Orange intros MiFi gadget, refreshes mobile data deals

Orange has rejigged its mobile broadband offerings. It has also introduced a Wi-Fi modem for punters who want to share an HSDPA 3G link among several gadgets.

The modem is the Novatel Wireless 3352, a new model that launches today. It can share the 7.2Mb/s HSDPA connection between five devices. It also contains a Micro SD card slot that can take cards of up to 32GB capacity - and presumably share its contents with connected clients.

Orange will offer the 3352 for £49, though you'll have to take out a one-year, £15-a-month 'Dolphin' package that includes 1GB of data transfers plus a further gigabyte to be used in off-peak - midnight to 4pm, says Orange - times.

Pay a tenner a month and the modem is yours for £59, rising to £75 if you take either of Orange's new Dolphin £10 and £15 one-month contracts. Both come with a 1GB data allowance; the extra fiver gets you unlimited BT Openzone Wi-Fi access - surely unnecessary when you have a 3G-connected Wi-Fi gadget?

The 3352 costs £59 for a 12-month, £5-a-month 'Racoon' package with 500MB of data. Or you can pay £89 for it, if you choose a free or £5 one-month Racoon deal. The latter includes 500MB of data, but the former, while there's no up-front fee, bills you at 5p a megabyte, capped at 800MB/£40 - handy if you're a now-and-then user.

Existing Orange pay monthly, PAYG and home broadband customers rewarded with a £5 discount on all new mobile broadband price plans. ®