Wireless Internet Reviews
Vodafone UK Mobile Broadband Service
Overview
Originally founded way back in 1983 as Racal Telecom, Vodafone has become one of the largest mobile telecom companies in the world and has a market value of approximately £75 billion.
Vodafone operates in 25 countries, with partner networks in another 42, across 5 continents and as such has one of the largest subscriber bases in the world. With most urban areas covered by Vodafone's 3G network in the UK and 3G networks across Europe reliable mobile broadband speeds are available for the frequent traveler.
Pros: With Vodafone operating networks in so many countries their mobile broadband options are the best suited for frequent travelers.
Cons: Although Vodafone is one of the best options for traveling abroad be warned that data rates can become very expensive when in other countries.
Detailed Provider Information
Plans: Vodafone has a variety of plans to suit your needs. If you are looking for a pay as you go plan then for £20 per month you get 3GB of data per month allowance but you can not use this plan abroad. There are two basic contract plans available the longer your contract lasts the less you have to pay for the USB modem. The first plan is gives you 5GB of data for £25 per month and the second plan gives you 3GB of data for £15 per month. Going over your monthly data allowance is charged at £15 per GB. Data allowances are for UK use only any usage outside the UK will be billed at a separate rate.
Customer Service: Customer service is available through a toll free number, through email or in-store.
Credit Check: All contracts are subject to credit approval.
Contract: You can choose from the following contract durations 30 days, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months . The longer the contract length the less you will pay for the USB modem for this service.
Payment Options: You can pay you Vodafone bill online or through direct debit. You can also pay by cheque or by credit card or at on of their many store locations.
Bandwidth Restrictions: The max speeds you can expect on Vodafones 3G network is 1.8Mbps. In limited areas that offer HSPDA the max speed available goes up to 7.2Mbps.
Activation Fee: No
Cancellation Fee: Early cancellation will result in you having to pay for the rest of your outstanding contract along with any other outstanding charges.
Roaming Charges: When traveling abroad you can expect to pay anywhere from £4.99 - £9.99 per MB for data. Check with Vodafone for discounted roaming packages for a better deal.
Modems and PC Cards: Vodafone offer 3 different branded modems. The USB modem available for the 30 day plan only costs £49. The USB Modem Stick features a MicroSD slot and is only available with a minimum 12 month contract for free. The third modem is the USB Modem Stick Pro this modem is only available with a minimum contract of 12 months and the price starts at £99.
Some of the Available Modems and PC Cards are listed below:
USB Modem
USB Modem Stick
USB Modem Stick Pro
Coverage Map: Vodafone mobile broadband coverage map.
MilesCan't beat Vodafone's speeds had their dongle for 2 months. Was previously on T-Mobile and that flat out sucked. No a problem with the Vodafone dongle fast downloads well worth the price.
TheStansterLike all the other mobile broadband services it's now over subscribed. I used to enjoy some good speeds with Vodafone but now it's pretty useless. Always dropping connections and speeds slower than dial up sometimes. Only got a couple of months left on the contract I will not be renewing.
garygoonerGet a 14 day trail and see for yourself how much it sucks! LOL
