Mobile broadband from O2 - is it too little, too late?

O2 recently announced their mobile broadband offering, making them the last of the big 5 operators to get involved in that online world. But is their offering good enough? Is it too little too late?

Mobile Broadband - why is it important?

Mobile broadband is changing the world, no two ways about it. The ability to get online, and to get broadband speeds of upwards of 1.8Mbps, while in motion, is a great thing to have. Just imagine surfing the net on the train, or on holiday, or in a pub, or even on the beach, all using your own connection, and all getting the kind of super-fast speeds you'll get at home. That's what mobile broadband is, and that's why it's great.

Of the big 5 networks, 4 of them already offer amazing deals on mobile broadband. You've got T-Mobile, the trend-setter, the first ones to really go headlong into it. You've got Three, the funky one, offering super-cheap mobile broadband deals. You've got Orange, the unlimited one (well, unlimited, but capped), with a sexy, slim modem. And you've got Vodafone, the fast one, with speeds up to 7.2Mbps. But where's O2 in that list?

O2 Mobile Broadband - was it worth the wait?

Well, now, O2 have announced their mobile broadband offering. And, I'm sorry to say, it's rubbish. The cheapest package comes in at £20 per month, which is nowhere near good enough, when compared to the other 4 networks. And then there is the big killer, the big fly in the ointment. You can only get O2 mobile broadband if you're already an existing O2 customer. Erm. Hello? O2? That's rubbish. Do you not want new customers on your network?? All in all, it's a serious let-down, and a real shame.

Looks like it can be summed up in one phrase, unfortunately. O2: great for mobile phones, absolute bobbins for mobile broadband...