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April 2, 2008

Vodafone USB Modem Stick review

Vodafone's USB Modem Stick is a mobile internet adaptor, and its support for HSDPA gives it the edge over previous 3G adaptors, with a claimed top download speed of 7.2Mbps.

It seems you can't read a national newspaper, turn on the TV or walk passed a billboard without being bombarded with adverts for mobile internet services.

Operators promise 'broadband on the move', offering 3G adaptors enabling us to browse the web, send emails and download large files at high speed.

Visit Broadband Advisor for the latest news and reviews about the internet and internet tools.

Vodafone's USB Modem Stick is the latest such device and its support for High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) gives it the edge over previous 3G adaptors with a claimed top download speed of 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps).

This new model Vodafone USB Modem Stick is much smaller than Vodafone's Pebble 3G adaptor. It's about the same size as an early USB memory stick, but still wide enough to render the adjacent USB ports on some laptops unusable.

Fortunately Vodafone supplies a USB extender cable in the Vodafone USB Modem Stick's box.

But these are minor grievances - the Vodafone USB Modem Stick is a sleek device, with the small tray that houses the SIM card being the only design point of note. Plus, installation is a breeze – XP and Vista users will find that drivers install automatically, so they'll be connected in no time.

However, it's the download speeds that most people will be interested in.

Actual 3G speeds rarely match manufacturers' claims, and the Vodafone USB Modem Stick is no different.

In our central London office - which like much of capital is covered by Vodafone's HSDPA network - we generally achieved between 1.8Mbps and 2.2Mbps. In real terms, that allowed us to download a 56MB file in just five minutes.

On the outskirts of London and on the 40-minute train towards the South West, however, the Vodafone USB Modem Stick's internet access was flaky, frequently switching to GPRS and completely dropping out in some instances. Once we'd arrived at our destination, we were back on a standard 3G network.

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Independent customer reviews from

Vodafone USB Modem Stick scored:
7.7 out of 10 100% real reviews

The 2 most helpful reviews based on 1059 reviews:

15 Nov 2007 Kevin, Milton Keynes

7

Good Points

Gives access to Internet anywhere. Only one monthly charge.

Bad Points

Speed is poor - 512Kb unless 3G is available (which is seldom). Product doesn't always configure when plugged in to the USB port. Sometimes necessary to try a few times before it is recognised.

18 Jun 2007 Jeff, Manchester

1

Good Points

Reviewer left no comment

Bad Points

After repeated attempts I have been unable to install the software. The software T&cs also refer to the software being a beta version.

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User Reviews

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

Reviewed by andyroo715

Star Rating: rating of 4

Duration of ownership: 1 days

Strengths:
Easy to install (just plug it in!), great speed over the net, insanely cheap at just £15 a month (USB stick is free on a 2 year contract). Very stable and reliable connection.

Weaknesses:
Tends to obstruct other USB sockets on a laptop but Vodafone include an extension lead which solves this. Apart from that, no problems at all.

Overall Evaluation:
Excellent product! Go for the 2yr contract and it's free to buy the stick! Monthly costs are £15 for a 3Gb limit! so far, the connection on my laptop is faster than my landline based connection. If you're willing to commit to a 2yr contract and need internet/email access anywhere, this is definitely for you - SUPERB!!

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Total reviews: 4,313

  • www.vodafone.co.uk
  • 08700 700 191
  • Vodafone
  • £49 on monthly contract; £20-per month; Free on 24-month contract, £15 per-month

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Vodafone USB Modem Stick

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