T-Mobile USA launched its first HSPA+ mobile hotspot product, joining the ranks of larger carriers that have been peddling hotspot devices to connect Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets to their macro networks.
The carrier, which announced the ZTE-made 4G Mobile Hotspot at the 2011 CTIA Wireless show in March, will sell the device for $79.99 with a two-year contract. The hotspot enables customers to share a connection to T-Mobile's HSPA+ 21 network with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. The device, which resembles a clamshell phone, weighs in at 2.64 ounces. Shortly before the hotspot was unveiled, T-Mobile launched a 10 GB webConnect data plan that has no data overage charges; the plan costs $85 per month and needs to be paired with a two-year contract.
Other carriers, including Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR), have made mobile hotspot devices key offerings for their data networks. Verizon unveiled three new mobile hotspot products for its LTE network in January.
T-Mobile's HSPA+ 21 network currently covers more than 200 million POPs in more than 167 markets. By mid-year, the carrier plans to deploy dual-carrier HSPA+ 42 to 140 million POPs in 25 markets.
For more:
- see this T-Mobile page
- see this TMoNews post
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