Vodafone boosts mobile broadband speeds

Customers will not need new devices to achieve the faster broadband speeds, according to Vodafone

Vodafone has upgraded its mobile broadband network to offer a theoretical maximum speed of more than 14Mbit/s, although it admitted that average speeds would be far lower.

The operator said that it will be delivering an enhanced network, and that areas of the country with the highest usage, such as London, Birmingham and Liverpool, will benefit first.

Vodafone claimed that users will not have to upgrade to new devices, and that over 80 per cent of all Vodafone datacards/dongles and 3G handsets are equipped to take advantage of the theoretically faster speeds.

"Customers trust us to deliver a mobile network they can rely on wherever they are, and whether they are individuals or a small, medium or large business, " said Vodafone UK chief technology officer Jeni Mundy.

"Today's network upgrade means that customers can be reassured that we are consistently enhancing the quality of our network in response to demand."

However, Vodafone warned that average speeds will depend on signal strength and the number of people sharing the same cell site.

Although 14Mbit/s is the theoretical maximum, the practical maximum is more likely to be 10.8Mbit/s, and customers on average are likely to experience anything between 1Mbit/s and 4Mbit/s, with a practical maximum of 10.8Mbit/s, said Vodafone.

The firm added that it had also made improvements to its Mobile Broadband coverage viewer, allowing customers to determine indoor as well as outdoor coverage.