While the average business traveler might enjoy the privilege of availing internet facility in airports and the hotel rooms they stay in, not everyone is that lucky. The conventional dongle has been the device people relied on, for their internet connectivity on the go. Though some of the service providers were selling Wi-Fi hotspot devices, these were not quite popular. But the introduction of 4G has changed all that. The new devices, known more as Mi-Fi Routers, not only provide seamless 4G connectivity when you are out on the road, but many devices can be simultaneously connected and used.
Why mobile hotspot is not good enough
Those who wish to know why their mobile phone’s Wi-Fi hotspot cannot be used for tethering and for net connectivity on the laptop, the answer is, the battery charge on your mobile might be required for your other purposes like voice calls and messaging and so on. You would not want to drain your battery when you have better alternatives like of the Mi-Fi router. So there should really be no doubts on the need for this 4G router to keep you connected. Some popular Mi-Fi routers are discussed here.
A Mi-Fi router is a small device 3”x2” in size and has a provision for a microSIM and a microSD card. Once activated, it can be connected to all devices, like phones, tablets and laptops and PCs. The device has a mini-USB port to charge the device.
In the Indian context, the major service providers like Airtel, Vodafone, Jio and others have a tie up with specific make and model of the router. However, a couple of popular ones in the Indian market are briefly reviewed here.
Alcatel 4G MiFi Device
This is capable of achieving speeds of up to 150mbps and can be connected up to 15 devices. The battery is a 3.7volt Lithium battery that offers seven hours of usage on a single charge. There is also the provision for a microSD card that can help store 32 GB data. It’s a very handy and pocket-sized device for the purpose intended and you could let your kid play the favourite video game in the back seat of the car while you can concentrate on your driving. Vodafone is offering a few models for their customers in India, not necessarily this model.
Huawei E5330 Mobile Hotspot
This is an unlocked device and can be ordered and any mobile SIM used in it. You need not be tied to any particular service provider. It supports only a 3G SIM and can get you speeds of up to 2.1mbps. It has a LED display indicating the signal strength and the 1500mAh battery lasts about 6 hours of usage. This router does not have a slot for microSD card.