![]() ![]() Verizon's device took an average of 2 minutes and 17 seconds while the Sonic 4G was able to download the file in 3 minutes and 8 seconds in Union Square, it took 45 minutes in Bryant Park.Ĭlick to EnlargeThroughout our testing, Sprint's Sierra Wireless 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot provided excellent Web-surfing speeds. The Verizon Jetpack 890L and T-Mobile Sonic 4G, however, both took considerably longer. However, at the Starbucks location, the device repeatedly dropped its signal.ĭownloading the 145MB OpenOffice install file took an average of 2 minutes and 42 seconds over LTE, besting AT&T by 18 seconds. When we repeated the test while streaming a 720p video to a laptop, download throughput dropped to 10.1 Mbps, but upload speeds actually increased to 6.1 Mbps. Using, downloads averaged 13.6 Mbps, and uploads averaged 4.9 Mbps. Here, too, we measured throughput in three locations: a house, a park and at a Starbucks. We also tested the Tri-Fi in Overland Park, Kan. The Tri-Fi's upload speed remained about the same, as 1.9 Mbps, but that still left it in third place behind AT&T (9.7 Mbps). The runner-up, the AT&T Elevate, managed 5.5 Mbps. While the Tri-Fi's download speed dipped to 8.2 Mbps, that was more than enough for first place. We then measured throughput while simultaneously streaming a 720p video to a notebook also connected to the Tri-Fi. When it came to uploads, the Tri-Fi fell to third, as its throughput of 1.8 Mbps was worse than Verizon (8.5 Mbps) and AT&T (8.3 Mbps), but almost three times as fast as T-Mobile (0.7 Mbps). Its download speed averaged 9.3 Mbps, which is below the AT&T Elevate 4G's 12.4 Mbps, but faster than the Verizon Jetpack 890L (7.3 Mbps) and T-Mobile Sonic 4G (2.2 Mbps). ![]() ![]() In general the Tri-Fi performed well, but not great. Using the app on a Samsung Galaxy S III, we measured throughput at three Manhattan locations: Madison Square Park, Union Square and Bryant Park. ![]() The Tri-Fi can connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices, more than AT&T's Elevate 4G, which can support only five, but short of the 10 devices Verizon's Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot 890L can support.īecause Sprint's 4G LTE network hasn't yet reached the New York area, we performed our tests in this location on the carrier's WiMAX network. Like the other hotspots in our roundup, the Tri-Fi features a Web interface from which users can access their device settings, map their location using the hotspot's built-in GPS, view their SMS messages and more. Beyond that, the Tri-Fi also includes GPS for use with Sprint Navigation, as well as a 32GB microSD card slot. That technology extends to 71 markets, covering most major cities, but some users will still find themselves having to rely primarily on Sprint's 3G network.Ĭlick to EnlargeThe Sierra Wireless 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot's main selling point is its ability to connect to Sprint's 3G, 4G WiMAX and 4G LTE networks. If you're not lucky enough to live in one of Sprint's LTE markets - our New York office isn't - you can fall back on Sprint's 4G WiMAX network. That's far less than AT&T's 51 markets and nowhere near Verizon's 337 markets. The company currently has 4G LTE available in 15 cities, and is expected to add four more by Labor Day. Whether it’s more speed or more affordability you're after, here are the five best portable mobile Wifi hotspots you can pick up right now.Sprint's 4G LTE network is still very much in its infancy. Ultimately, it comes down to what you need to do, and how much you can drop. You could also work with your cell service provider to add a hotspot to your plan. You have the choice of buying a freelance hotspot that has its own network and is not affiliated with one of the major cellular providers, which can allow for more flexibility in data purchasing and contract terms. Hotspots have come a long way in the last few years, and with the arrival of 5G, some are better than ever. Oftentimes, having a designated hotspot, as opposed to using one off your phone, prevents clogged-up speeds. Mobile hotspots work almost exactly like a cellphone, but instead of using that cellular data to let you text, stream, and watch the world end, they turn the signal into a mini Wifi network. You'll want to consider something more powerful. Why not invest in a hotspot to work in the park or on the road?Ī lot of phones already have the ability to become pretty impressive (and highly portable) hotspots, though that often requires upgrading your data plan-possibly updating your phone. For many of us, office jobs pivoted to fully remote, and our favorite coffee shops are out of the question, so instead we’re stuck at our dark desks in makeshift home offices or camped out at dining room tables. I think we’re all feeling like that "can we have class outside" kid-begging to work in the great outdoors, albeit with very few resources to do so. ![]()
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