I recently upgraded my Verizon Samsung Mi-Fi device to the new Verizon Jetpack(R) 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MHS291L. This new hotspot device, manufactured by Pantech, is a little larger than my previous device, but so far, it is better in every way. Perhaps I was just lucky, but check out my first speed test results.
That is faster than my home internet by far. Of course, I was in an area with very strong coverage, which helps, but that’s a pretty good speed test result if you ask me. This hotspot model has some other advantages. According to Verizon, it has the largest battery of any of its Mi-Fi devices. I haven’t maxed it out yet, but after two hours of use off the charger last week, I had only burned through one of 4 battery bars. That leads me to another improvement, which is an actual digital display that includes a battery level indicator. My prior hotspot device lacked that. I think the better battery life is a very positive tradeoff with a thinner device. I still think it’s pretty small considering what you are getting.
Finally, this hotspot supports up to 10 devices as opposed to 5 for my previous device. Thankfully, I don’t think that’s a feature I will ever need to use, but who knows? Bottom line – I love traveling with a Mi-Fi hotspot device, and frequently find that it’s faster than the complimentary (or sometimes pay) offerings at airports, lounges, and hotels.
-MJ, July 9, 2013
[…] New 4G LTE Mi-Fi Rocks […]
Marshall,
I can use my VZ iPhone 4S as a hotspot and still make calls. Not sure how speed is impacted though. Thinking a separate MiFi with 4G may give me faster Internet speed and allow me to drop broadband at home (since I’m rarely there anyway!)
Do you also use your phone as a hot spot?
Allyson,
I know that is an option, but I do not. I’m currently a little over subscribed with wireless devices, and will be making a change with my regular cell provider soon. I understand that I cannot both take a call on a Verizon cell phone and use it as a hotspot. That is an issue for me, so I felt like the Jetpack was the best way to go for me.
Have you tried using it to stream video and does it work well? I returned my previous hotspot to Verizon because you couldn’t use it to watch video, the speed was just too slow.
@Askia, I typically haven’t watched much streaming video just to keep my data usage in check. However, I just watched the first 5 minutes of The Hunt For Red October via Netflix, and tested a couple YouTube videos. It streamed perfectly.
We can hear you now
Ha!