Super 3G card born in the USB
Owners of Mac laptops have long been barred from Vodafone’s riotous Super 3G card party, but now the mobile operator has added them to the guest list
Owners of Mac laptops have long been barred from Vodafone’s riotous Super 3G card party, but now the mobile operator has added them to the guest list by releasing this USB version.
The old version of the card – which we’ve concluded is excellent but expensive – works by plugging into the laptop’s PC Card slot, which Macs and older Windows laptops don’t have in their armoury.
This Mobile Connect USB modem, though, connects via the ubiquitous USB port, which opens up its broadband-esque 1.4Mbps download speeds and 384Kbps upload speeds to the whole laptop community.
Before you whip out your credit card, we should warn you that there are geographical restrictions. The company’s 3G network currently only covers the M25 area, the West Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool, Sheffield, Greater Manchester, Bristol and Tyneside.
Vodafone has promised to widen this umbrella to help it reach three quarters of the UK population by the summer of 2007 but, until then, you’ll get normal 3G or, heaven forbid, GPRS connectivity outside these areas.
Another slight restriction is its ‘fair usage’ policy, which means a 1GB cap on the amount of data you upload and download each month. Failure to comply will result in being asked to moderate your usage, then the threat of a cancellation of your service, then five strikes to the palm with a wooden ruler.
If you can stomach those limitations and paying around £30 per month for the privilege, you’ll be able to snap one up in the autumn – we’ll confirm an exact date and pricing when we hear.
Vodafone Mobile Connect USB modem
Price: £TBA
On sale: Autumn
Contact: Vodafone
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Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
