BT offers broadband to go

BT has announced the launch of BT Total Broadband Anywhere, a service that will offer customers access to the web while on the move as well as in their homes. BT Total Broadband Anywhere comes with a free smartphone, the BT ToGo, which is manufactured by HTC and uses the Windows Mobile operating system. The BT ToGo is able to connect to Wi-Fi networks and to the web using GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technology. At home, the customer gets the same deal as Total Broadband Option 3, which offers a maximum 8Mbps connection, unlimited downloads subject to a fair usage policy and a free wireless router, the BT Home Hub. John Petter, managing director of BT's Consumer division, said: "Communications services are converging and it is clear that customers want consistent access to the things that matter not only at home, but in the palm of their hand wherever they are. "When shopping, waiting for a train or having a coffee, Broadband Anywhere enables you to read emails, check the football results or compare prices," he continued. There are four BT Total Broadband Anywhere packages, costing between £23.99 per month and £53.99 per month. The packages vary in the amount of talktime minutes and texts available, with the cheapest deal offering just 50 minutes and 50 texts per month. There is no limit on the amount of data you can download in Wi-Fi hotspots (again, subject to a fair usage policy), though you are limited to 10MB per month using a GPRS connection. BT has 82,000 Wi-Fi hotspots around the UK and whenever a BT ToGo phone is in range of one it will automatically connect to it. When outside the range of a wireless network, it will use GPRS. This technology, however, is slow in comparison to 3G (third-generation) and EDGE (sometimes known as 2.5G). Moneysupermarket.com's Rob Barnes expressed concerns about the GPRS data limit. "The deal which offers unlimited downloads on the smartphone in BT Wi-Fi areas is great value for a mobile handset. However when the phone is outside of this, and reverts to GPRS, the connection can become slow and costly. Heavy mobile data users will need to be wary of the download limit if they want to avoid further charges," he said. Read Web User News Editor Ben Camm-Jones' preview of the BT ToGo handsets and Total Broadband Anywhere deals. www.bt.com/broadband