eftel named as pocketsurfer2 distributor

EFTel has been named as the exclusive Australian distributor of DataWind's PocketSurfer2 portable Internet access device, just launched in Australia.

The device has been on sale in the UK since January and its imminent introduction to Australia was reported exclusively by iTWire last month.

The PocketSurfer2 accesses the Internet over a GPRS network, but users do not need a separate account with a cellular service provider, that is managed and charged for by the PocketSurfer supplier (EFTel is using the Vodafone network).

The PocketSurfer's main claim to fame is its patented acceleration technology that is said to produce "page-load times of under seven seconds over GPRS...[where] comparative devices regularly take up to two minutes to download similar web pages." It is, however a 2G GSM devices so data speeds are limited compared to what is available on Australian 3G networks, especially Telstra's Next G. Nevertheless, EFTel CEO, Simon Ehrenfeld claims that: "The service is quicker than any mobile competitor and dramatically cheaper as well."

A pleasant surprise in the Australian announcement is pricing, which is less than straight currency conversions from UK prices would suggest.

It is available from retail outlets for $399 and this price includes 20 hours usage per month for the first year. This same level of usage for the second year costs only $50 for the whole year (in the UK the price comes out at $90). For $9.99 a month heavy users can upgrade their free-usage plan to 50 hours per month or can opt for unlimited access for $19.99 a month. As iTWire noted in our initial report, the device has met with mixed reviews from UK reviewers.