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Technical Details
- Share T-Mobile's ultra-fast 4G network with up to five devices via Wi-Fi
- Share mobile broadband connectivity with laptops, smartphones, tablets, and more
- Flexible prepaid pricing for data ranging from 100 MB for a week to 3 GB for a month
- Includes microSD memory card slot for accessing optional cards up to 32 GB in size
- Includes SIM card
Product Details
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Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
Create your own personal hotspot while roaming about town and across the country with the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot, which offers convenient prepaid access to T-Mobile's blazing-fast 4G mobile broadband network--use data when you need to and refill easily on the web. You'll be able to provide high-speed Internet connectivity to up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices--from laptops to tablets and mobile phones--using a single mobile broadband connection.
Easily pocketable T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot.
You can choose from three prepaid plans, ranging from $10 for 100 MB of use in a week to $30 for 1 GB or $50 for 3 GB of data used within 30 days.
Compact and lightweight for easy portability, the 4G Mobile Hotspot includes an LED screen that shows current connectivity to the T-Mobile mobile broadband network, battery power level, and number of devices connected to it via Wi-Fi. It also doubles as an USB thumb drive, with a microSD memory card slot that's compatible with optional cards up to 32 GB in size (see a larger schematic image of the 4G Mobile Hotspot). And you can even send and access text messages.
What's in the Box
T-Mobile 4G HotSpot, SIM card, getting started guide
Learn More
T-Mobile's Expanding, Super-Fast 4G Mobile Broadband NetworkAs of August, 2011, T-Mobile has upgraded its traditional 3G network to HSPA+ 4G in 190 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.--covering 200 million people across the country--with plans to continue rolling out this network upgrade throughout 2011. With typical download speeds that are on par with or faster than competing 4G technologies, T-Mobile's HSPA+ network provides fast data speeds--up to 3 times faster than AT&T and Verizon's standard 3G networks--while allowing simultaneous voice and data capabilities for the ultimate wireless voice and data experience. You'll enjoy faster Web browsing, uninterrupted video streaming, and quicker app downloads.
T-Mobile's 4G mobile broadband network (powered by HSPA+) provides a theoretical capability of up to 21 Mbps peak download speeds, with average download speeds typically in the 5 to 8 Mbps range.
In areas not currently served by T-Mobile's 4G network, this mobile broadband hotspot will connect to the 3G network.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Knowing that I would be somewhere with no Internet access for a couple of weeks, I researched several "MiFi" devices. Because they were all fairly similar, my choice was based on T-Mobile's 'pay-as-you-go' option.
The 4G Hotspot was a bit more expensive than other products, but I liked the idea of no contract, and being able to buy a gig of data-time for 30 bucks just for the times that I wanted or needed to use it.
My main objective was to be able to send/receive email and text from my iPod Touch and laptop. I understood that with only one gig, I would not be streaming movies from Netflix or watching YouTube videos. For the two weeks that I used it, primarily for email, I used half a gig of data.
Even though I bought the HotSpot from Amazon, when it arrived, I walked to the T-Mobile store in my neighborhood to have it activated. I did, subsequently, have problems setting up the password (and I never was able to change the SSID name), but I called the tech line and they were very helpful in solving my password problem.
The first time I went to T-Mobile's site to check how much data I had used, there was a glitch and it said I had used it all. When I checked the next day, it was working and I was able to see my correct data usage. In general, after getting used to using it, with a bit of trial and error, it turned out to be an amazing product. Almost every place I used it, I received 4G service. It was particularly helpful when I was out and about with my iPod Touch.
It's true, as others have mentioned, that sometimes it kind of "locks," but I found turning it off and then turning it on again (a kind of reboot) fixed that problem. If you have the patience to go through the activation process (I recommend doing that at a T-Mobile store), setting up the password, getting used to minor quirks at the beginning, this is an excellent and extremely useful product.
Also: If you want an iPad with 3G -- or have one without it -- and don't want to commit to AT+T or Verizon, this is a great alternative.
The 4G Hotspot was a bit more expensive than other products, but I liked the idea of no contract, and being able to buy a gig of data-time for 30 bucks just for the times that I wanted or needed to use it.
My main objective was to be able to send/receive email and text from my iPod Touch and laptop. I understood that with only one gig, I would not be streaming movies from Netflix or watching YouTube videos. For the two weeks that I used it, primarily for email, I used half a gig of data.
Even though I bought the HotSpot from Amazon, when it arrived, I walked to the T-Mobile store in my neighborhood to have it activated. I did, subsequently, have problems setting up the password (and I never was able to change the SSID name), but I called the tech line and they were very helpful in solving my password problem.
The first time I went to T-Mobile's site to check how much data I had used, there was a glitch and it said I had used it all. When I checked the next day, it was working and I was able to see my correct data usage. In general, after getting used to using it, with a bit of trial and error, it turned out to be an amazing product. Almost every place I used it, I received 4G service. It was particularly helpful when I was out and about with my iPod Touch.
It's true, as others have mentioned, that sometimes it kind of "locks," but I found turning it off and then turning it on again (a kind of reboot) fixed that problem. If you have the patience to go through the activation process (I recommend doing that at a T-Mobile store), setting up the password, getting used to minor quirks at the beginning, this is an excellent and extremely useful product.
Also: If you want an iPad with 3G -- or have one without it -- and don't want to commit to AT+T or Verizon, this is a great alternative.
31 of 38 people found the following review helpful
The speed is OK. I bought one and turned it into my 'primary' internet connection with a 10GB plan. It's enough, if you don't watch much TV or video, or super-sized downloads over it.
The bad things:
BUGGY connection. TCP/IP is supposed to be 'error proof'. Detecting and re-requesting bent UDP packets. You will find yourself reloading scrambled web pages, re-downloading LARGE files and software patches, watching videos that freeze, then watching ads again to see the rest, etc. using this device. It lets data errors through like no 2G, 3G or 4G device I have ever seen. This occasionally poisons the DNS cache with bad data, too, which will block web sites until you reset the cache. VERY ugly. T-Mobile doesn't seem to care about this at all. Apparently getting BAD data to you as fast as possible is what's important.
When ordering products on a web site (such as Amazon), be prepared to have to re-submit practically every page. You know, that queasy feeling when you don't know whether the previous order went through, or if you just ordered it TWICE? Yeah. PRACTICALLY EVERY TIME.
Backbone is wimpy. If you use this as 'the' wireless network, it will be super, duper, awfully slow, when network backups or file transfers between LAN computers, and that sort of thing happen. In other words, if 'Time Machine' starts up THROUGH this device, that's effectively the end of your internet connection until it's finished.
Two year contract. If you need the 10GB plan, that's only available with a contract. Boo!
Blocked sites. If you have a game console, the back-end URLs are blocked. This can be worked around by configuring a different DNS than what T-Mobile provides.
The built-in microSD slot is only accessible through USB (not a network share).
Tech support is laughable.
Was promised a 'rebate' with this device when I purchased it last summer. It was even filled out by the store. I NEVER got it. So don't expect that you'll get any 'rebate', either, if you order one, no matter how carefully you fill out the forms and jump through the flaming hoops. T-Mobile definitely comes from the 'deny rebates for any excuse' school or rebate processing. As well as the 'Lock them in to our GARBAGE and let them suffer' school of customer support. Basically, the only way they could have been more crooked was if they had been taken over by AT&T.
The good things:
There haven't been any outright outages. So I haven't been left 'without' a connection in the months since I bought it.
It is portable and convenient for travel. You KNOW you'll have a network connection wherever you go. Just not necessarily a fast one.
The connection is usually speedy... BUT if you burn through your bandwidth, you will SUFFER for it. It slows WAY down. Wish it were 3G way down? Wish it were DIAL-UP slowed way down! The person who sold this to me outright lied about the slow-down being '3G' speed. It is not even close. There is no way to 'add' fast bandwidth back onto it. You must wait until the next billing cycle. Of course, having to do whole enormous downloads (OS/software patches can be quite large), AT LEAST TWICE (and then sometimes having to manually reset corrupted download data in your file system to force a corrupted patch to download again) is a formula for burning through bandwidth.
It will plug into a Windoze or OS X machine's USB port, and take a charge, and provide a WIRED connection (but there is no Linux driver for this).
With the exception of the data errors coming through, absolutely unchecked, there are work-arounds for everything.
The latest patches 'fixed' some of the sleep issues that I had previously complained about (i.e. you can prevent it from going to sleep, EVER). They did NOT fix any of the buggy TCP/IP issues (and therefore HTTP issues) at all.
NEW UPDATE: Out of the blue, they began censoring web sites with 'Web Guard'. Even though the account shows it 'disabled', they are 'protecting me' from such potentially damaging content as NEWS SITES.
So not only is the gadget crap, and their service crap, now they are even further censoring my access to the web. Way to go! Got from a grudging three stars down to ONE in just a few months!
Update: The censoring was a glitch. But got bit by running out of the bandwidth allocation too many times, and downgraded the service, and bought a wired internet connection to the house again. When you run out of bits on the 10GB plan, you are well and truly hosed until the next billing cycle. Which can be a bit of a problem if you need the internet to do work.
The bad things:
BUGGY connection. TCP/IP is supposed to be 'error proof'. Detecting and re-requesting bent UDP packets. You will find yourself reloading scrambled web pages, re-downloading LARGE files and software patches, watching videos that freeze, then watching ads again to see the rest, etc. using this device. It lets data errors through like no 2G, 3G or 4G device I have ever seen. This occasionally poisons the DNS cache with bad data, too, which will block web sites until you reset the cache. VERY ugly. T-Mobile doesn't seem to care about this at all. Apparently getting BAD data to you as fast as possible is what's important.
When ordering products on a web site (such as Amazon), be prepared to have to re-submit practically every page. You know, that queasy feeling when you don't know whether the previous order went through, or if you just ordered it TWICE? Yeah. PRACTICALLY EVERY TIME.
Backbone is wimpy. If you use this as 'the' wireless network, it will be super, duper, awfully slow, when network backups or file transfers between LAN computers, and that sort of thing happen. In other words, if 'Time Machine' starts up THROUGH this device, that's effectively the end of your internet connection until it's finished.
Two year contract. If you need the 10GB plan, that's only available with a contract. Boo!
Blocked sites. If you have a game console, the back-end URLs are blocked. This can be worked around by configuring a different DNS than what T-Mobile provides.
The built-in microSD slot is only accessible through USB (not a network share).
Tech support is laughable.
Was promised a 'rebate' with this device when I purchased it last summer. It was even filled out by the store. I NEVER got it. So don't expect that you'll get any 'rebate', either, if you order one, no matter how carefully you fill out the forms and jump through the flaming hoops. T-Mobile definitely comes from the 'deny rebates for any excuse' school or rebate processing. As well as the 'Lock them in to our GARBAGE and let them suffer' school of customer support. Basically, the only way they could have been more crooked was if they had been taken over by AT&T.
The good things:
There haven't been any outright outages. So I haven't been left 'without' a connection in the months since I bought it.
It is portable and convenient for travel. You KNOW you'll have a network connection wherever you go. Just not necessarily a fast one.
The connection is usually speedy... BUT if you burn through your bandwidth, you will SUFFER for it. It slows WAY down. Wish it were 3G way down? Wish it were DIAL-UP slowed way down! The person who sold this to me outright lied about the slow-down being '3G' speed. It is not even close. There is no way to 'add' fast bandwidth back onto it. You must wait until the next billing cycle. Of course, having to do whole enormous downloads (OS/software patches can be quite large), AT LEAST TWICE (and then sometimes having to manually reset corrupted download data in your file system to force a corrupted patch to download again) is a formula for burning through bandwidth.
It will plug into a Windoze or OS X machine's USB port, and take a charge, and provide a WIRED connection (but there is no Linux driver for this).
With the exception of the data errors coming through, absolutely unchecked, there are work-arounds for everything.
The latest patches 'fixed' some of the sleep issues that I had previously complained about (i.e. you can prevent it from going to sleep, EVER). They did NOT fix any of the buggy TCP/IP issues (and therefore HTTP issues) at all.
NEW UPDATE: Out of the blue, they began censoring web sites with 'Web Guard'. Even though the account shows it 'disabled', they are 'protecting me' from such potentially damaging content as NEWS SITES.
So not only is the gadget crap, and their service crap, now they are even further censoring my access to the web. Way to go! Got from a grudging three stars down to ONE in just a few months!
Update: The censoring was a glitch. But got bit by running out of the bandwidth allocation too many times, and downgraded the service, and bought a wired internet connection to the house again. When you run out of bits on the 10GB plan, you are well and truly hosed until the next billing cycle. Which can be a bit of a problem if you need the internet to do work.
29 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Terrible T-mobile website design and customer service. Took many attempts to activate device through their poorly designed website. Website instructions for activating were unclear. Kept asking to register new phone number of device to activate. To get phone number, had to figure out how to log onto device as administrator to view text message that contained phone number of device. Found solution buried deep in customer complaint forums. Then to buy prepaid minutes pass, would not accept any credit/debit cards I tried, had to set up a checking account transfer using routing/check numbers (electronic check). Also my.t-mobile.com website did not display metered usage of data until I had about 20% left. Also, by default, a feature called "web guard" is enabled on the device, so could not even view my states lottery web site because it was filtered! Suppose to be able to turn the web guard off through my.t-mobile.com website after filling out an age verification form that errors when submitting. Google on the web about the same experiences people had the same as I. Should have researched more b4 buying. That said, once device was painfully activated and topped off with prepaid credit, performed as advertised, was fast! To me, not worth the hassle that I went through, not to mention, it is not cheap to operate, went through 30 dollars for 1 GB of data in about 4 days of light usage. Please research other options b4 considering this prepaid plan.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
T Mobile told me that because Im not a tmobile user I can take a hike
So I get this device and activate it. It activates as a phone. I go on tmobile chat. They tell me to call Tmobile customer service. Read more
Published 11 days ago by ChrisP
Bad Software and Bad Technical Support
The Hotspot worked OK as a hotspot initially. After using it for almost two months, I updated the firmware, and the device did not allow me to change the WiFi security passphrase... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Albert
Speedy
I use this hot spot because I do not get an adequate 3g data signal for my iphone in my work building. It works great. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Stonick
Only for Activation with Contract
Contrary to what is stated in the Start Guide, this product DOES NOT allow activation with the NO COMMITMENT MOBILE BROADBAND plan. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Giok H. Tjoa
Great Buy
We got this hotspot to use it while traveling, and it worked really good. We liked how small it is, and how we can use it to connect up to 5 devices to it through wifi.
Published 2 months ago by Wisam Latif
So far, suprisingly good
I have only had it for a few weeks but so far this thing is awesome. Super fast. Easy to set up. I am not sure why so many folks had problems getting it going. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A. Myles
Turn on turn off
Product works as expected but needs to be turned off and again on regularly in order to keep internet connection operational.
Published 3 months ago by kainuvainu
Awesome
Originally bought the laptop stick last year and was so unsatisfied. Only used the internet for bill paying anyways but still would drop for that little bit of connection. Read more
Published 3 months ago by APRIL
Big Disappoinment
I bought this device from another retailer two days ago. I decided to go the prepaid route 3gb/$50. Activation was a little glitchy but finally got it down after a brief call to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by TeeDub
4G Hotspot
The T-Mobile 4G Hotspot works great. Logging on my laptop and my kindle is easy and fast. The hotspot had less problems then the laptop stick that I had previously.
Published 4 months ago by Gloria
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