Many times over the years, when I have been visiting a neighboring country, I have wished for Wi-Fi in locations that either charged way too much for it per hour or didn’t offer a secure connection. Looking for Wi-Fi is very tricky for travelers.
Overview
Visiting an Internet Café in a cruise port can open you up to any number of privacy issues with unsecured PCs, key loggers and “free” Wi-Fi. It also used to be that utilizing a phone’s hotspot functionality internationally would rack up a hefty data bill. We’ve all heard horror stories of people returning from a week abroad and receiving bills for data roaming charges reaching into multiple thousands of dollars.
You can now control costs, instantly connect locally, and have peace of mind that your Wi-Fi traffic is secure with WPA2 level encryption via the Uros Goodspeed mobile hotspot.
The Goodspeed looks like most other standalone hotspots you may have seen, but that’s where the similarity stops. Going under the hood reveals a multitude of SIM card slots – ten to be exact – a 2550 mAh battery that lasts up to eight hours, and a LCD status screen. The first top left card slot is reserved for the control SIM, which communicates back to Uros.
Goodspeed has plans for personal and business users, it all depends on how much data you think you will be using. Once your personal or business travel plans have been decided, visit the Goodspeed website. Their convenient plan matrix makes it easier to decide what you will need.
The Goodspeed service is available in three levels: Lite, Pro and Business. The lite service comes with no monthly fee, but has the highest daily rate at $23.99. This gives you up to 1,000 MB of data, 30 days of country activation and one supported hotspot. The Goodspeed hotspot is $329. For those who go on a very short trip, or where the hotspot might not be utilized as much, this is likely your best option.
If you are planning a longer trip than a day or two, the Goodspeed Pro plan is a good choice. It costs between $13.99 and $29.99 a month, depending if you want to roll in the 24 month device and service contract, a daily rate that starts at $7.99, up to 1,000 MB of data and unlimited destination activation. That means the SIMs installed will be good for as long as your contract is with Goodspeed.
The Business plan from Goodspeed gives you even more flexibility depending on how many mobile routers your company needs. The fees are reasonable at $19.99 a month per device, daily passes from $7.99, up to 1,000 MB of data, unlimited SIM card activation and destination validation. Each Goodspeed hotspot under this plan is the same price as in the Lite plan. The Business plan dashboard also includes user stats along with a central area to control which devices are active at any given moment.
That is where the Goodspeed mobile hotspot shines the most. Insert the SIM cards, activate them on their easy to use web based dashboard and you are ready to roam with enough data for casual web surfing, email and reporting back to family and friends on how your trip is going.
I was surprised at at how quickly a connection was made with a device carrying so many SIM cards. It took a little over a minute to find a compatible 3G signal and create a secure connection. The Goodspeed Wi-Fi hotspot supports up to five devices once it is ready.
Uros’ Goodspeed is a good deal for anyone who travels out of country and doesn’t want sky-high bills for data from their domestic cellular provider. Gone are the days of looking high and low for open Wi-Fi. The Goodspeed mobile hotspot has you covered worldwide.
Verdict
I wish I had this on several of my trips to Mexico and Canada over the years. Finding Wi-Fi was a pain and when I did, I had no idea if it was secure. This fixes both problems and would have allowed me to enjoy more of where I was visiting.
Rating:
Pros:
- Compact Wi-Fi Hotspot that holds 10 standard sized SIM cards
- Long lasting battery rated at 8 hours
- LED screen for status
- WPA2 Wi-Fi security standard
Cons:
- Non-removable battery
- New SIM cards take time for delivery
Disclaimer: I was provided a Goodspeed hotspot at no cost for review. I was not compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are mine. All photos are courtesy of Uros.
