An important aspect of the upcoming NBN speed upgrade is networking hardware. You can have the fastest plan, but it won’t count for much if your modem or router doesn’t support its maximum speeds. As the battle between telcos continues, Vodafone is confident that its new Super Wi-Fi kit is ready for faster internet speeds.
Bundled with a Vodafone NBN or 5G home internet plan, the modem router combo uses the faster Wi-Fi 7 technology. However, like Telstra’s recently updated Smart Modem 4, Vodafone’s gear only includes the 2.4GHz and 5GHz network bands. High-end Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers support a wider and faster 6GHz band, although it requires compatible devices to take full advantage.
Although Vodafone doesn’t specify the modem router’s maximum speeds, its specs show promise. Notably, it houses a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, which is significant for two reasons. One is that it’ll likely perform better with the NBN’s upcoming multi-gigabit speed tiers. And two, it has an edge over Telstra’s device, which only supports 1Gbps inputs.
In terms of specs, Vodafone’s networking device is more comparable to Optus’ 5G modem recently stocked by SpinTel. Optus takes the slight edge with two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, while also advertising its maximum 6,000Mbps bandwidth.
The Vodafone Super Wi-Fi comes in two flavours: an NBN variant and one for 5G connections that has a Nano SIM card slot. Vodafone also draws attention to the fact that it offers add-on mesh units to help reliably spread wireless connectivity throughout bigger homes. It’s worth noting that the mesh units only have 1Gbps Ethernet ports, unlike the main modem.
“We’ve seen too many customers with great internet plans but poor Wi-Fi performance,” said Andrew O’Connor, Vodafone’s GM Fixed Line Product.
How much does the Vodafone Super Wi-Fi Modem cost?
You can’t purchase the new networking devices separately. Instead, the modem and one mesh unit come with a Vodafone home internet plan.
It doesn’t cost anything for customers who stick with the telco for 24 months on an NBN plan, or 36 months on a 5G internet plan. Vodafone prices the Super Wi-Fi Modem at $336, which only comes into play if you leave a plan early.
As outlined in the telco’s critical information summaries, customers who leave early are charged either $14 per month for NBN or $11 for 5G, according to how many months are left to run on the 24 or 36-month term.
For those who want additional mesh units, Vodafone charges either $6 (NBN) or $4 (5G) per month on top of the internet plan costs over 24 or 36 months.
For reference, when looking at the cheapest NBN plans, Vodafone is currently selling a 250Mbps plan for $74 per month for the first six months. There’s a lot of competition at the moment, with NBN 500 plans tipped to be the next big thing.
GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.
