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Wi-Fi dongles and pocket Wi-Fi devices both make use of mobile networks to get you connected to the Internet fast and with minimal effort. They also won't cost you an arm and a leg, with prices starting at under $20 a month for 20GB of data or only $64 monthly for a whopping 100GB.
Both of these devices connect to the Internet using the same mobile networks as your phone. If you're somewhere that your phone can get a signal, these portable Wi-Fi devices should have Internet access too.
Beyond that, pocket Wi-Fi modems and USB dongles work a little differently:
Don't need a plan that comes with a dongle or pocket Wi-Fi? Check out our guide on data SIMs
The table below shows plans from our database with at least 20GB that come with a USB dongle or pocket Wi-Fi modem. Keep in mind that the modem will usually be an extra fee on top of your plan cost.
To see more options, check out our guide on mobile broadband plans.
While both are highly portable and very easy to use, pocket Wi-Fi modems are more popular. They're more popular than USB dongles because of:
On the other hand, dongles are really small and can provide that tiny extra bit of convenience, on your daily commute, for example. They also tend to be a bit cheaper than a pocket Wi-Fi modem.
Your phone plan probably has a decent chunk of data on it, leading you to wonder why a separate data plan is even useful. Here are a few reasons why standalone pocket Wi-Fi can be handy:
At the moment in Australia, you can't really get unlimited data on a USB dongle or pocket Wi-Fi device. What does exist are plans that don't charge you extra for going over your monthly data limit.
Telstra is the only provider in Australia that currently offers plans for your pocket Wi-Fi modem or dongle that let you use unlimited data past your cap for free. Instead of charging you extra for going over your monthly data allowance, these plans slow down your download speed by 10 times or more. So while you don't have to pay more to use as much data as you like, it will limit how much you're actually able to do on these plans since your speed will drop to 1.5Mbps once you pass your cap.
Most mobile SIMs should work inside a pocket Wi-Fi modem so long as data is included on your plan. However, pocket Wi-Fi modems don't usually have the capability to send and receive calls or text messages, so you won't be able to use the talk and text inclusions on your phone plan.
If that doesn't bother you and you just want a mobile plan with tons of data to use, we'd recommend the 100GB plan from Circles.Life, which should be enough data for you to use both on your phone and as pocket Wi-Fi.
Images: Telstra & Vodafone
Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.
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