Verizon Unveils Two World-Ready 4G LTE Hotspots at CES

LAS VEGAS—Verizon today announced two new world-ready hotspots that also tap into the carrier’s 4G LTE network. There’s the Verizon Jetpack MiFi 4620L from Novatel and the Verizon Jetpack EuFi890 from ZTE.

Curious naming conventions aside, either of these hotspots may prove to be seriously useful for world travelers who need bandwith on the go. Both devices feature support for Verizon’s 4G LTE network where available. According to Verizon, users in the United States can expect average download speeds from 5 to 12 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in LTE coverage areas. We discovered in our special report, the Fastest Mobile Networks, that Verizon’s 4G LTE network is currently the fastest available in the country.

In addition to LTE support, both Jetpacks are global ready, which means that users will have access to wireless data service in more than 205 countries, including more than 125 that support 3G speeds; both modems support quad band EDGE and HSPA when LTE isn’t available. They’re backward-compatible with Verizon’s 3G network, so they’ll have no problem pulling in a 3G signal when you’re not in an LTE coverage area. The modems can connect up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices at a time, and feature 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity.

The ZTE EuFi890 measures 3.5 by 3.5 by .7 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.7 ounces. It comes equipped with an OLED screen and interactive keypad to help manage connections and settings and to display data usage alerts. Novatel’s MiFi 4620L, meanwhile, looks a lot like its previous hotspot, the Jetpack 4510L. It measures 3.8 by 2.8 by .5 inches (HWD). The LCD has been replaced by a larger, interactive OLED display. It allows users to navigate menus, manage connected devices, and control security settings. According to Verizon, the 4620L also complies with strict corporate VPNS, including VPN pass-through and NAT firewall.

Pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet, but new Jetpacks should be available within the next few weeks. Check back with PCMag for reviews of these hotspots when they become available.