Telstra has announced a new addition to its portable hotspot range, in the form of the pre-paid 4G My Pocket WiFi Ultimate. Shown above, the My Pocket WiFi Ultimate is the first Australian mobile device compatible with the 700 MHz 4G spectrum that is being rolled out from January 2015. Just as the Next G network did great things for Telstra’s 3G coverage, so too will the 700 MHz network perform for the 4G network; Telstra claims it will bring greater regional coverage and deeper in-building coverage, as well as great speeds and capacity.
The My Pocket WiFi Ultimate also has another nifty feature; it’s integrated with Telstra’s billing system on a low level, meaning that it displays your data usage in relatively recent increments, so you can keep tabs on how much data you’re using, and more importantly, how much you’ve got left.
The colour LCD display also confirms which network you’re connected to, and at what speed, as well as any system notifications or alerts. Like previous models, the WiFi network name and password are displayed on the device for ease of connectivity. The My Pocket WiFi Ultimate supports up to 10 devices at once, meaning you can easily use it just for yourself, or for a group of friends or workmates as well (provided you’re not afraid of chewing through your data nice and quickly).
The device also features a built in web-portal where users can view, monitor and adjust settings as needed (for example, a new password or hotspot name), as well as offering a guided activation process for those not so technically savvy.
The My Pocket WiFi Ultimate is available now from Telstra retail stores and online for $149, including 5GB of data to get you started.
does it have a strong network signals?,all i need is full boost of internet speed without a problem of any signals
It’s showing up on the Telstra web site now, but only under contract. It’s not listed as a pre-pay device, at least not yet.
This is not the first 4G device to be compatible with 700Mhtz.
The first mobile broadband device compatible with 700mhtz is the “Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G Advanced Pro X” which is Telstra code for a Huawei 5786
The Galaxy S5 and HTC One Telstra sell are also compatible with APT700
I used one of these only 3 hours ago. Had it connected to a laptop and tablet wirelessly and its small screen was really easy to use. Speeds were quite fast in the CBD, but I doubt it would be any good outside.
For those wanting some more info, here’s the manual for the product: http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/aircard/AC_785S_Telstra/AC785S_UM_29APR14.pdf
I can’t find this device on the Telstra web site. Has anybody actually seen it in the retail stores? Sydney CBD, for example?
The media release came around yesterday afternoon so stock might not be across their retail network just yet.
A VERY useful looking piece of kit to go with a WiFi only tablet.
What pre-paid plans is Telstra making this device available for use with?
This is why Telstra is the best Telco in this country and it’s not even close
Will it take a standard phone SIM? Or the SIM from my USB wireless card?
It uses a MicroSIM, so if your phone or USB wireless takes one of those, you can pop it straight in. If you’ve got a standard SIM, you can either get it cut to size, or take it into a Telstra shop to swap it over. As it’s a prepaid device, I’d expect it to be locked to Telstra SIMs unless you unlock it, presumably for a further fee.
Thanks guys. Assumed that this would be the case.
how long does the battery last ?
Pages 12 and 13 of the PDF manual Chris gave the link to, show what size SIM this device uses, a micro SIM