New Huawei mobile WiFi devices priced from P2,599

Huawei Philippines is starting a revolution—a gentle one that aims to inspire wireless Internet access in tiangges, sari-sari stores, privately owned cars, public vehicles, and other unlikely areas. The mobile WiFi (aka MiFi) movement is under way, and the Huawei E355 and E5331 are leading the charge.

MiFi products are pocket-sized wireless routers which provide Internet access for WiFi-enabled devices via 2G/3G SIM cards.

 

Huawei E355 (Price: P2,599)

Prior to Huawei Philippines’ product launch yesterday, you may have already spotted the Huawei E355 in Smart stores dotting malls all over the Philippines. That’s because the high-speed-access-USB-dongle-cum-hotspot is being used by the telco in one of its mobile-broadband packages. (See New P3,495 Smart Plug-It works as a ’4G’ hotspot.)

The plug-it model can reach ultra-fast speeds of up to 21.6Mbps and can hook up 5 WiFi-enabled devices simultaneously. As expected, the dongle doesn’t come with its own power source, but Huawei Philippines plans to remedy this by selling several USB power chargers (think wall and car plugs) specifically for the high-performance broadband stick. Alternatively, you can opt for generic USB wall and car chargers for the same purpose.

Regardless, the plug-it’s support for USB add-ons makes for true on-the-go connectivity, allowing you to turn your car into a WiFi hotspot on wheels. That means Internet access to passengers on transit.

Huawei E355 specs:

• 3G: HSPA+/UMTS; 2G: EDGE/GPRS/GSM
• Download: Up to 21.6Mbps
• Upload: Up to 5.76Mbps
• microSD card supported up to 32GB
• 90.6 × 28.6 × 12.6mm
• 40 grams
• Compatibility: Windows XP/Vista/Windows7, Mac OS 10.5/Mac OS 10.6/Mac OS 10.7

 

Huawei E5331 (Price: P4,399)

The Huawei E5331 is a palm-sized broadband router. Beyond its 12.8mm-thin profile and cotton white, soap-shaped form factor, it allows a peak download speed of 21.6Mbps. It has its own UMTS/WLAN high-gain antenna for improved reception; LED indicators; and a 1,500mAh battery which boasts up to 5 hours of nonstop connectivity, according to Huawei. More importantly, the E5331 can connect as many as 8 WiFi-ready hardware at any given time.

Huawei E5331 specs:

• 3G: HSPA+/UMTS; 2G: EDGE/GPRS/GSM
• Download: Up to 21.6Mbps
• Upload: Up to 5.76Mbps
• 92.8 × 60 × 12.8mm, 82 grams (with battery)
• Compatibility: Windows XP/Vista/Windows7, Mac OS 10.5/Mac OS 10.6/Mac OS 10.7

See also

• New P3,495 Smart Plug-It works as a ’4G’ hotspot
• Smart Bro Rocket Chic is a ’4G’ Internet dongle for women