I bought a tablet a few months back. But I noticed it was only wi-fi. Which was ok for what I needed it for.

But I've had some net connection issues recently and want a backup. The wifi only tablet is useless as when I have no net on my network it can't get through.

So is there any 3G type of dongle device, or are they are full on broadband speeds only dongles?

If that's the case then am I probably better just buying a 3G tablet?

Some tablets will support a USB 3G dongle, but the easiest solution is to either buy a mifi unit that creates a wifi hotspot using 3G or use your mobile phone if you have a data allowance that allows you to tether using the phone's ability to create a wifi hotspot.

I would second the MiFi dongle - or mobile phone tethering for limited data use - suggestions!

My LAST iPad was a 3G one - which I hardly seemed to use. For the current one I went back to WiFi but added a £25 or so MiFi. This has three main advantages:

1) The MiFi box can be placed next to a Window for maximum 3G signal
2) More than one device can share it
3) It does not tie up the mobile phone

Agreed, mifi or phone hotspot can be useful for other devices and if you get a power cut or lose broadband a useful backup and if out and about on a bus or train.

I'll have a look in to mifi as I've never heard of that before.

I do have a pay as you go mobile on the Three network. I'm not sure they allow for tethering though.

I don't really understand why 3G isn't standard on all devices these days. I remember buying a kindle a few years ago and that had 3G on, though the interface was very basic.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I agree with that. The idea of a tablet, one would have thought, is that it can be used on the go. If it's wi fi only, you need a wi fi hot spot, which is not always convenient to any given location.

Data only plans are expensive, and getting more so. Far more cheaper to tether on my plan with all the other benefits on top than it is to get a data only plan (the only legit way to use a SIM to get 3G/4G data on a tablet) with a small allowance for a fair chunk of cash, unless you go down the route of heavily ad saturated ad-funded browsing, and with the failure of ad-funded OVIVO as of late, something people will be very nervous of. Even with tethering, companies are reducing the amount of tethering you can use or putting on more restrictions on what you can use it for.

Cost would be the most obvious reason.

And a lot of people would not need it anyway as they can just tether there tablet to their mobile which saves having to have 2 sims/contracts