Virgin tempts users with £5 mobile broadband

Just a month after it launched a mobile broadband service, Virgin Media today announced that existing cable and ADSL broadband customers can sign up for a dongle contract for as little as a fiver.

The 5-a-month-and-up package is likely to tempt users who are hungry for connectivity on the go but at the same time trying to tighten their belts because of the credit crunch.

The mobile broadband market is also subject to brutal price competition, with the likes of 3, T-Mobile and Vodafone all offering cut-price deals to a mixture of new and existing customers in an effort to grab market share and improve overall customer retention figures.

Those signed up to Virgin's XL or L cable broadband packages or its off-net ADSL Bundle 1 can take advantage of the 5 offer, while it'll cost those on the M or Bundle 2 packages 10 a month.

Users signing up to the 12-month contract will get a 1GB bundled data allowance per month. However, they will also incur a one-off fee of 25 for the USB 3G modem.

"Our 1GB mobile broadband is great for people who need [fixed-line] broadband but also want access to the internet on the move," said Graeme Oxby, Virgin Media's managing director for mobile. "The bundle... offers the safety net of considerably cheaper rates if customers go over the monthly data allowance."

Virgin reckons the inclusive bundle is enough for most average user's needs, catering for 700 emails, 33 hours of web action, 66 music tracks and 33 two-minute videos.

But if you're appetite is larger than the average user, once you've exceeded your inclusive allowance, you'll be charge 1.46 pence per additional MB.