Vodafone has launched a new USB stick to make it easier for mobile workers to access its High- Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) service. According to IT Week Labs tests, the device offers double the speed of the operator’s High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) service.

Vodafone said the device would appeal to on-the-go corporate users. “The stick USB HSUPA modem is a much smaller form factor [than the previous “Pebble” device], which will be better for business travellers – our primary target for the service launch,” said Vodafone’s head of laptop connectivity, Alec Howard. “We’ve also halved the latency of the device compared with our HSDPA service.”

IT Week Labs tested the device in central London and achieved a download data transfer rate of 2Mbit/s. Connection strength during these tests was not at maximum, however, so better transfer rates should be possible. The average download speed with Vodafone’s HSDPA service is currently around 1Mbit/s.

Vodafone said coverage in London currently includes the districts of Finsbury, Kensington, Marylebone, Paddington and Westminster, while airports covered by the service include Belfast International, Gatwick, Heathrow, London City and Manchester.

The device currently supports Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS X systems, and includes all the necessary software. In our tests we could download data within minutes of attaching the device. The modem also features SMS functions and a useful data transfer usage tracker.

The modem is available on a flat rate 18-month contract priced at £25 per month with a fair usage policy of 3GB, plus £49 for the device.

Howard said that there would be no out-of-contract charges, just a reminder to users exceeding the limit “to temper their usage”.