Benefits of Renting Mobile Broadband While Traveling
Having high-speed internet access directly from your laptop is very convenient – it gives business travelers critical “anywhere, anytime” Internet access. It’s also, however, much more expensive than going to a Wi-Fi hotspot, signing up for global Wi-Fi service, or renting a workstation at an internet cafe.
International Mobile Broadband Providers
Below are a few companies from whom you can rent Internet access internationally. When selecting a service, make sure you check their coverage maps and the fine print regarding coverage/extra fees. Although I haven’t personally used these services, I did get an impression of the customer service from several of the companies who responded to my queries for information, and I’ve noted them below to help you make a more informed decision when planning your trip. Renting their mobile broadband modem, however, will also get you a complimentary GSM cell phone for calling abroad — a nice bonus that allows you to kill two birds with one stone.
Service: 24/7, 365 days a year support; a personal account manager will be assigned to you Pricing: from $39 for 10MB ($3.9/MB) to $599 for 1000MB ($0.60/MB) with $4.99 per MB overage; minimum 2 week rental Reliability: Planetfone indicated that the service is extremely reliable and coverage is excellent because the countries overseas using GSM have an average of 4 networks within the country.
Service: Technical support Monday to Friday, 6 am to 6 pm PSTPricing: Data bundles go from $59 for 10MB over 5 days ($5.9/MB) to $199.95 for 100MB over 30 days ($2.0/MB); Unlimited wireless rental for the USB modem is $14.95/day and for the mobile hotspot, $17.95/day.Reliability: XCom noted that they have a strong track record of reliability because they’ve aligned with the largest cell providers in the areas where they offer coverage.
Service: “24-hour global support"Pricing: Data bundle of 200 MB for $199 monthly ($1.01/MB) plus $19.99 set-up fee, which includes round-trip shipping — $8 per MB for overages; or Pay-as-you-go use priced at $9 per MB plus $59 per month rental fee and $19.99 set up.
Service: International 24/7 support Pricing: hardware costs: 3G USB modem is $299, SIM card (your smartphone must be an unlocked GSM phone) is $149, and Wi-Fi connection software is $69; data usage rates: $0.189 per 100Kb (roughly $1.89 per MB) in the US, Europe, China, and India; outside of those areas it’s $1.89 per 100Kb. At Wi-fi hotspots, billing is $0.32 per minute, plus $0.87 connection fee. Reliability: MobilityPass offers a 7-day warranty on their products.
All prices above in US Dollars.
