4G and 5G home broadband and wi-fi dongles explained

If you're struggling to get a reliable fixed broadband connection in the home, an 'over the air' alternative comes in the form of a wi-fi dongle that can deliver 4G and 5G home broadband.

With a reliable 4G or 5G signal, you'll be able to use one of these devices to access the internet on all your home devices. Read on to find out how they work. 

Check our guide to the best and worst mobile networks to see how providers are rated for network reliability, value for money and more. 

How does 4G and 5G home broadband work?

Instead of using telephone lines, 4G and 5G broadband dongles use the same signal as your smartphone to access the internet. As such, it can be an ideal solution for those who struggle to get a good signal from their traditional ADSL/Cable internet service provider (ISP).

Where 5G coverage is available, it's possible to get an even faster connection via mobile broadband, though this is still less widespread than 4G.

What is a wi-fi dongle?

A wi-fi dongle is a simple USB device that provides this wireless internet connection for individual devices, such as your home laptop or computer. It works in a similar way to a 4G or 5G router, to effectively deliver mobile broadband as an alternative to a fixed connection.

How much does a wi-fi dongle or router cost?

While 4G and 5G broadband used to be more expensive than standard fixed-line broadband, prices have become far more competitive in recent years, and unlimited data plans are more common.

You could pay as little as around £10 per month, but this will likely be for a limited amount of data. Expect to pay £20-30 a month for unlimited data, with higher amounts often charged for 5G.

If you do pick a plan with a data cap, be wary of how much you're using. With high charges for going over your data allowance, it's important to be aware of how much data common online activities use. The table below provides some examples:

How can you access mobile broadband at home?

For most people, there are three ways to access mobile broadband in your home:

• By 'tethering' your smartphone - This setting essentially turns your smartphone into a wi-fi hotspot, allowing a small number of connected devices to quickly connect to the internet. Most mobile providers will allow you to tether as much data as your plan allows for, though some may have a separate (lower) data limit for tethering so it's worth double checking the terms of your contract. Our guide on how to set up a mobile wi-fi hotspot can help you get started. 
• By using a mobile broadband 'dongle' - This is a small 4G- or 5G-enabled device which connects to your devices via USB or wi-fi to get you connected. This can usually allow more traffic than tethering.
• By using a dedicated router - providers such as Three and EE have dedicated routers capable of handling many more devices and traffic than tethering or dongles can.

Our mobile phone coverage map will give you more information about 4G and 5G coverage in your local area.

Which mobile networks offer wi-fi dongles and mobile broadband?

Each of the 'big four' mobile networks - EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, offer 4G and 5G mobile broadband. This may be via a wi-fi dongle, or a home router.

Contract lengths vary from one month up to two years, and data limits can run as low as just a few gigabytes, so it's important to choose a service that best fits your needs.

How fast is 5G home broadband?

For those who want a quicker connection, and have strong 5G coverage in their area, 5G will almost always be preferable to 4G, even if it's a little more expensive.

The speed of 5G mobile broadband connections vary, but Opensignal data shows that Three offers a 5G download speed of 187Mbps - much faster than most partial fibre packages. This would be more than suitable for larger homes where many devices are connected to and using the internet at the same time.

While it has better 5G coverage than Three, EE's 5G download speeds aren't as high - Opensignal puts it at 92.2Mbps. However, this is still faster than many partial fibre deals so might still be worth considering if you can access 5G coverage but full fibre isn't available in your area.

Fortunately 5G is becoming more available across the UK - plus if you're not currently covered, 4G mobile broadband could still be a good alternative.

Average 5G speeds in the UK compared

How fast is 4G home broadband?

With 4G, download speeds are comparable to partial-fibre broadband deals. According to Opensignal data, the 'Big Four' (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone) are typically able to achieve download speeds between 33Mbps and 53Mbps, definitely faster than legacy ADSL (aka standard) broadband. 

However, 4G broadband is very unlikely to reach the speeds that full fibre broadband can reach, with some full fibre providers offering over 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) for your home. That said, 4G broadband will be sufficient to comfortably stream or download content, assuming the signal is strong.

Average 4G speeds in the UK compared

Also, the speed you will get from your 4G broadband is dependent on many other factors, including how far you are from a mobile phone mast and how strong the signal is. If you experience patchy mobile phone service at home, then it is likely that you will experience similar issues with 4G broadband, affecting the speeds you can achieve.

Find out how fast your connection is using our Broadband Speed Checker tool.

Is 4G or 5G home broadband right for me?

Mobile broadband has become far more appealing now that prices have dropped and 5G is becoming more widespread.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is its ability to deliver a reliable internet connection to areas of the country that struggle with a consistent fixed-line connection – either due to a lack of availability, poor speeds, or a limited range of (often expensive) providers. In this situation, a mobile broadband connection through a 4G or 5G router or wi-fi dongle could be the ideal alternative.

If you do have a good range of available fixed line providers for your property, however, the simple answer is to shop around, weigh up your options, and choose a provider that offers the best value for money. Use Which Broadband Compare to get started.

Crucially, you'll also want a good service. Read our mobile network provider reviews and guide to the best and worst broadband providers to find out which come out on top.