Have a read of this — just got it in from 3:
3 is now offering its most competitive Mobile Broadband deal to customers by reducing the price of its Pay As You Go USB Modems (or Dongles) to £49.99 - a saving of £50 on the original price point.
The new retail price for the black and green ZTE Dongle and the Huawei E220 Dongles will be available in-store, from www.three.co.uk and by calling 0800 358 7278 from 1st May.
With the current Pay As You Go price plan customers can get a 1GB data allowance with a £10 Add-on, 3GB with a £15 Add-on and 7GB with a £25 Add-on. Each Add-on lasts for 30 days.
3’s most popular 3GB package allows users to send up to 2000 plain text emails, do 100 hours of surfing the web, and download an additional 100 two minute video and 200 music tracks.
So, in the UK, if you want to get mobile broadband without a contract, just stump up £49.99 and you’re done. Obviously you need to top up with a tenner whenever you want to use your dongle, but this is brilliant, brilliant pricing.
Three really are trailblazing the mobile broadband marketplace. I’ve no doubt that the dongles will be flying out the shops even quicker now. They’ve definitely caught a lot of other operators sleeping. Vodafone reacted strongly with their £15/month offer — and T-Mobile, originally one of the leading lights, has been very slow to catch on. Orange is nowhere to be seen with a recent offering.
As for o2, I confess I haven’t actually seen their offering as yet. I’m sure they have one… 
If you were thinking about a Three dongle for when you visit the UK or if you’d just like-to-have-one for the bottom of your laptop bag, then get yourself into your nearest 3 shop tomorrow morning.
Micky on 
Three have a good offer for existing contract customers of 1/2 price for an initial 18 month contract (and staying half price afterwards) e.g. 7.50UKP for 3Gb/month
Haven't taken advantage of this yet but it is tempting. It could even replace paying Virgin Media for broadband at home.
See http://www.three.co.uk/personal/products_servic...
Posted by Robert Stonehouse on April 30th, 2008 at 5:13 pm.Approve
Posted by smstextnews on May 1st, 2008 at 3:13 am.Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
I happen to be looking for a dongle here in Ireland recently. Did not consider 3UK as the coverage over here is not so good. Went into the O2 shop(Tuesday this week), the O2 sales guys pounced with a stream of questioning as to what I was looking for. I explained that I was looking for a mobile broadband package. The “manager” explained that O2 was launching TODAY (Thursday) an unlimited usage package with no tie in to a long contract (30days notice etc.). Cost of dongle £100.. He went on to explain that if I signed onto another deal they could convert me to the unlimited usage plan. Needless to say I smelt a rat and he was telling blatant lies. Needless to say O2 have not offered this package yet on their web site. http://businessshop.o2.co.uk/tariffs_index.aspx... when will the networks stop employing “snake oil” sales men!!!!
I went back to the Vodafone shop around the corner, treated with courtesy and paid £99 for the dongle and a £20 per month deal with no tie in and more importantly no BS from wannabe 2nd hand car sales men. No wonder normal mobile users are usually reluctant to leave behind their Pay as you Go deal from Tesco….
NB> I am an O2 Ireland Business customer.
Posted by RoonOwen on May 1st, 2008 at 8:20 am.If anyone from O2 retail want to contact me please let me know and I shall contact them to give the stores details.