Of broadband sticks and mobile phones: Which ones are better?

As mentioned in the nitty gritty post, I'm testing the internet connection using mobile phones as 3G modems instead of broadband sticks. Some people may think differently at my approach as they have been used to the concept of using a broadband stick or any device-bundled broadband packages that they have bought from mobile telecommunications' outlets. If you're wondering why I prefer not to use broadband sticks and opt for mobile phones instead, here are my two reasons:

1. Depending on your mobile network carrier, it's cheaper and cost effective

Celcom and Maxis, the two major mobile network carriers in Malaysia, are providing the option of tethering via mobile phone and you're only charged for the subscription of the broadband packages, whether they are hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. Plus, there are no extra charges if you decide not to use tethering any longer. There is no auto-renewal option for tethering and your credit balance will be safe from unnecessary deductions. The difference? Celcom provides this function for both postpaid and prepaid mobile SIM cards, but Maxis only offers this function for their prepaid mobile SIM cards. Nevertheless, the tethering options offered by both mobile network carriers are beneficial since I don't have to buy a separate SIM card exclusively for broadband. Instead, I can subscribe via SMS or short codes from my cellphones and use them as modem via tethering.

2. Mobile phones may have better signal reception than broadband sticks

I have experiences of using broadband sticks for my Maxis SIM card and in general, I couldn't get full bar coverage most of the time. The signal receptions are going up and down a lot. Sometimes I get only 1 bar, sometimes 2 bars, sometimes 3 bars and in some cases, even no signal at all. In many occasions, it disrupts my internet surfing experience. Finally, I give up using broadband sticks and decides to swap the SIM card into my Nokia Asha 303 and to my surprise, the signal reception is much better than the broadband sticks I've used before. No more "no signal" moments, although the signal sometimes fluctuates between 2-4 bars. Somehow, the signal reception is more consistent in the Nokia Asha 303 compared to the broadband sticks.