As a Sprint subscriber, my mobile doesn't work outside the U.S. After considering various alternatives (such as dusting off my old Windows Mobile phone and renting a local SIM card), I decided to try a personal wi-fi hotspot for my recent trip to London and Maidenhead. (TripAdvisor post on using a portable wi-fi hotspot in Italy: tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187791-i22-k47194… )
I placed an order over the web with tep wireless (formerly fonmigo) and crossed my fingers. Although you can have the hotspot delivered to your hotel, it seemed simplest to pick it up at Heathrow. A small zipper case holds the device, a microUSB cable, and a charging adapter. The instructions are fairly simple: turn it on, wait a minute or two until the radios are ready, then connect. Your data is protected with WPA-PSK encryption and an 8-digit key.
The slim Huawei E585 rested comfortably in my right front pocket, or on a counter in my hotel room where I generally kept it on the charger. I had a good enough signal for my needs under most circumstances, typically 3G or HSPA, but became disconnected a few times in the underground. It got a bit warm when it was struggling for a signal, so it might be best to turn it off on those occasions. I restarted the device about once a day when my phone or laptop had a problem connecting.
The price of miniaturization is reduced battery life, and the unit lasted about 5 hours on a charge with Exchange ActiveSync running and light web and navigation use. I didn't get a chance to test out Skype because for some reason my Skype credit wouldn't transfer to the Skype android app. The data allowance of 150MB a day was ample for mobile phone use, but felt a bit constraining for laptop use. For another $4 a day, you can double the allowance (due to "fair usage" restrictions, "unlimited" is not actually unlimited).
I dropped off the device at the airport on my way home (this requires a bit of a trek to the baggage claim area) and assuming it doesn't get lost, that's the end of the story. The rental period runs by the clock, so for 72 hours I required a 4 day rental. This turned out okay because the extra 150MB came in handy. All told, for $50, this was a great alternative to a local SIM card (or expensive roaming) and pricey hotel wi-fi.
Note: from double-checking a few facts for this review, I can see that tep is tweaking its policies and pricing (prices going down which is great, but "unlimited" data is more restricted). You'll need to check the details before you rent.
Edited: 26 September 2011, 6:16
