Review: Zoom 14.4 3G+ unlocked USB modem

Don't expect too much excitement and anticipation when breaking your new gadget out of the box - you'll got a short instruction manual, a very short USB cable and the modem itself. That's your lot. 

Initial thoughts

If I'm honest, my initial thoughts were, is that it? For just shy of £100 you've got a very ordinary looking white dongle to show for your pains. 

When you think you can snap up a better looking USB modem from any of the mobile broadband suppliers for around £30 on pay-as-you-go, and they throw in some free data, it seems hard to justify.

But the fact it isn't tied to a broadband supplier is exactly the reason you would buy one. Sure, it's a slightly pricey initial investment, but once you've got this one you can (in theory) use any mobile broadband SIM you like in it - not only in the UK, but all over the world.

So while this rather plain looking white dongle (with an LED on one side to show signal status, the Zoom logo, and a nice red go-faster stripe) won't win any fashion awards, it's what it can do for you in the long haul that counts.

Usage

Set up and connection is incredibly easy. Plug in your Zoom dongle and it gets to work right away, installing its own software in very short time - you're soon ready to go with the least possible amount of fuss. Installing a SIM is easy too. Just slide the back off to reveal slots for both the SIM and a microSD card (so you can pack it with files too).

Once the software is installed and your SIM is in place, run the Zoom 14.4's software to open a small and clear user interface window on your machine. It should immediately configure to your network, with a simple click of the 'connect' button getting you online. If you've used a dongle before everything will be completely familiar, while those that haven't should find its plug-and-play ease and simple instructions a breeze to get a long with. There really is nothing to it.

Speed and coverage

It is speed where the Zoom should stand out from the crowd, but at least in the UK this is a bit of a moot point.

As the name so boldly pronounces, the Zoom 3G+ unlocked USB modem is capable of handling broadband speeds of up to 14.4Mb. But in a nation where you're lucky to get 2Mb, do you really need a super-fast dongle?

There are at least two good reasons why you might. Firstly, if you buy a sports car with a top speed of 200mph, you know you're not going to be able to push it to its limits here. But go abroad to certain countries and suddenly you can open it up.

Secondly, there is a certain amount of future proofing a dongle allowing speeds of up to 14.4Mb should offer you. But in reality, this might not be so much of a blessing. Not only are we a way off even having the spectrum auction for 4G networks in this country (meaning that we'll be lucky to have super-fast mobile broadband before the end of next year, let alone this one), but when it does arrive it could well leave your 14.4Mb modem in the dust.

Data

We found the Zoom 14.4 to be stable and solid in our testing, while the connection information it gives while you're online is top notch - you can measure upload and download speeds and volumes as they happen as well as daily, monthly and yearly numbers. However, don't take this as gospel - it is only the data you can get from your SIM provider's own website that is really relevant, as that is what they will base their charges on.

The user interface has options for phone book and SMS too, while there are more complex settings and diagnostics for the advanced user to play with. We don't think it could've done an awful lot more to tick all of the boxes when it comes to dongles.

Conclusion

Technically and practically, there really isn't anything bad to say about the Zoom 14.4 3G+ unlocked USB modem dongle. It is stable, simple and practical, offering anyone with a penchant for switching mobile broadband SIMs the perfect solution to their problem. To these people, especially international business travellers, we highly recommend you pick one of these babies up.

However, the reason the Zoom 14.4 isn't carrying the recommended label is that for the majority of consumers it simply isn't worth owning at this cost, despite the fact it warrants the price tag. Most of us will have one or two mobile broadband SIMs at most, while Wi-Fi will tend to cover us abroad. 

The technology to harness speeds up to 14.4Mb is also impressive, but again there will currently be little opportunity to put it through its paces. Until then, the majority of us will find better ways to spend our hard-earned. Of course, we'll revisit the idea if UK mobile broadband speeds improve significantly - but don't hold your breath!