For years, broadband was nearly always tied down to a contract and our homes. Broadband suppliers would need a phone line to offer their services and getting on a contract for less than a year was very rare and very costly. However, with the advent of mobile broadband technology that allows internet access through mobile phone signal rather than phone lines, the internet has been "set free" and no longer requires having a landline installed. While mobile broadband is often offered as part of a contract as well, it's also started a new craze of PAYG Broadband - paying for broadband access only when and where you need it.

The advantages of being able to go online whenever and wherever you want are obvious. Devices like phones, laptops and netbooks can suddenly become portable workstations which allow you to access the internet and email without the need to find a Wi-Fi network. This makes mobile broadband the perfect option for people who commute daily, or people who move and travel around the country often and aren't really in a position to make the most of a home broadband connection.

Being able to pay when you need the broadband also makes a lot of sense, especially for special occasions or light internet users. For example, you might be happy with your landline broadband at home, but if you're going on a camping trip but need to be able to keep up with your emails, simply paying for the broadband you might use on your holiday is very cost effective. You never have to worry about paying for more than you use, and you know exactly how much you are spending every time, making it a good option for people who want to keep control of their finances. Mobile broadband isn't perfect, though.

If you're considering a PAYG server you need to be aware of some of the key disadvantages to the service, no matter what provider you choose. Firstly, mobile broadbands reliance on mobile signal might give you greater freedom, but it isn't perfect. Indoors you might find that your mobile broadband is significantly slower than advertised without a good signal, and even outdoors you still need to be reasonably close to a mast in order to make the most out of the higher speeds a service might offer. Rural areas might be cut off completely from mobile broadband, though most villages should be able to pick up some level of signal. Secondly, mobile broadband is expensive, and PAYG is the most expensive way to pay for it. Comparing PAYG mobile broadband to a standard fixed line contract could see you having to spend as much as twice as much for a similar (or slower) service.

That doesn't mean that PAYG is never worth the effort though, just that if you find yourself constantly paying for PAYG mobile broadband it might be cheaper and easier to sort out a mobile broadband contract instead. If you're interested in PAYG broadband but you don't want to go down the mobile broadband route, there are even a few fixed line providers that offer broadband at reduced contracts. Plusnet even offers a month by month contract which means that providing you give the company 10 days’ notice you can cancel whenever you like. Just like PAYG mobile broadband though, these methods are much more expensive than their contract counterparts, and you normally end up having to pay for the hardware as well.