Hi there,
I think you get the gist now !!
However it is possible to get a Pay as you Go dongle. I've mentioned this previously in a thread for newly arrived immigrants into the UK (not just Americans).
3 do a £10/month pay as you go service. I've got the same but on a 18 month contract as I had a deal at the time, but once it lapses, i'll just do 10 quid pay as you go.
Connection bandwidth (or speed) is the issue, depending on the signal and where you are will determine how well you'll be able to surf. If you're in one of the larger conurbations you should see 3G speeds quite alot, the more rural you go, they'll drop in connection speeds.
Overall though, an excellent way to cover transitional periods whilst fixed line broadband gets sorted out - which in the UK is still a complete farce. I'm sure all the networks now offer PAYG, but do watch out on those limits and caps as mentioned!
Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!