Vodafone K3765 mobile broadband USB stick

Vodafone's K3765 mobile broadband USB stick offers plug-and-play operation for Windows and Mac computers and supports download speeds of up to 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps), theoretically making it faster than the K3571-Z mobile broadband USB stick.

Looking for a prepaid mobile broadband solution? Read our reviews of the best prepaid mobile broadband modems on the market.

As far as USB sticks go, the Vodafone K3765 mobile broadband modem is a standard affair. It is wrapped in lightweight, matte black plastic, and has a microSD card slot on the right that allows it to double as a portable flash drive. However, it doesn't have a rotating USB connector to reduce the risk of bumping it when connected to your notebook, and it also lacks an external antenna port, a feature seen on many Telstra mobile broadband modems.

The Vodafone K3765 mobile broadband USB stick is relatively slim, but it still prevented access to the second USB port on our 13in MacBook Pro. On larger notebooks this shouldn't be a problem though and it is more of a fault on Apple's part than Huawei's, the manufacturer of the K3765.

The software required to use the Vodafone K3765 mobile broadband USB stick is stored on the modem itself and is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X computers. The software is easy to install and allows you to quickly access your prepaid account details and see sent and received data. It also provides direct links to Vodafone's Web site, where you can manage your account and check your current balance.

The Vodafone K3765 mobile broadband USB stick has a maximum download speed of 7.2Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 5.7Mbps, which is faster than the previous K3571-Z USB stick. Vodafone claims the K3765 will provide typical real-world speeds of between 550 kilobits per second (Kbps) and 2Mbps, but as with all mobile broadband devices the actual speed achieved will depend on a number of factors such as your location and equipment, network usage and coverage, and network congestion at the time.

Using our Broadband Speed Test, the Vodafone mobile broadband USB stick managed to achieve download speeds of up to 3Mbps, but regularly downloaded at around 1.8Mbps. Upload speeds were stable at around 450Kbps, but did occasionally rise over 1Mbps.

Vodafone sells the K3765 mobile broadband USB stick for $0 on a $29 contract over 24 month; this plan includes 4GB data per month.