The big unanswered question from our announcement of the “Ridiculously Awesome” Millenicom iPad Mini deal – would the iPads be locked to T-Mobile or not? Millenicom expected that they would be, though my research lead me to expect that like other iPad’s the devices from Millenicom would actually be unlocked.
Our Retina iPad Mini arrived this evening, and we’ve been testing it with every SIM (the tiny card that identifies a phone or tablet to the subscribed wireless network) we have in the house.
And….
It works with every SIM we threw at it!
And despite what we had been told to expect, the T-Mobile plan activated on the SIM even supports Personal Hotspot tethering!
Here are some quick testing notes:
T-Mobile
The SIM that comes from Millenicom pre-installed in the Retina iPad is activated on T-Mobile’s network, and provides for FREE service until March 1st, 2014. The plan provides for 6.5GB LTE data, unlimited “non-LTE” service, and unlimited international 2G data (in over 100 countries!).
I do not yet know whether the “unlimited non-LTE service” includes T-Mobile’s fast 4G network, or whether it drops back to the much slower 2G network when you have reached your monthly limit. If it includes unlimited 4G, this is incredibly awesome. And even if not, this is still superb – at the very least you’ll still be able to get at email until your monthly account reset rolls around.
Millenicom has posted some more details of what happens come March:
[quote_box_center]What happens after March 1, 2014?You will automatically be subscribed to the $59.99 6.5GB, unlimited non-LTE service plan with unlimited International service in over 100 countries worldwide. You can change to the 500MB service plan for $19.99 per month. For customers using other service plans with Millenicom you can chose the 500MB LTE with unlimited international service for $10.00 per month.
Special Note: If you ordered one of these iPads based on our pre-announcement, be sure to notify Millenicom of your decision by March 1. We were not aware when we posted of the automatic subscription to the $59.99 plan.[/quote_box_center]
T-Mobile’s coverage area is dwarfed by Verizon and AT&T, but even considering the network limitations this option is too good to ignore as a secondary connection, and we’ll be keeping an eye on coverage as we travel to see how viable T-Mobile may be as a primary nomadic companion.
But an even bigger surprise for us was discovering that Personal Hotspot works perfectly on the Millenicom / T-Mobile SIM included with the iPad, and we were able to create a hotspot to get our laptops online with the free data too. Total Score, considering Millenicom had told us upfront that personal hotspot would not work.
And BTW – we also tested the Millenicom / T-Mobile SIM in Cherie’s older AT&T iPad Mini. It worked, though here in Austin we are only getting LTE on the Retina Mini, and the older Mini is only getting 4G. I am a bit surprised by this.
We’ll test further in other places around town.
AT&T
Next up, we tried the grandfathered unlimited AT&T SIM from Cherie’s old iPad Mini.
And… It worked great in the Millenicom Retina Mini – instantly connecting with LTE!
With this SIM we have unlimited Netflix streaming, and access to AT&T’s network.
I also tried the SIM from my AT&T iPhone 5, and to my surprise that worked as well – connecting to LTE just fine. Of course it was incapable of making any voice calls, but FaceTime and Skype worked fine. If you have one of the ‘unlimited’ AT&T iPhone plans however, do not expect it to work – as that plan never included shareable data with other devices.
So check ‘works with AT&T service’ off the testing list. Another Score!
Verizon (Millenicom Hotspot SIM)
The next test was the SIM from our Millenicom 20GB Hotspot plan, which is actually a Verizon LTE SIM that came shipped with a Novatel 4620LE Jetpack Device. But because the 4620 device has some firmware issues that make it frustrating to use, we have been running the SIM card in our iPad 3rd generation instead, and using Personal Hotspot from there to make a WiFi hotspot. It’s been working great, but we were curious if the T-Mobile iPad would be able to take over that role.
The iPad 3 and the Millenicom Novatel MiFi Hotspot use a “Micro” sized SIM card, and the iPad Mini’s use a “Nano” sized SIM card. We used a SIM cutting tool ($8.88 on Amazon) to cut the Verizon SIM down to nano-size, popped it into the Retina iPad Mini, and… Verizon LTE with Personal Hotspot enabled!!!
This Retina iPad Mini actually makes for the perfect device to use with the Millenicom Hotspot plan when the 4620 is flaking out. Score, Score, Score!
[quote_center]Note: The Retina iPad Mini is compatible with Verizon LTE radio frequencies. The non-Retina iPad Mini being offered by T-Mobile / Millenicom has a different radio, and is NOT Verizon (or Sprint) compatible at all. If you want to transplant a Verizon SIM, keep this in mind![/quote_center]
Sprint
We do not have a Sprint account or SIM to test with, but we have heard reports that even though all iPads seem to be fully unlocked as shipped from Apple, Sprint at the network level is blocking cellular activation of any iPad that they do not sell pre-activated.
If anyone has any luck trying a Sprint SIM, please post here.
Universal & Unlocked – Yeehaw!
So it seem that the Retina iPad Mini via Millenicom really is indeed fully unlocked – you can use it on any network that you have a valid activated SIM card for. And of course – the T-Mobile plans that Millenicom are offering are pretty awesome too.
It is just great to have so many options to pop in whatever SIM works in your current location – and no painful contracts either. And because the iPads offered are the cellular version, you get a true GPS chipset to enable better navigation. The only downside of this offer is that the iPad Minis offered is in the 16GB size.
This offer is now officially available on Millenicom’s website. If you haven’t checked it out yet I suggest you act fast – they told us this was “limited” but we have no idea how quickly they will run out of iPad Minis to sell.
The price is too good to ignore – this is better than any “Black Friday” iPad deal I have seen anywhere, not even factoring in the free T-Mobile data service until March!
Now… I have to figure out how to make due with just 16GB of storage on my iPad now!
Disclosure: We have absolutely no affiliation with Millenicom and have nothing to gain by posting this review, we’re just happy long term customers who have become trusted enthusiasts. We usually purchase our own equipment from them and pay for our own service, though as a thank you for getting the word out about this offer, Millenicom surprised us by ‘neglecting’ to charge us for the Retina iPad Mini they shipped us, though we did not ask for this nor expect it when we first placed our order. Thank you Millenicom!
More Mobile Internet Information
We’ve set up a new central corner on our blog linking to all our mobile internet information in one place – our articles, video, links and our The Mobile Internet Handbook.
Check it out: Mobile Internet for RVers Resource Page
More related posts on mobile internet:
Hello! I just purchased 2 RVs…one for me and one for my Son! We are so brand new to this that we have not even taken our first trip yet! So, before we set out on the road, I was needing a little help. I currently have a MacBook Pro, Samsung Tablet, and an iPhone 5s….do I need to purchase the iPad mini and sell the other tablet? Does it have to be the mini or can I get the iPad Air with this offer? I’m just so confused. I already pay almost $200 a month on my cell phone bill with Sprint and I don’t really want to add anymore. Any suggestions? I need to do whatever will keep me in a stable & strong stream of internet as I need it to earn my living. I should add, I do quite a bit of movie streaming. Any suggestions are very appreciated! I am so thankful I found your site/blog!
Leslie
Hi Leslie… this iPad deal is just but one option that is possible to add to a mobile internet arsenal. Millenicom does offer both the Mini and the Air now (but I do believe at this moment they’re out of stock).
Before purchasing anything, I’d recommend educating yourself on all of the options and deciding what is right for you. You can start at https://www.technomadia.com/internet, which is our resource page.
It looks like the FAQ at the Millenium.com website (http://millenicom.com/faq/) now says that one option for your iPad is to get 200MB LTE / unlimited Non-LTE at no monthly cost:
“What happens to my iPad account when my free service ends?
Your plan allows monthly free service for 200MB LTE with unlimited non-LTE thereafter and unlimited non-LTE International Internet access or you can continue the 6.5GB LTE service plan with unlimited non-LTE thereafter and unlimited non-LTE International Internet access for $59.99/mo.”
Is this correct or am I reading it wrong?
Arrgyle
Yup, that’s the new deal. It defaults back to the standard T-mobile free option. Pretty sweet.
Hmm, we’re pretty much dead center as well. Once I get the iPad at least I’ll be able to tell if its the Novatel hotspot hardware that is the issue or if its something else.
Quick question on sim cutting, if I read correctly you had to cut the hotspot sim in order to make it fit into the retina mini? If so, did you get an adapter to be able to use the now smaller sim fit back into the novatel, or have you not put it back into the novatel yet?
And a couple more questions, about your experience with the Wifiranger Go. Do you find it stable for you? I personally find that on some networks (not all) I have to reconnect periodically in order to get the speeds back up, almost as if it slows down over time. Also, is there a way to have it automatically reconnect to the same network after it has dropped it for whatever reason? My Go keeps dropping the Cal Expo wifi signal so I have to manually reconnect it when that happens. Would be great if it could be automatic. And finally, any chance you use an Apple TV to airplay media from an Apple device, through the Go? We have an Apple TV hooked up to the Go via ethernet for the times when we are on a filtered network, since the Apple TV isn’t able to log into those on its own. I find that the video will stutter when using airplay, through the GO, but not so when air playing through other routers…..
Thanks!
Our recent Millenicom Survival Guide post covered the SIM cutting more in depth (https://www.technomadia.com/millenicomverizon). Yes, the kit we recommended comes with adaptors.
As for your other questions about WiFiRanger, they’re really not relevant to this thread and it’s best to direct them either towards WiFiRanger’s support system – https://www.wifiranger.com/support, or you’re also welcome to join our Internet for RVers group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/rvinternet and pose internet related conversations there. We created it specifically to have these sorts of discussions with a group of folks, especially as it’s so difficult to keep up with individually answering everyone’s questions. Thanks.
Sorry, will join up shortly. Thanks for the info, you guys are great!
They shipped today after I ordered last night, can’t wait to get it. Our old iPad 2 wifi will go on eBay, to help offset the cost. I’m thinking I may also purchase the rand McNally rv GPS app and sell our 7710 GPS, should help consolidate gadgets and reduce dashboard clutter. :-).
As for Cal Expo, the wifi routinely drops off our ranger go, and really slows down. It’s frustrating, so we reach for the hotspot, but I can get only two to three bars, even in the sleek cradle. And the signal will drop to nothing pretty often as well. It’s almost as if there’s interference from something else….. Just realized we are on the gravel lot, while you were on the blacktop. I think I’ll walk around and see if the network gets better elsewhere on the property.
We were actually in the gravel lot… pretty center.
just ordered my retina iPad mini last night, the CSR I talked to said they just got in a shipment yesterday and were fulfilling pre-orders and filling new ones. Hopefully will get it next week. My fiancÁ© and I have been full timing for almost two years now (actually currently at the Cal Expo park you guys were at last month), and just recently reactivated our 20gb plan after a long stint as park hosts with steady wifi. I was thinking of getting the t-mobile nexus 7 and putting the verizon 20gb sim in it to serve as a dual purpose tablet/hotspot, and just signing up for the free 200mb plan. But then I remembered your article on the iPad Mini, so I jumped on that! I think I’m going to just cancel the existing t-mobile service (tho maybe I’ll upgrade to), get a t-mobile sim with the 200mb plan, and for the bulk of data, use the 20gig verizon sim. This way we’ll have triple redundancy for internet (at&t on our smartphones, verizon and t-mobile via the iPad). Does this all sound feasible?
BTW, did you guys have terrible 4G service with the 20gb hotspot at the Cal Expo? The wifi is awful here.
Hey guys.. your plan sounds like what our plan is (although, we’ll probably keep the 500MB plan for $10 on Millenicom for T-Mobile after the trial is over). We’ve found the T-Mobile to be a worthwhile member of our arsenal, and we like what the company is up to change the industry a bit.
If I recall, we were able to get the Cal Expo WiFi working pretty well via our WiFiRanger, and boosted up the LTE Verizon just fine there. AT&T worked great too. Don’t recall any bandwidth woes while there.
Triple redundancy for the win!
It can be a pain to juggle so many connection options, but you will so thankful in the long run.
My fiancÁ© would agree most definitely! She’s young enough to only remember broadband connectivity, and she’s also working full time as an outside engineering sales rep at the moment, so if the network isn’t up to snuff, I’m the one who hears about it!
Just wanted to follow up with you guys about the Millenicom 6.5GB iPad plan. In my area I have very unstable T-Mobile LTE service, and my connection bounces between 3 bars on 4G and 2 bars on LTE. Max speed so far has been around 18Mbps while connected via LTE. Because of the speed and latency fluctuations I simply switched off LTE and quickly ran through my alloted minutes. I believe that my plan was throttled down because my speed dropped, however I was happy to find that, at least in my area, “unlimited non-LTE service” translated to an average of 4Mbps down/.25Mbps up. Not awesome, but very much usable for unlimited everyday web surfing, etc.
To test things further, I started updating my Steam game collection, and am siting at around 33GB, or 26.5GB of “non-LTE” downloads past my allotment. To further test things, I surpassed my data allotment on my MetroPCS phone(on the T-Mobile network) and at approx 10GB past my allotment, I’m still pulling 4Mbps download speeds.
After brief discussions with people on broadbandreports.com , it seems that depending on area, throttling on T-Mobile in no longer limited to horribly slow 2G speeds, and in some cases includes up to 4G speeds as well. Certainly something worth watching.
Anyway, just wanted to share that info with everyone here. Thanks again for you coverage of this subject.
Thank you for sharing!
This matches our first month’s experience too. We’ve managed to use 20GB so far, and yesterday I was able to manage a 4G speed test of 8Mbps down – faster than we are getting from AT&T’s LTE here in Cedar Key!
If this is what “throttled” looks like on T-Mobile, we are very happy campers!
– Chris
Looking at the $59 plan starting 3/1/2014, that really doesn’t seem to be a very good deal, and we would be better off transitioning to T Mobile directly.
Millenicom – 6.5gb $59.99
T Mobile 6.5gb $50.00 (or 8.5gb for $60)
* both include international
* Millenicom has unlimited “non-LTE”
* T Mobile has “no overage” with throttling to 2G speed
Am I missing something?
We agree.. we haven’t found much advantage. But do keep in mind, Millenicom’s price includes taxes & fees, and T-Mobiles does not. So they are really more equal in deal.
For us. we’ll probably switch to the $10/month deal to add 500MB of T-Mobile to our arsenal as a back-up.
I noticed that the retina was sold out last night, so I added one of the $199 iPad Minis to my Millenicom account just in case. I received billing confirmation this afternoon, so I guess I got in just in time.
Thanks to everyone for the info. You guys are awesome!
Shucks, I may have missed the boat.
The iPad mini offer on Millenicom’s website is no longer active. Its a dead link. When I chatted with the support person, they said the offer was unavailable until further notice.
Yup.. word is, they are now sold out.
Regarding the T-Mobile plan, is there any more information on the “non-LTE” service? Is that 2G only, or does the unlimited include 3G/4G as well?
Thanks!
We haven’t found the answer yet, and are doing our best to use up that first 6.5GB of data to see what happens.
Thanks for the response. I’ll look forward to hearing more about how all this is working out.
Best wishes,
Angie
So was the device new when you received it? Wrapped and sealed? Just want to make sure this isn’t used, refurb, return, etc. thanks!
Yes.. ours was a fully sealed, absolutely brand new device.
We just received ours and it is fully sealed. Works great! We also got the Wilson Sleek LTE version from 3GStore, and the little SIM chip cutter from Amazon. Christmas came A little early!
The 2G has been sighted on our new iPad already where we are camped. The iPad Mini shows it as E. Fluctuates between 4G and E. This is working to surf slowly but then we tend to live on the fringe .
This looks almost too good to be true. We have the 4620LE with all it’s quirks. But it does have antenna connection. And we like to go to places where verizon not real strong. 3G at best. So a couple questions.
1) if we cut down the verizon Sim and want to put back into the 4620, is there some sort of housing I can put it in to then reinstall into the 4620?
2) will the LTE iPad still work with 3G if that is only available t mobile signal?
3) if I use the verizon SIM in iPad and in area with weak signal, how best to amplify signal?
Thanks
Kent
pS we are headed today for Las Cruces area. Am looking at Catherine state park in which you stayed and the Mesilla restaurant. Looks good!
Hi Kent –
1) if we cut down the verizon Sim and want to put back into the 4620, is there some sort of housing I can put it in to then reinstall into the 4620?
Yes – Most SIM cutters come with adapters, such as the one Chris linked to.
2) will the LTE iPad still work with 3G if that is only available t mobile signal?
As far as we’re aware, yes. We’ve only had ours a couple days and have only used it on 4G and LTE thus far. But the iPad Retina is the most versatile device on the market in terms of number of frequencies it supports. Our AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE iPads have always scaled back to the available signal, and considering the data plan includes unlimited ‘non-LTE’ T-Mobile data, this would be a logical assumption.
3) if I use the verizon SIM in iPad and in area with weak signal, how best to amplify signal?
We rest ours up against our Wilson Sleek 4.
pS we are headed today for Las Cruces area. Am looking at Catherine state park in which you stayed and the Mesilla restaurant. Looks good!
We actually stated at Leasburg SP. I believe Catherine’s was mentioned in comments to that post, and is near Tucson? The restaurant was ok… wouldn’t say it’s worth going out of your way for. The locals might have better suggestions, we went there because it was ‘the’ touristy place to go.
Thanks for quick update. I just ordered the mini and the Sim device. Will have it sent to a friend in Tucson for when we return. We currently have the 4620 with verizon until we can cancel in January and get the millenicon. Will report back.
And thanks for “tip” on La Posta. Will see.
Cherie
we tried La Posta. it was ok.
WHich Wilson Sleek do you use? the one for Verizon LTE? or CDMA 3G?
Yes, we use the LTE version. Here’s our arsenal detailed: https://www.technomadia.com/2012/12/mobile-internet-for-rvers/
My family plans on rving for a year. My wife would still like to take some online courses so we really need a reliable internet connection. We really like to stay in state and national parks when possible so what is the best solution? I’ve read your reviews on mifi and it looks like that would work for us. What would you recommend for someone taking fulltime classes? What about the wifi ranger? I’ve seen lots of good posts about that to. How about cheap cell service? Thanks love your blog!
Hi Adrian –
We recommend checking out our Mobile Internet resource page at https://www.technomadia.com/internet which has links to all our articles on this topic, including an hour long video chat. We also wrote a comprehesive book on this topic, The Mobile Internet Handbook. It’s actually on sale this weekend for just $4.99. I believe all of your questions are answered there.
All sounds good except the automatic enrollment in T-Mobile non-LTE plan for $60 per month at the end of the free period. That’s a deal breaker for me. If I read your notes correctly, for those with a Millenicom Verizon plan, you can opt for their 500MB added plan for $10 per month; which makes the Millenicom bill $80 per month instead of $70. Still not a good deal for me, since I never go over the 20GB limit with the Jetpack. Do I have that right?
Your other option is to just close your Millenicom T-Mobile account and have no T-Mobile data via Millenicom. There’s no contract, and you can still use the iPad on WiFi (or as we found, with SIM cards from other carriers).
For us, we’ll probably opt for the $10 plan – so that we have an additional carrier to get online should Verizon and AT&T not be present or working. For us, having redundancy is key to happy connectivity on the road.
I’m thinking the $10 plan looks great too. A complement to my Millenicom Advanced plan (which I would change to the Mi-Fi plan in a heartbeat if I knew the 4620 would work better this time).
PS: Although I don’t “love” automatic renewal type things, I still went for it and just put a reminder on my calendar in late February. But yeah, I don’t even do rebates because who needs the hassle (but then I’m just horrible at that type of thing!)
It’s a little odd that Millenicom’s 6.5gb LTE/unlimited 2G will cost $59.99/mo. T-Mobile offers the same no-contract service for $50/mo. Millenicom usually offers a much better monthly rate. I guess they are counting on people to stay loyal with the discounted iPad Mini purchase upfront?
http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/mobile-internet.html
BTW, the non-retina one is an updated iPad Mini (Model A1454) which has LTE antennae for T-Mobile and AT&T (Bands 2, 4, 5, 17). The original iPad Mini released in 2012 only supported AT&T LTE bands. Verizon is starting to use LTE Band 5 (AWS). So maybe some people can get Verizon LTE service with it, but I doubt it. If you want all choices, get the retina one or wait for the iPad Air.
Keep in mind, that T-Mobile also charges “Plus taxes, fees and monthly device payment” on top of the $50/month. So basically, it comes out about the same – as Millenicom’s price is inclusive of taxes and fees. Which is unusual for Millenicom deals, indeed – such as if you compare the 20GB Verizon plan. It’ll be interesting to see how many folks stick with the T-Mobile data plan after the 3-months of free service are over.
Mike —
Indeed, the initial iPad Mini did not support T-Mobile’s LTE bands, but once T-Mobile had a deal with Apple this support was added. But – the model number did not change!
I haven’t been able to figure out a way to tell if an original iPad Mini has the T-Mobile AWS support or not — other than perhaps by trying to extract a manufacturing date from the serial number.
Do you know of any easier way to tell?
This might be important for anyone buying a used iPad Mini.
– Chris
Great follow up. I’m sorry to read that the “plain” Mini I bought will not support a Verizon SIM though. Boo hoo! (I did wonder after reading specs on Apple’s site though, so not a huge surprise.)
Oh, but wait, a question: You say the “plain” mini won’t work with Verizon LTE. Does that mean it won’t work with a Verizon SIM at all, or just that it won’t work on the fastest network (that’s LTE, right?), but that it would work on … 3G? (newbie here)
I’m of course going to give T-Mobile a chance, but since I travel a lot was hoping to have Verizon as a fallback plan.
On the other other hand, this is my first iPad, and the “plain” one was such a good deal that it was “painless” to try out and see if I would take to the iPad, if so would I take to the Mini (or replace with the Air), and then would I want more storage capacity or not. I didn’t feel “ready” to make that decision on the retina model yet.
Too bad they don’t offer larger storage capacity retina models! And, as long as I’m wishing, white ones 😀
So far I’m liking the iPad/Mini so much that I’m thinking keep this “plain” one just for mapping/charting and then perhaps get another, more “full featured” one… maybe with more storage.
Anyway, although I would have loved it if this one could have had full Verizon capability, but… it’s still pretty sweet.
Thanks for the great posts!
Pen – the ‘plain’ Mini does not support the Verizon LTE service, but you can get Verizon 3G and below service on it.
I too wish they offered the retina version in white and 32G… then I’d be upgrading my Mini right away!
Actually – the plain T-Mobile Mini will NOT support Verizon or Sprint at all, though it will work great on AT&T.
The original Mini came in two different versions – a GSM version with support for AT&T and T-Mobile, and a CDMA version with support for Verizon and Sprint.
There is only one hardware version of the Retina Mini, and it supports all networks.
I’ve got a longer post in the works that explains all the frequency and radio differences at work here.
Look for my answers to “Frequency Asked Questions” soon…
– Chris
I just updated the post to clarify that the non-Retina Mini being offered by T-Mobile is not Sprint or Verizon compatible at all.
Thanks for pointing out where my language was confusing!
Thanks Cherie and Chris,
I had previously looked at the specs on the Apple site, and while it looked reasonably certain that the retina minis all had both “radios” (or whatever it is technically), it also looked a bit less clear for the “plain” Mini, so I’m not totally surprised (although if I were ordering now again I might change to the retina). Still, I’m rocking the T-Mobile now, and not a big investment, as tech stuff goes. Just having mapping in the RV… wow… sweet! No more writing directions on a slip of paper and taping it to the dashboard (which did not “re-route” if I missed a turn!).
Yeah, if the Retina offering were white and 32GB or more… sign me up. Still fantastic though, and made all the more so by your companion posts.
Ordered one today (non-retina) on their website based on your review and left a comment that I found them through the Technomads 🙂
So if one move into the $19.95 plan after the initial 3 months,is that $19.95 plan on a contract?
Millenicom is a no contract company.
Being a “newbie” at much of this nomaic style, but a 27 year Apple customer, please help me.
If I buy the Retina iPad Mini, it comes with a T-mobile SIM? I am a Verizon customer for my iPhone, so come 3/1, I can cancel the T-Mobile and get a SIM from Verizon and add this to my plan?
I do have the original iPad, presently using, that I bought the first day they came out. Their original plan with Verizon where you could go month to month worked great.
Thanks for any suggestions, advice, and help. I will be in Cedar Key in March.
As we reported above, we were able to put our Verizon SIM in and it worked.
Woo hoo! Mine should arrive today…of course I’m freezing in Idaho visiting family for Thanksgiving, so testing will have to wait.
Have you chronicled about “the 4620 device has some firmware issues that make it frustrating to use” before? The 20GB Jetpack will be my lifeline for work starting in January when we are on the road full time. I’d like to know what to should look out for.
I don’t think we’ve made a specific post about the 4620, but it’s been a common thread throughout many of our posts about internet on the road (linked above), and even merited a special section in our book on the topic (The Mobile Internet Handbook).
So this gets me thinking.. why doesn’t Millenicom just skip the problematic Novatel 4620LE and offer a 4G/LTE tablet Android or Apple and let customers use that as a connection and hotspot device for the Verizon 20gb plan?
I suspect that T-Mobile wouldn’t be too keen on them explicitly marketing it that way 🙂
Cherie.. I was thinking skip the whole T-Mobile provider thing and get away from the 4620le and let you use a tablet like device to provide your hotspot. By the way there is firmware update for the 4620le.. I just updated mine this morning to ver: 3.30.12. Have a good one.. Hans
I’m fairly certain that the arrangement that Millenicom has with Verizon has dependency on selling the device too. Many of us have popped the SIM out however and use it in other devices that are more reliable. Prior to the Sprint fiasco, Millenicom did offer a BYOD plan on Sprint – but for whatever reason, they don’t have such an arrangement with Verizon.
At last new firmware from Novatel – wow!
I wonder what issues they have fixed, and if the 4620 has gotten any more reliable?
Wow, not only the great info in the post, but extra info in the comments 🙂 The Novatel/Millenicom hotspot plan was going to be perfect for me, so I ordered one last August to take over the duties from my “advanced plan” USB device. But… the darned thing just wouldn’t work properly. Constantly dropped if a second device was connected via the hotspot. But maybe there is hope now?! How have you fared with the updated firmware?
I just spent the evening trying out the 4620L with the updated firmware….
And it still sucks.
Loading complicated pages for me still regularly resulted in pages timing out or all images not loading.
Fortunately the SIM from the 4620L works great in an iPad, and the iPad as a hotspot is about 1000x more capable than the 4620L.
*sigh*
I am curious if anyone has experienced different results with the new firmware?
– Chris
Well ugh, but… good to know. Darn, because that little Mi-Fi would be so darned handy! I guess the older/older firmware is okay… because I read (enviously) of so many RV’ers having no problems with it — but they have had it for quite some time. I ordered one last August and had the exact same experience as you – in places where my USB 760 (advanced plan) was working great. I regretfully sent the 4620 back. Had wondered if the newer 4620 with the “E” might be better but guessing that only effects battery life. Thanks for testing!
Everything I was able to research indeed implies that the only difference between the 4620L and 4620LE is battery life.
I do see that Novatel now has a new “next generation MiFi 2” device, but at the moment in the US I think it is an AT&T exclusive. Once that exclusive runs out, maybe Millenicom can offer it – hopefully it performs better.
– Chris
All I can say is AWESOME!! Santa (aka my husband) took my Retina iPad hostage and is holding it until Christmas–I can’t wait. Thanks again guys for giving us the heads up about this great deal!!