Vodafone has rolled out Pebble - the nickname by which it's latest HSDPA modem is known. Officially the USB Modem 7.2, the Pebble provides 'super 3G' connectivity for PCs and Macs at up to 7.2Mb/s.

Vodafone's USB Modem 7.2: super 3G add-on

That's the maximum download speed - uploads are expected to run to 384Kb/s. Vodafone said it has already started upgrading its 3G network to the 7.2Mb/s.

Vodafone wants £49 for the Pebble if you're willing to sign up for an 18-month £25- or £95-a-month contract. The up-front price rises to £99 for 12-month contract, or £170 if you want pay-as-you-go.

Pay-as-you-go option

The PAYG deal bills access time on a daily basis: £8.50 for 24 hours' online time.

Inevitable a so-called 'fair usage' policy applies: the cut-off is 3GB for a monthly plan but a mere 500MB if you're a PAYG customer, in a given month.

Vodafone also said will be offering two Pebbles for the price of one to buyers who sign up for an 18-month contract over the Christmas period. Pebble can be purchased at Vodafone's website [1].

Related reviews

• Novatel Merlin XU870 ExpressCard 34 'super 3G' datacard [2]
• Vodafone Mobile Connect 'super 3G' USB modem [3]
• Vodafone Mobile Connect 'super 3G' data card [4]

Links

1. http://www.vodafonebusinessshop.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=MobileEmailAndData.UsbModem72&planDuration=18
2. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/02/review_novatel_xu870/
3. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11/21/review_vodafone_mobile_connect_modem/
4. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/14/review_vodafone_hsdpa_datacard/

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