3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553
An entry-level USB mobile broadband modem
Pros
- Plug and play, easy to set up and use, microSD card slot, decent speeds, can roam onto Telstra's Next G network
Cons
- Wide design can block other ports, only rated at 3.6Mbps maximum download speed
Bottom Line
Though it's only rated at a maximum 3.6 megabits per second download speed, 3's E1553 Internet key proved to be slightly more reliable in our tests than the E1756, which has more impressive specs.
-
Price
$ 79.00 (AUD)
The 3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553 is an entry-level broadband USB modem. Though its specifications are less impressive than the similar E1756 Internet key, the E1553 proved to be more stable and often faster during our tests.
The 3 Mobile E1553 Internet key isn't as thin as we'd have liked and it's also rather wide. This means it may block access to close by USB ports — we couldn't access the second USB port on our MacBook Pro with the E1553 plugged in, and it also hindered access to the eSATA/USB port on a Toshiba Satellite M500. A microSD slot is nicely hidden underneath the SIM card slot and is accessible via a slide-off plastic panel. A stylish status LED indicates whether the modem has a 2G, 3G or HSDPA connection.
The 3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553 a straightforward device. Like most new USB modems, it's easy to set up as installation is plug and play. The 3 Mobile Broadband software is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X. The My3 menu is a convenient way to manage your monthly usage, view invoices or change account details. You can quickly view information on the current session in the Statistics menu, including duration of connection, the volume of data sent and received, and the current signal strength.
The 3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553 delivers theoretical maximum download speeds of 3.2 megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 1Mbps. The actual speed achieved will vary depending on a number of factors such as device capabilities, your location and equipment, as well as network usage at the time. Typical speeds should range from 600 kilobits per second (Kbps) to 1.5Mbps. The E1553 is one of 3's "Mega 3G" modems, meaning it will roam onto Telstra's Next G network when out of a 3 coverage zone. This is charged at a rate of $0.50 per MB.
During testing, the 3 Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553 performed reasonably well in our North Sydney offices, receiving a standard HSDPA signal. While downloading files in a standard HSDPA coverage area we were able to achieve speeds of up to 190 kilobytes per second (KBps), although speed frequently fluctuated between 100KBps and 160KBps. As an example, we managed to download a 93MB iTunes file in 11min 9sec, at an average transfer rate of around 128KBps. Though slightly less than the E1756 modem (which delivers theoretical maximum speeds of 7.2Mbps), we didn't experience as many strange speed fluctuations with the E1553.
3's mobile broadband plans for the Mobile Broadband Internet Key E1553 start at $15 per month for 1GB of data and range up to $29 (3GB), $39 (6GB) and $49 (7GB) plans over 24 months. All plans charge an additional $0.10 per megabyte for any additional usage. The E1553 is also available on prepaid — $149 with an included 12GB of data, or $79 without any data included.
Stay up to date with the latest reviews. Sign up to GoodGearGuide’s Gear Daily newsletters
Follow GoodGearGuide on Twitter: @Goodgearguide
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- Fortnite returns to the iPhone (sort of) courtesy Xbox Cloud Gaming
- Brave, DuckDuckGo updates target Google AMP sites in privacy push
- Elon Musk escalates Twitter war with $40B hostile takeover bid
- YouTube Picture in Picture is finally coming to the iPhone and iPad
- Google’s new multisearch is the coolest way to find stuff on your iPhone
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?