features

Maximum speed achieved:
2.6Mb/sec

Average speed achieved in London:
1.6Mb/sec

Average speed achieved out of London:
1.0Mb/sec

3 not only offers the cheapest monthly mobile broadband tariff, but also recorded the fastest connection speed of the five networks tested here. At full tilt, 3 posted an actual throughput of 2.6Mb/sec - only marginally below its advertised headline speed of 2.8Mb/sec. Connection speeds were consistently between 1 and 2Mb/sec, providing comparable performance to Vodafone.

3 didn't fare so well on our daily commute,

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however, with the connection constantly dropping as our train sped between network deadspots. Annoyingly, 3's software doesn't provide any pop-ups to tell you the connection's dropped, and instead of automatically reconnecting when the network resumes, 3's software churlishly sulks offline until you manually click the Connect button. Upload speeds are also desperate, with dial-up style 56Kb/sec connection speeds the norm, although 3 insists that a network upgrade planned for this summer will help bring its upload speeds in line with its rival networks.

On the plus side, 3 is the only network that doesn't automatically compress images on websites, and its neatly presented software keeps a detailed check on your monthly download figures, allowing you to gauge when you're nearing your monthly limit.

With monthly packages starting from £10 a month, 3 is a good choice for people who want an occasional low-cost connection while they're on the move.

Rating: 4/6