A major concern on any trip is how I will connect to the internet while traveling. This is further exacerbated when I travel overseas when my iPhone suddenly becomes an impossibly expensive way of staying in touch. Hotels are notorious for outrageous internet connection fees and while there are free wifi spots, they’re not always convenient. That’s why I’m thrilled with the advent of the mobile hotspot.
Before my recent trip to Australia, I reached out to Xcom Global to inquire about their MiFi Mobile Hotspot. They generously allowed me to play around with one at no cost on the trip to see how it works in the real world.
We didn’t waste any time and set up the mobile hotspot within minutes of arriving at our first stop in Sydney. Setting it up amounted to no more than turning it on and both of us were immediately able to connect to our computers at the same time with extremely fast connection speeds. We continued to use the mobile hotspot throughout the trip, from hotels to airports without any problems. Before I left I knew that we wouldn’t be able to utilize it in the Outback, but was surprised when we had great service at Ayers Rock. It didn’t work as well in Kings Canyon or Alice Springs, but that was fully expected. (they have service maps on their website so you can check before you rent to make sure it’ll work for you)
Overall, we were thrilled with the Xcom Global service and are now loyal customers. Not only was it easy to use no matter where we were, it saved us a lot of money. The Xcom Global Unlimited access plan provides unlimited data usage for $14.95 a day. This is further reduced if you’re traveling longer than 14 days. Compare that to what it would have cost us at our hotels:
Sydney – $24.95 per day
Alice Springs – $10 per hour or $30 for 24 hours
Ayers Rock – $10 per hour or $30 for 24 hours
Melbourne – $10 per hour or $30 for 24 hours
We saved more than $100 and were able to use the mobile hotspot wherever we went, not just in our hotel rooms. I can’t believe I haven’t use something similar before now.
Xcom Global currently offers the hotspot for more than 67 countries around the world, allowing for up to five devices to connect simultaneously at high connection speeds. Plus, the device is small, lightweight and easy to carry. I usually slid it in my vest pocket.
Xcom Global also offers a Euro SIM card enabling travelers to visit multiple European destinations using a single device. I obviously haven’t used this product yet, but I definitely will when I next visit the Continent.
Mobile hotspots really are a must for anyone going on vacation. Not only are they cheaper than hotel internet options, but they offer a lot more freedom.
Have you used something similar on your trips? What do you think of them?
This is awesome! Its crazy how internet access can become such a huge part of the budget. I’m just completing 3 weeks in Jamaica and this would have been perfect, especially when roaming around the island. I have an upcoming trip to Europe, so I will definitely check it out!
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Thanks Matt! We are taking off for 2.5 weeks in Europe next Friday, and I just started looking into phone and internet possibilities. Forgot how much of a pain or how expensive it can be. THis is definitely something to look into.
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Matt Long Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 7:49 am
I would definitely give them a try. Do make sure to look at the coverage map first though to make sure it’ll work for your travel plans.
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$14.95/day sounds high to me, although it’s definitely better than the other options you mentioned.
I have a wifi key for Italy (which cost about $60, as I recall), and for 30 euros (under $45) I can add 30 days of unlimited access any time I want, even if it’s been months since the last time I used it. Compared to $15/day, that pays for itself in three days. In some places it’s pretty slow and I get kicked off a lot during peak demand times, but in major cities it’s fast and reliable.
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That’s fantastic! I absolutely have to check out how it works throughout Europe and the daily costs. I simply love having the opportunity to be connected (almost) all the time when I travel.
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Great idea! Matt, do you remember what were the average up and down data-speeds when you were in Sydney, and when you were in the outback?
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Matt Long Reply:
September 7th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
I never checked sadly. The device has a maximum of 7.2Mbps, depending on location, etc. The speed seemed to be the same in Sydney, Melbourne and Ayers Rock. As I said, it was a lost cause in Alice Springs (mostly) and Kings Canyon.
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I have one of these from Verizon, of course it will only work work in the USA and some of its protectorates (territories)
I’ve seen a variety of these through other bloggers such as Nomadic Chick (Jeanie Marks) and mobilelawyer (Michael) they are using another company that offers mifi for some parts of Europe.
What I’d like to see is the ability to buy a mifi that can accept a SIM card (as you noted some do) and stick a prepaid SIM for data access rather than having to subscribe for the service but then I guess prepaid would be more expensive but you get a little bit more flexibility in prepaid options.
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I used an Xcom Global MiFi device on a trip to Paris this Summer and it was great. Although I had free WiFi at my hotel, the service was a little spotty so the MiFi was a great backup. The best part for me though was the ability to use it with my iPad while I was out and about without having to search for free WiFi. Given the fact that Verizon charges about $25/MB for international data on a USB Modem, $14.95/day for unlimited data is a bargain. Ordering the device online and the return with the pre-paid return envelope and label was a breeze. I’ll definitely use Xcom Global again.
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Matt Long Reply:
September 18th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
So glad to hear someone else also had a great experience. We’re planning a trip to Europe this winter and we’ve already talked about renting it again. It’s easy and convenient. Thanks for sharing!
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This was my biggest concern for our upcoming trip. I wish I had known about this before as now I am committed to just winging it. Perhaps some time away from the Internet will be refreshing.
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Hi Matt – it sounds good. Is it only available to Americans though?
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Matt Long Reply:
November 28th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Not that I know of, but you should contact the company directly to make sure.
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