Vodafone partnership boosts Uros' global mobile Wi-Fi network service

Uros, a Finland-based provider of global mobile Wi-Fi internet services, opened the door to 11 new markets in Europe and Africa through a partnership with Vodafone Roaming Services, the voice and data roaming arm of the global mobile operator.

The agreement will see Uros leverage Vodafone's roaming partnerships to extend its low-cost mobile Wi-Fi service--named Goodspeed--into Albania, Malta, Romania, Turkey, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania in July. Uros also plans to enter New Zealand as part of the partnership agreement, which will take the total number of markets where Goodspeed is available to 77.

Company CEO Tommi Uhari said the partnership with Vodafone means Uros "can be sure our customers can connect confidently wherever they go," and is a "great step forward to remove issues related to international data roaming."

In a statement, Uros explained that its Goodspeed service enables international travellers to create a private WLAN network using a dedicated hotspot that can accommodate up to 10 SIM cards. The hotspot effectively acts as a portable router that provides connectivity via 3G and 4G networks in the countries where users are travelling.

Once the network is established, travellers can connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices and access data as if in their home market for a "predictable fixed fee" that eliminates bill shock.

The service costs depend on the amount of data that users select, with a package of up to 1 GB available per day for a daily fee of between €5.90 ($6.60) and €16.50. The Goodspeed hotspot, which is sold separately, costs from €239 or €19.90 with a 24-month contract.

Uros has also teamed up with Chinese equipment manufacturer ZTE to launch a 4G version of the hotspot, which will be available from July. The company noted that the Goodspeed 4G service and device would initially be available in selected destinations, offering a maximum downlink speed of 150 Mbps and an uplink speed of 50 Mbps. It would also support up to 15 W-Fi devices.

For more:
- see this Uros release
- read Uros' related ZTE announcement

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