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Vodafone Mobile Broadband reviews and offers

Vodafone mobile broadband review

Our mobile broadband service rating for Vodafone: 

Vodafone claims the highest available speeds of all the networks; up to 7.2Mbps. However, this speed is only currently available in select areas of central London. Six more cities are due to be added by the autumn, but Vodafone admits on its website that those chosen areas benefit from typical speeds of 1.7-5.5Mbps". During testing the fastest actual speed we achieved was around 1.8Mbps.

Vodafone is the only provider who currently offers High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) network which delivers the best upload speeds available - around 400Kbps in testing. Regretably Vodafone, like three of the other networks utilises image compression to boost web page load times. This can be avoided by loading the latest verion of their connection software.

Where Vodafone stands out is in network coverage and connection stability. It proved the most reliable in this respect. Be wary though, their Gb excess data charge (currently £15/Gb) is applied if you go over the limit by even 1Mb.

We recommend Vodafone mobile broadband for business users who travel frequently.

Current mobile broadband plans from Vodafone

Laptop-inclusive mobile broadband plans from Vodafone

Vodafone mobile broadband plan information

Vodafone claim speeds of up to 7.2Mbps and this together with their good coverage in the UK means you can enjoy warp speed mobile broadband wherever you get a Vodafone signal.

They've halved the price of Mobile Broadband to just £15 a month for 3GB of web browsing and downloads or you can get a massive 5GB a month for £25. Their new USB Modem Stick is incredibly small, light and exclusive to Vodafone.

QUICK FACTS.

Speed: Up to 7.2 Mbps :: Technical Support Phone Costs: 4ppm+ (0870) :: Additional Usage Costs: £15/GB (or part thereof) :: Roaming Costs: £9.99 per 24hrs in selected countries (fair usage applies), £4.99/MB in others

Find out more...

Current Vodafone mobile broadband promotions

• USB Modem stick now free on all mobile broadband deals including the newly-introduced 12 month contracts.

Find more about these and other great mobile broadband offers from Vodafone here...

Current Vodafone mobile broadband news

Independant trials show Vodafone UK to be most reliable and fastest network for mobile broadband

• Up to 10 seconds faster when downloading a 2MB file
• Up to four times faster to open a web page

Vodafone UK is the most reliable and the fastest network for mobile broadband according to LCC International, the largest independent wireless engineering company in the world.

The conclusion follows 28,000 network tests throughout March, April and May 2008 and comes a month after Vodafone UK announced it would start to do more to simplify mobile broadband for customers and talk less about theoretical possibilities and more about real speeds and actual benefits.

The study, commissioned by Vodafone UK, in locations independently selected, found that the Vodafone UK network is the fastest and most reliable for file download and web page loading when using data cards or USB modems. The sites tested across the UK reflected real customer experience of residential and business use, both indoor and outdoor, and included towns and cities of various sizes with locations such as railway stations, tourist spots, airports and motorway service stations. The fastest available equipment from each operator was used in the test.

In May, Vodafone UK said it would do more to make actual speeds clearer to customers when purchasing a USB modem to access Vodafone's high-speed mobile broadband network. Tests show that on average the Vodafone network took 13.54 seconds to download an MP3 file of 2MB in size (approx. one 3 minute song), which was up to 10 seconds faster than the slowest competitor. The network reliability was the highest among the operators with a 99.76% success rate for downloading a 2MB MP3 file.

When opening web pages, on average Vodafone's network took just 6.7 seconds on average to load a page, significantly faster than other networks (up to four times faster than slowest competitor). This was matched with a 99.69% success rate for opening a web page.

Neil Smith, Vice President of LCC International, explains: "When we responded to Vodafone's tender it was made very clear that this test was to be done in independent conditions. We have been rigid in our methodology and did not disclose anything to Vodafone UK until the trial was completed. We have designed one of the most comprehensive assessments of its kind in order to generate a statistically sound report. As a result, we have been able to conclude that Vodafone's mobile broadband network is statistically significantly faster and more reliable that other operators to both download files and load web pages."

Jeni Mundy, CTO for Vodafone UK said: "We are investing significantly in rolling out improved speed and capacity to new areas of the country, so even more customers will benefit from high-speed networks by the Autumn. And with our new USB modem pricing there has never been a better time to be with Vodafone."

Since pioneering Mobile Broadband in June 2006, Vodafone has led the way in keeping things simple and through innovation, ensuring ease of use and by continuously gathering customer insight has introduced the following key elements; the award winning USB modem, plug and play software, flat rate domestic tariffs and 'per day' roaming sessions with Mobile Connect Abroad.

Find more Vodafone mobile broadband news on the Vodafone website...

Vodafone mobile broadband network coverage

Vodafone's coverage maps allow you to check network coverage anywhere in the UK. You have the option to check coverage for both 2G and 3G with a postocode search also available.

Uniquely, you can also show them where you'd like coverage to improve by using their coverage feedback tool.

Check Vodafone mobile broadband coverage in your area...

Vodafone Mobile broadband dongle - system requirements and technical support

You'll need Windows XP or Vista or Apple Mac - OS X Panther 10.3.9 or higher, at least 50MB free disk space and 128MB RAM.

Go to the Vodafone technical support site for help with 3G mobile broadband dongle setup and configuration.