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Vodafone Mobile Connect 'super 3G' USB modem

HSDPA connectivity for the PCMCIA-less

Downloading an 8.6MB application on a 1.86GHz MacBook Pro yielded a respectable average download speed of 1.02Mbps - the file took 67.47s to arrive. That's less than the 1.4Mbps Vodafone reckons you should be able to get - itself well below the 1.8Mbps theoretical maximum - but then I downloaded the file in Reg Hardware's office, which lies in the shadow of the Telecom Tower and doesn't have the best reception as a result.

Elsewhere, I got 1.42Mbps downloading the same file - a download time of 48.45s and a score much closer to the kind of performance I'd expect from a first-generation HSDPA network.

I also tried the Mobile Connect Modem with a Windows XP machine, which reported a 3.6Mbps connection speed, though Windows simply takes the maximum possible speed after interrogating the network adaptor's drivers. The good news here is that the Mobile Connect Modem will run to 3.6Mbps, the download speed the next version of HSPDA is set to offer, as and when Vodafone upgrades its network accordingly.

The Mobile Connect Modem costs £49 or £99 depending on your data tariff, of which there are three, costing £25, £45 and £95 a month respectively. The cheapest bundles 250MB of data transfer each month, with the rest costing £1 a meg. The other to are 'unlimited' in the UK - ie. subject to the usual 'don't take the mickey' policy.

vodafone usb 3g broadband modem

What's important to note here is that Vodafone is charging as much for the Mobile Connect Modem as it does for its 'standard' 3G Broadband Data Card product. So it's not attempting to screw more money out of folk who lack a PC Card slot. Of course, whether you think its HSDPA tariffs represent good value for money is another matter - and highly dependent on whether you need high download speeds when you're out and about.

The modem's made by Huawei, a fact Vodafone doesn't attempt to obscure. You can buy the device - it's the E220 - untethered to a network for around £230, but you'll still need a 3G SIM. While the unit has Windows software on board, Mac users will have to download Vodafone's software, here. All told, it makes more sense to buy the Vodafone-branded hardware.

Verdict

It might not be as convenient to fit an add-in card HSDPA device, but Vodafone's Mobile Connect Modem is the perfect connectivity gadget for Mac and Windows users whose notebooks support the ExpressCard add-in card format rather than the older PC Card system. Vodafone charges no premium for it, and carrying this compact dongle and its very short USB cable isn't going to hinder your travel plans. If you want high-speed data access on the move, you can't go far wrong with this device. ®

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Vodafone Mobile Connect 'super 3G' USB modem

High speed mobile downloads for the PC Card-less...
Price: £49-99, depending on monthly contract (£25-95) RRP

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