Mobile broadband prices cut by Vodafone but 3 is still cheaper

Current mobile broadband prices offered by Vodafone have been reduced and made available for customers that are not already using its service although 3 still offers cheaper dates rates.

With the price for 1GB data at $25 per month under the new plans Vodafone is sneakily offering the plan at $20 per month but not mentioning that the additional ‘internet stick’ USB modem needed to use the service will cost $5 per month. This means that the same offer of 1GB for $20 by 3 is the better deal because the $5 extra for the ExpressCard or ‘internet key’ USB modem is including in its price. The cost for excess data for either plan is 10c/MB and the contracts required for these plans are both 24 months.

The 5GB for $40 per month premium plan from Vodafone has returned and now comes with a USB ‘stick’ modem included in the price. However, this is beaten by the 6GB offer at the same monthly price offered by 3 also with a free ExpressCard or USB modem.

Added to this are the ‘light user’ and ‘heavy user’ plans offered by Vodafone at $25 and $40 per month respectively. Again 3 has slightly more with a mid-range plan as well offering 2GB for $20, 3GB for $35 and 7GB for $50, which also includes its usual free modems. 3 even offers the up-front purchase of a modem with a no-contract offer costing between $129 and $199 and offers 1GB for $15, 3GB for $29 and 6GB for $49 that can be paid on a month-by-month basis.

Global Data Rates is the one area where Vodafone is much cheaper than its competition and for customers who are always moving around there are a range of very cheap packages that are both cheaper than its own pay-by-the-kb rates and are cheaper than any of its competitors. The two packages on offer are the ‘Light’ plant costing $49 per month for 25MB Download and the ‘Heavy’ plan which is $199 per month for a 120MB data limit. Now although this may seem highly priced, the alternative is the $10 and $20 charged per MB on the data rates for standard roaming depending on a which country you visit and the home carrier you are with. The only exception to this is the 50c/MB that a handful of 3 networks charge its local subscribers.