Mobile broadband dongles are something every Internet savvy users should own. If you're caught-out in a place where there is no Internet connection. They are often a god sent – but is there much difference from one dongle to another ? While Huawei E367 doesn't appear to be much different to any other dongle – looks can often be deceiving.
If you're not familiar with mobile broadband here's a little explanation: The dongle looks like your average USB memory stick, but has a slot for a mobile phone sim card. The dongle calls the network and by the power magic you are connected to the Internet. Essentially it's a 3G mobile phone minus the actual phone part.
Unlike many of it's competitors the E367 has a couple of clever design tricks. The USB connector is on a right angled hinged allowing you to move the dongle up and down so you can find the best position for the strongest signal possible.
More importantly it's excellent when you’re on a train or in cramped conditions as you can have it pointing up and it will save a bit of space.
The real selling point for the E367 is it is the first Three Network dongle to come with HSPA+ technology. Without boring you to do death the tech – it allows this dongle to achieve speeds more akin to your home broadband when you're out and about. The dongle does this by having multiple antennae, which means it can achieve internet speeds up to the dizzy heights of 21.1Mb.
So how does it perform ? Well depending on network coverage, quite admirably. We tested at several locations across Manchester City centre during on-peak and off-peak times and achieved an average 5.5 Mb - a lot better than another dongle we've owned or tried before.
The E367 didn't skip a beat when we fired up a bit of iPlayer and Spotify whilst sat in Piccadilly Gardens. And Three reckons those speeds will see significant improvements nationwide when they complete their network upgrades.
If you are already a Three user, then you can get an upgrade for your dongle for only £59.99. New users can get the PAYG 1GB Ready To Go for £69.99. The other alternatives are a rolling one month contract for £49.99 upfront and £15.99 per month for 5GB, or with no upfront charge and 15GB for £18.03 per month on a 24 month contract.
David Kerrigan, Three's head of mobile broadband, said "Huawei has done a great job delivering this superior dongle, in both form and function. Whether browsing the internet, downloading files or streaming video, this dongle delivers an even better internet experience on our 3G network, which is built for mobile internet."
You won’t find a better mobile broadband dongle on the market at the moment. And for £60 it might not be the cheapest, but if you want to use the internet when you’re out and about at decent speed – we can’t recommend it highly enough.
Gaj-it Rating 4 out 5