Vodafone UK Launches its First 5G Mobile Broadband MiFi Device UPDATE

Vodafone UK has today launched their first 5G based MiFi device, which is essentially a small battery powered (lasting up to 8.5 hours) mobile broadband router that can connect up to 32 devices via the WiFi 6 standard. Customers can select either a fixed term or rolling contract, with unlimited data prices starting from £15 per month.

Sadly, Vodafone didn’t see fit to publish any useful technical specifications alongside the new device (we have requested more detail), thus we know virtually nothing about its internal capabilities (chipset, bands etc.), ports or antenna setup. But we are told that it has a 2.4-inch touchscreen, which is.. nice, and it’s made by ZTE.

Customers purchasing on a 24-month Vodafone Unlimited data contract will get the first 6 months at half price (i.e. £15 per month instead of £30), which also comes with inclusive roaming in 83 worldwide destinations and the fastest available 5G speeds. However, you still have to pay a £100 one-off upfront charge for the MiFi router itself.

By comparison, those wanting a 12-month contract for the same service will pay £33 per month and £150 upfront, while anybody who prefers a 30-day contract will pay £37 per month and a hefty £200 upfront.

Alternatively, a number of other manufacturers produce SIM-Free 5G MiFi devices with similar sounding specs, but you’ll often pay just south of £400 for one of those. Typically, the cheapest solution is to just turn your Smartphone into a WiFi hotspot 🙂 .

UPDATE 10th Jan 2022

Better late than never? Here’s the official spec sheet from Vodafone.