It seems network slicing is the next big thing with the UK’s mobile networks, as following on from EE’s launch of Fast Lane, Vodafone has announced the similarly-named FastTrack – a dedicated ‘lane’ on Vodafone’s network that prioritises your connection.
That means even in busy areas where the network is in high demand, you should experience high speeds and a reliable connection.
And this is just one component of what the company is calling Vodafone SuperMobile – a new service that as well as FastTrack, promises up to four times higher speeds than on standard connections.
Vodafone SuperMobile also comes with Secure Net Mobile, which can block malware, scam websites and other threats, as well as offering 24/7 ID monitoring and AI-powered scam call protection.
And in a UK-first, Vodafone SuperMobile also comes with a guaranteed minimum speeds promise, which if it doesn’t hit, you’re free to leave with no penalty.
Speed-related small print
However, when it comes to speeds, the small print is worth looking at. First off, that guaranteed minimum speed is just 15Mbps, and this only applies in areas with 5G+ (5G Standalone) coverage. Given that the UK’s 5G networks tend to average upwards of 100Mbps, and can deliver far higher speeds than that even – especially where there’s 5G Standalone – a 15Mbps promise isn’t very impressive.
It’s better than nothing of course, but if you’re frequently getting lower speeds than 15Mbps on any network when you have 5G Standalone coverage then something has probably gone wrong.
The claim of four times higher speeds also comes with a caveat that this is only up to 600Mbps – which is admittedly very fast, but technically 5G is capable of faster still. Though from the wording it sounds like this limit only applies in “high-demand areas.”
Still, the FastTrack element sounds good, and Secure Net Mobile could be useful to some people. The price premium for Vodafone SuperMobile also doesn’t sound too substantial, with it costing £3 per month more than Vodafone full-speed Xtra plans, £8 more on SIM Only 100Mbps plans, £4 more on handset 100Mbps plans, or £12 as a rolling monthly add-on.
View Vodafone Supermobile plans
