Testing Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G USB Modem
I have been testing the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G USB Modem for a couple of days. The USB Modem that Vodafone is selling supports UMTS (3G), HSDPA, and GPRS, and automatically uses the fastest network connection available.
The Vodafone bundle of this modem (a Huawei E220), comes in a Apple-white style, with a Vodafone logo. It weights next to nothing (less that 50g, the official site says), and if it weren't for the USB cable you have to attach, you could easily put it in any pocket.
This particular modem works nicely with Macs, you just have to download the software from the Vodafone site: Vodafone Mobile Connect. If you don't have access to an internet connection, the salesperson will kindly offer to install it for you.
The Vodafone bundle of this modem (a Huawei E220), comes in a Apple-white style, with a Vodafone logo. It weights next to nothing (less that 50g, the official site says), and if it weren't for the USB cable you have to attach, you could easily put it in any pocket.
This particular modem works nicely with Macs, you just have to download the software from the Vodafone site: Vodafone Mobile Connect. If you don't have access to an internet connection, the salesperson will kindly offer to install it for you.
Vodafone requires you to set up a new data line (i.e. with a new SIM card) to buy the modem. While this new SIM card has a real number associated to it, you can not use it for calls, as the line is only activated for data connections. You can receive/send SMS though.
This data plan costs €49/month, and comes with a 1GB per month transfer limit, with unlimited sessions and connection time. Afterwards, you won't be charged if you surpass the limit. Instead, your transfer will be limited to 128kbps.
The Vodafone software allows you to see the signal strength and the type of network connection used, and you can choose whether you want to use the fastest connection, or force it to always use 3G.
Once you click on activate, you can use Mac's Internet Connection application, where the installer will have created a connection for you.
Which is not bad at all for a UMTS connection. The speed could be better (up to 3.6Mbps) if I had HSDPA coverage, which I couldn't find in any of the places I have tested.
And, as it is Vodafone, the modem should work in the rest of Europe where Vodafone is present, right? That would be great. Well, it will, but then the data plan does not apply. You will be charged at astronomical rates while in roaming, so you might as well use those pricey €2/hour Swisscom access points at airports or Starbucks instead.
This data plan costs €49/month, and comes with a 1GB per month transfer limit, with unlimited sessions and connection time. Afterwards, you won't be charged if you surpass the limit. Instead, your transfer will be limited to 128kbps.
The Vodafone software allows you to see the signal strength and the type of network connection used, and you can choose whether you want to use the fastest connection, or force it to always use 3G.
Once you click on activate, you can use Mac's Internet Connection application, where the installer will have created a connection for you.
The connection speed is better than I expected. Even though I don't live in the city, it was almost impossible not to find UMTS (3G) coverage. I then activated the GPRS only to force it to connect using 2G. At this point I noticed that if you have UMTS coverage, you get a blue light in the modem, and if you have GPRS, you get a green one.
Well, as expected, the GPRS connection is terrible. I couldn't even perform the test I used to measure 3G's speed, but a small file transfer averaged about 15-20kbps. Not good.
The UMTS connection is much better. Using the SpeedTest site, which allows to perform tests with servers located in several cities all over the world, I got the following results (Down: 1503kbps; Up: 265kbps):
Well, as expected, the GPRS connection is terrible. I couldn't even perform the test I used to measure 3G's speed, but a small file transfer averaged about 15-20kbps. Not good.
The UMTS connection is much better. Using the SpeedTest site, which allows to perform tests with servers located in several cities all over the world, I got the following results (Down: 1503kbps; Up: 265kbps):
And, as it is Vodafone, the modem should work in the rest of Europe where Vodafone is present, right? That would be great. Well, it will, but then the data plan does not apply. You will be charged at astronomical rates while in roaming, so you might as well use those pricey €2/hour Swisscom access points at airports or Starbucks instead.
