Vodafone has released a USB stick that will allow laptop users without a PC card, such as Apple MacBooks, to use its 3G cards.

Vodafone promise the new dongle will give download speeds of around 1.4Mbps and upload speeds of up to 384 Kbps, with a 1GB a month download limit. The company was the first to offer a 3G data card but all other network operators now have them as business use has climbed sharply and trials are now underway on a faster High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) service.

"3G data card users and those involved in HSDPA trials highlight the liberating nature of the 'open the lid and connect' experience," said Dale Vile, research director at analyst house Freeform Dynamics.

"All moves to make this available to a broader audience are welcome, and it is nice to see that the Mac community has not been forgotten as part of this. The 'plug and play' convenience factor of self-installing USB modems is in keeping with the hassle-free nature of cellular connectivity, which will also appeal to many Windows users".

The company's service is available within the M25 area, the West Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool, Sheffield, Greater Manchester, Bristol and Tyneside, with plans to reach 75 per cent of the UK population by summer 2007