According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there are 6.15million mobile wireless internet users in Australia, up five percent on the year before and that means it’s a market no telco can ignore.  With Telstra dominating the 4G user numbers Vodafone has announced mobile broadband devices for its own 4G network today.

Vodafone 4G Pocket WiFi

Vodafone 4G Pocket WiFi

Available as a pocket wifi or a USB dongle the Vodafone 4G mobile broadband devices are available with three data options.  2.5GB, 4GB or 8GB per month.  At $20, $30 and $45 respectively that’s not bad value when compared to mobile phone plans around the same price.

Vodafone 4G USB Dongle

Vodafone 4G USB Dongle

The device though will set you back an additional $3 to $7 per month depending on the device and the plan you choose.

Data Plan

Modem Pricing

Total Price per Month

Access Fee

Included Data

4G Mobile Broadband USB Stick

4G Pocket WiFi

4G Mobile Broadband USB Stick

4G Pocket WiFi 

$20

2.5GB

$5

$7

$25

$27

$30

4GB

$3

$5

$33

$35

$45

8GB

$3

$5

$48

$50

Both devices are Cat4 enabled, so you will be able to get speeds up to a theoretic 150mbps, however in real-world tests you’re likely to just crack the 100mbps – but hey, who’s complaining.  Because of Vodafone’s 20Mhz spectrum in all the capital cities they have the fastest possible 4G network and using a cat4 device like these likely won’t disappoint.

If – as Vodafone themselves describe it – you are one of those people who ” simply don’t want to be locked into a contract” you can buy the devices outright for $119 (Dongle) or $169 (PocketWiFi) and simply pay the month to month access fees as above.