Review: Vodafone Broadband

Vodafone Broadband Review

In a nutshell: Vodafone are the most expensive of the mobile broadband networks, but they are also the fastest - up to double the download speeds of 3-Mobile or T-Mobile. A key advantage of the Vodafone service is the ability to roam in over 100 countries. This is our recommended option for business users.
Best buy: Vodafone Mobile Broadband (from £15 per month)

Vodafone offer mobile broadband services via a USB modem that plugs into your PC or laptop and enables you to access the internet via Vodafone's 3G network. You will need a PC running Windows XP or Vista, or an Apple Mac running OS X Panther 10.3.9 or higher. The Vodafone service is the fastest in the UK at present, offering download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps. The USB modem stick offers download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps (available in certain areas only).

Like the other mobile broadband providers, the Vodafone service is very easy to use. You simply plug the USB modem into your computer and connect to the internet.

The basic 3.6 Mbps modem is free on Pay Monthly, whilst the 7.2 Mbps modem costs £57 to buy. The monthly cost is £15 for 3.6 Mbps or £30 for 7.2 Mbps and lets you download up to 3 Gbytes of data per month.

One of the benefits of using the Vodafone service is that you can use it in over 100 countries, using the international Vodafone network of operators.

Vodafone Broadband Consumer Reviews

Love your mobile network? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other people choose the mobile broadband network that's best for them. Please do not review this network if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!

Average rating from 19 reviews:

Reviewed by Dissapointed from Scotland on 23rd Jun 2008
I can't even begin to describe how bad this is. I eagerly set up the little dongle (which does only take seconds) and I was up and running. A quick look at my connection speed showed I was connected at 22kbps!! This is slower than the connection you would get if you dialled up with a modem over a phone line!!! I looked at the device and I could see that the light was green which means it was unable to connect to 3G and has instead connected to GPRS which has a max speed of 48kbps (slower than your 56k modem :-( Before I bought the thing I checked their web site (which said I was in a good coverage area) but a 20 minute call to Vodafone (at my expense...watch out for their 0870 money making numbers) revealed that I wasn't really in a good area. £15 a month for the speed of an old dial up account? I dont think so. Luckily they do have a 14 day cancellation period so if you're not getting speeds of at least 300kbps SEND THIS BACK and get a normal broadband connection that works. Interestingly, if you use this abroad the fee is £95 per month for 200 MB. Additional megs are charged at £4.25 each which means £4250.00 per GIG!!! So if you download a movie abroad it will cost you £9000!!!!!! Better make sure its a good movie then ;-) AVOID!
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Reviewed by josh from uk on 22nd Jun 2008
i have had this modem and cancel i was getting 4 bars and ive had dial up faster than that its rubbish i would recommend u go with o2 a lot faster
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Reviewed by Mike from UK on 21st Jun 2008
I have just got Vodaphone mobile broadband for my notebook PC and find it next to useless. The software (drivers) are unstable when used with Vista but the real showstopper is that I am averaging bteween 160kps and 200kps despite being in a 'good reception' area (Slough). I have made a number of tests at different times of day and this performance is consistent. Perversely, the upload speed is more than twice the download speed. What really annoys me is that the Vodaphone shop assured me I would get at least 2meg -I am getting one tenth of that. My advive is do not touch this service with a bargepole. I am returning the modem tomorrow and cancelling my contract (you have 14 days to cancel). Those who have rated this service as good have obviously not speedchecked it.
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Reviewed by anone from UK on 19th Jun 2008
Best is 3,very good!Vodafone WARNING they are charging me without notifing me ,that im exseeding a bill of 900 pounds abroad!!!Go for pay as you go!!
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Reviewed by Chris from England on 19th Jun 2008
Be warned - speeds may not be as you expect - when you log in with the VMC lite software that comes with your modem it will indicate that you are on the 3G netowrk, yet speeds in some areas can be as low as 14kbps! Ignore the coverage maps on their website - they are wrong. to be safe, borrow one off of a friends, or do a speed test straight away after signing up. My area is due for an upgrade in 6 months :( just be warned. Dead easy to use though - just disappointing performance and customer service
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Reviewed by Lee from England on 17th Jun 2008
Great internet speed!!! What I would like to point out is that I really don't rate the Customer service at Vodaphone, I have had 2 call up a number of times to get issues sorted and u find yourself calling back because its not been sorted. I live in the city centre of manchester so can only really say that the speed is great here!!! There is cheaper out there, but works great!!
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Reviewed by Rob. from UK on 17th Jun 2008
Short and sweet Value for money and fast!
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Reviewed by Jessica Dyson from UK on 29th May 2008
Vodfone Is soo fast and good, not bad money either! Love it.
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Reviewed by Barry from Uk on 16th May 2008
Absolute Rubbish. I bought the 3.6mb speed hoping to get at least 1.5-2MB out of it when i did a broad band test this was the result. Your throughput is typical of a connection speed of 156Kbps. The task was for it to download a Gif file and a test result was shown once the file was downloaded. My connection just drops and i have to reboot the Dongle to start again. Sometims i have to turn my PC off and reinstall the stupid thing because it crashes.. If the others are bad and Vodafone are supposed to be good. I would sooner pay that little bit extra for a service which can give me what I need Even the 56k modem doesnt cost as much as this a month. Vodafone quit ripping us off with gimmicks and tell people the Truth
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Reviewed by peter from uk and europe on 2nd May 2008
great i cant fault it but i think vodafone should as a international company not rip us off with roaming charges that not justified,charging i think £10 for 24hrs abroad and not 24 hrs use as i was told when i purchased it. barr lifting is a phone call with proof of age i went into a shop they done it there and then
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Reviewed by barry evans from u.k. on 1st May 2008
Really pleased with it. I use it both in my p.c and when travelling with my laptop. However in the first month there have been vodafone technical problems on 4 days when 3g was not available. Also it comes with content control - restricting access to some sights [eg virgin wines] Have been trying for weeks now to get the control lifted - but to no avail - otherwise worth £15 month
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Reviewed by lee from leeds/uk on 27th Apr 2008
very very good
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Reviewed by garry layton from united kingdom on 19th Apr 2008
got phone and broadband together,and fell out big time with vodafone over phone issues and cancelled contract.would of cancelled broadband too,but it really is quite fast and reliable (have had no issues with losing connection)and i dont have the strongest coverage in my area.very happy with broadband and have to recommend the product.all vodafone have to do now is train their staff!!
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Reviewed by Simon from Uk on 12th Apr 2008
I remember getting my first phone on Vodafone back in the day... Then went to o2 because of the deals... Now back at the Original and the biggest network in the world, and it's a british company it's Vodafone. I was with 3 and there dongle to be frank was a piece of rubbish,kept cutting out and the speed was poor. I wasnt keen on Vodafone again because I heard there network had got worse as they use to have the best coverage, but I went into a store to look at there offer a fiver dearer than 3 for there USB modems and my god Vodafones bloddy briliant it's so much quicker a million times and It never drops connection at all. I.e watching you tube click on it to play and no buffering just loads whilsts watching. I have also recently come to Vodafone for my mobile phone after being a loyal o2 customer, the networks fine I have good coverage and no problems as with o2 mine went down sometimes. Why aren't o2 offering these usb modems and making a mint like vodafone, which I have found out that Vodafone have 60% of the market, becuase o2's network can't take it it's struggling and there 3g is apparently pants GO VODAFONE the original network is back!!!
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Reviewed by Ajay from UK on 12th Apr 2008
GET ONTO VODAFONE 7.2MPS WHICH THEY ARE ROLLING OUT TO MOST OF THE UK SOON, I HAVE A DONGLE IT A TREAT. AND YOU SEE 3 AND T-MOBILE ARE GOING INTO A 3G AGREEMENT THE TWO WORST ONES. VODAFONE RECENTLY SIGNED A DEAL WITH BT WHICH MAKE THE CAPACITY PLUS 400% AND AIMS OF EVEN QUICKER BROADBAND Make the most of now
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Reviewed by James from London on 30th Mar 2008
My dad got this modem and it works like a dream! An absolute DREAM!!! We got this around the beginning of March because of the CHEAP price with the outstanding 3GB usage (We haven't came close to 3GB usage yet). It works fine and you can do anything with it and go on every website. The speed is VERY fast when surfing the net and the connection is quite good. Also, you... can... text from your computer! This is brilliant for me as I don't have to waste 10p creadit on my phone (Vodafone network also).
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Reviewed by chris from uk on 28th Mar 2008
What Joy to get rid of BT ! Hooray , this Broadband is very very good, i live in Desbury west yorks and it works a treat.
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Reviewed by cass from england on 15th Mar 2008
its rubbish way to expesive
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Reviewed by Paul King from England on 8th Mar 2008
I bought the Voadfone USB modem for my 13 yesr old son as he used his laptop away from home quite a lot. I liked the idea that he could access the internet anywhere there was decent Vodafone coverage, which is most parts of the UK. I was that impressed with it that I went back to the Vodafone store a few days later and bought a USB modem stick for myself. Whilst there are only a few parts of the UK that offer download speeds of up to 7mbps, I have found that download speeds in places I have used it are excellent..even in places like Bowness in Windermere. It is easy to use...just plug it in an away you go. I have 'hammered' the internet since I bought it and I still haven't reached a third of my monthly allowance. The good thing with a Vodafone modem is that if you are not in a 3G broadband area, the modem searches for reception on the 2G system. If it can't find that (and you must be out 'in the wilds' for it not to have 2G reception) it searches on GPRS. So far, I have absolutely no complaints about my modem. I would recommend it to anyone looking for internet access on the move. I looked at other providers prior to settling for this modem but I have a Vodafone mobile, which I am extremely happy with. As far as I'm concerned, Vodafone have the best product using the best mobile signals meaning an excellent service. If you are thinking about buying one of these, Vodafone offer a 14 day return policy if you aren't happy with it. I returned to the shop after 3 days of buying my son's modem to buy my one. That's how much i liked it.
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