3 Mobile Broadband USB Modem

By Alex Kidman, CNET.com.au on 15 June 2007 11:36 AM

Tags: wireless, usb, netconnect, mobile broadband, hsdpa, 3g, modem, plan

Design
3's Mobile Broadband USB Modem looked a touch familiar when it landed at CNET.com.au a short while back, and indeed it should. The 3 Mobile Broadband USB Modem is in fact a Huawei external USB modem of exactly the same type as the Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G HSDPA USB Modem. We can't think of a better descriptor for the modem than that which appeared in the original review:

"The USB modem looks more like a soap-on-a-rope, or at least soap-on-a-USB-cable."

As with the Vodafone variant, 3 gives you a small USB cable for direct connection, as well as a lengthier USB cable with optional second connector for providing additional power.

Features
The USB Modem uses HSDPA with a top data download speed of 3.6Mbps and upload speed of up to 384kbps. The client software -- Windows or Mac -- is extremely simple to use, but then again this is a modem only; there's precious little to configure.

Usage of the Mobile Broadband USB Modem is subject to 3's data tariffs. At the time of writing, 3 plans were available. AU$29/month will score you 200MB of data, AU$49/month nets you 1GB and the top tier AU$69/month plan comes with 2GB of included data. All 3 plans have a 10c/MB excess usage charge within 3's Broadband Zones, but roaming usage outside that will cost you a hefty AU$1.65/MB. That's a tasty AU$1650/GB, so it would be well worth your while to limit your roaming usage, if not eliminate it altogether if possible. The modem itself has a list price of AU$399, although signing up for a plan drops the price to AU$20, AU$10 or free, depending on plan type and duration. Given that it's functionally useless without a plan, we can't see a point in buying it outright.

It's also worth bearing in mind that 3's own X-Series mobiles now offer cheaper data plans than its USB Modem does -- AU$30/month on X-Series will get you 1GB of data per month. Just food for thought in comparative pricing.

Performance
Much has been written and made of the performance of HSDPA networks, especially since most carriers have upgraded to 3.6Mbps HSDPA. We've previously tested 3's HSDPA performance in the centre of Sydney and towards North Sydney, and it's no surprise that we quickly got good HSDPA connections in those locations. 3 doesn't disclose where 3.6Mbps HSDPA cells actually are located, but it doesn't take much guesswork to suggest that the centre of the biggest city in Australia might be a good spot to place them. Checking 3's Sydney coverage map, reveals no details as to other cells, just where 3's "Broadband Zone" extends to. In order to see how 3's network performed outside the CBD, we tested in a number of areas between Hornsby, Epping and Parramatta. All but Hornsby are well within the zone, and we expected big things -- and were largely left a bit disappointed.

Closer in towards Epping and North Ryde we struggled to hit 512kbps (according to tests run at DSLreports.com and CNET.com.au's own Broadband Speed Meter), while on the periphery in Hornsby things we worse. Much, much worse, in fact -- dropping at one point to an unusable 16kbps!

The one saving grace in all of this was that the card seemed to work very diligently to maintain a connection, even when we used it in a truly mobile situation while in a car.

We're not entirely sure if our speed woes were down to the network or the Huawei modem itself, however; our original review of the hardware running on the Vodafone HSDPA network noted the same problems of intermittently very low access speeds, while tests with the PC/Express Card variant showed good results. In a sense it's not relevant at the consumer end whether the hardware or network is at fault, as 3 only offers the one USB modem, so you're stuck for actual choice.

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1. Anonymous28/08/2008, 08:09 PM

   rating 1/10

   Easy to install, great service in the shop and I checked the postcode I wa slikel to be using this at and was told I had 'Excellent' coverage there.
   
   What a complete and utter lie! The speed of this modem almost everywhere I have used it countrywide has been appalling, the service as previously stated is so slow I have been trying to get answers or resolution from three for 6 MONTHS!
   
   DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT, YOU WILL BE TIED INTO A CONTRACT YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF AND FIND YOURSELF PAYING FOR A SERVICE YOU DON'T GET!

   The good: Great point of sale service

   The bad: Terrible follow up service and worst of all, modem speed.

2. Anonymous17/07/2008, 07:20 PM

   rating 7/10

   I have had a Telstra NextG Modem since the day it was launched (18 odd months ago) and recently switched over to the 3 network - so I am able to compare both products.
   
   First the good points....
   1.Its easy to connect and its just slightly slower than the Next G network with speeds averaging around 2mbps. Still very decent. I am based in the western side of Melbourne and full reception for both NextG and 3 Network. Stable, no dropouts thus far.
   2. The pricing is far better than Telstra. I am on the $49, 6 gig (DSE no contract) plan and its an excellent deal. Telstra is $109 for a mere 3 gig - twice as much, half the data allowance.
   
   But.......getting it activated was a damn nightmare. Why, oh why, are Australian firms still outsourcing their call centre customer service to India? Because its cheaper - but it will cost '3' in the long run. I got hung up on three times simply trying to set up an account (after answering a billion questions) and the Indian accents are so strong. Yes, its English, but barely comprehensible. The customer service was a joke and really put me off. I dare not call for help if a problem arises - I'll simply cancel. If '3' want to be a serious player they have to sort out their customer service - really lets them down.
   Also, Telstra's website is much better. It gives you a detailed breakdown of usage, updates frequently and much better to navigate. When I checked my usage with 3, somehow I had managed to use 1.5 gig of data in two days which is incorrect - it would take me a couple of weeks to use that much with Telstra. Not sure how they do their data calculations but I hope they aren't ripping unsuspecting customers off on purpose by fudging the usage figures. We'll wait and see.......
   
   

   The good: * Good speed
   * Good connectivity and reception
   * Very cheap (CF Telstra)
   * Small physical imprint
   * No contract (when the $199 modem is purchased through Dick Smith Electronics)

   The bad: * Horrendous customer service (from the bowels of Bombay)
   * Poor visibility and explanation of data usage.
   * Potential 'data usage fudging' - jury is still out....
   

3. Anonymous19/04/2008, 11:01 PM

   rating 2/10

   3 USB BROADBAND...
   WHAT JOKE..... WAS GOOD A FEW MONTHS AGO WAS GETTING SPEEDS OF UPTO 2400kps dl and 400 ul, but now i have been getting less thess 400kps. DO NOT BUY ONE...
   RUBBISH. ACTUALLY YOU COULD CALL IT THEFT AS PAYING FOR A SERVICE THAT IS NOT THERE.

   The good: GREAT PRICING

   The bad: VERY POOR SPEEDS.

4. Anonymous22/03/2008, 02:11 PM

   rating 8/10

   Great stuff to have, wonderful reception and speeds. Worth the money, especially the $29 plan which has 2 gig pre month.

   The good: NIce USB modem that has very fast speeds. Excellent invention, great customer service. Always connects and there are no drop out.

   The bad: Hard to set up with Mac Leopard but with some help, no problem.

5. Anonymous09/03/2008, 11:31 PM

   rating 1/10

   3 Mobile is not available in Whyalla S.A. According to Telstra staff it never will be available because they are only using Next G in this area which is also known as the Iron Triangle. On page 40 of the Advertiser March 6th there is a write up about Port Bonython to be the export nerve centre for iron ore and a private sector investment of $300 million will help transform the port in 2 years. This involves 4 companies building railways to transport the ore to Pt. Bonython which is 10 klms from Whyalla but the telecommunications in this country don't think it is worth having 3 Mobile and Next G available in the same area. In Adelaide you have both in the same street but if you live 20kms from the CBD then you don't count despite the fact that we are the ones that spend money on phone calls to the city. Take your money but don't expect anything in return because you won't get it.

   The good: There aren't any that I can see because we don't have the option to find out. Pros. (prostitutes) Politicians who will do anything to better themselves but nothing to make things better for others.

   The bad: No better than convicts. Lie, cheat and do whatever it takes to improve their lives and possibly the lives of people they see and have to answer to. If you live away from the city they don't see you so you don't exist.

6. Anonymous26/11/2007, 10:33 PM

   rating 2/10

   When I first installed my 3 mobile broadband usb device in September 2007 I was quite happy - easy to install, download and upload speeds were good. However for the last month I have found the speed far less than acceptable. I now have an absolute maximum download of about 100kbps (on cdnet speed tester). I've tried connecting the device to two different computers, both equally as slow. The customer service is also terrible. I've logged two calls via email, with the promised response time being 24 hours. The first call took 2 weeks to be responded to (the response was 'please call our customer service centre for assistance'. The second call was logged last week, and still no contact.

   The good: 1. easy to install

   The bad: 1. connection speed appalling
   2. very poor customer service

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