Mobile telco VHA today cut the price of its prepaid mobile broadband starter pack from $79 to $49, including 1GB of data.

The pack comes with a USB modem usable on both Windows and Mac OS X and 1GB of included data, which must be used within a month of the purchase date. However, VHA did not disclose the real-world or theoretical speeds which the device is capable of on its networks in a statement announcing the price cut, and the information does not appear to be listed on its web site.

“Broadband speeds are available in Vodafone’s 3G Mobile Broadband Zone. Slower speeds can be expected outside Vodafone’s 3G Mobile Broadband Zone. Actual speed achieved varies depending on factors such as device capabilities, location and network usage,” the company said.

A spokesperson for VHA has not yet responded to an emailed request for comment on the speeds available through the modem.

The starter pack will be available at the stores of both the mobile telco’s brands in Australia — Vodafone and 3. Customers are also able to sign up for month by month mobile broadband plans with VHA. The telco currently appears to have a special rate for the plans until 30 September — with $15 per month getting you 1.5GB of data, $29 getting you 4GB, $39/8GB and $49 for 10GB.

VHA also today launched a 3G Wi-Fi modem that use wireless access to share a 3G mobile broadband connection between up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. The device has been dubbed ‘Pocket WiFi’.

The device — which was manufactured by Chinese company Huawei — is available outright through a starter pack for $119, including a prepaid VHA SIM with 1GB of data through Vodafone or 200MB of data through 3 — with both quotas expiring within 30 days. Alternatively, customers can pick up the device for $0 on selected 24-month plans.

The Pocket WiFi has a battery life of five hours and can be charged though mains power or USB.

Image credit: VHA

Related posts:

1. Vodafone boosts mobile broadband data caps
2. Optus revamps mobile broadband plans
3. VHA more than doubles mobile data caps
4. BigPond massively cuts broadband plan costs
5. Faster Telstra mobile modem hits the masses

1. David Banes
   Posted 09/08/2010 at 4:29 pm | Permalink | Reply

   We’re using Vodafone mobile broadband in Australia and the UK and the brilliant thing is that they both use the same software so it’s truly plug and play between countries, the software ‘just works’ with either the UK or Au dongle plugged in.

2. Matthew Hatton
   Posted 09/08/2010 at 5:30 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Sweet. I need to recharge my account too.

3. enzo bowry
   Posted 09/08/2010 at 7:40 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Works the same in Vodafone Fiji as well. Just got the dongle last week; on a Mac it appears that the SIM in the dongle (not the CD) contains the installer – sweet!). DL and esp. UL speeds are all over the place like the madwoman’s underwear but much faster (DL up to 300 kB/s or 2.4 mb/s) than the opposition here (Connect and Unwired).