For years, XCom Global has been providing rental hotspots and USB modems for U.S. travelers who want to visit any of 175 different countries. When ordering on xcomglobal.com, you list your travel days and which countries you plan to visit. XCom then sends you a device that’s been preloaded with a local SIM card a day or two before you leave, along with a prepaid envelope to send it back upon your return. The country makes deals with local carriers in all of the countries it covers that include unlimited data so you don’t have to worry about running out of bytes, or purchasing service when you get there. Our test modem came with a SIM card for Movistar, one of Spain’s largest broadband carriers.
MORE: 8 Best Business Laptops Now
Though XCom’s service is well established, the company’s ZTE MF60 hotspot just replaced the company’s original 3G Novatel MiFi 3352 units this past fall and the Barcelona trip was our first opportunity to go hands-on with the new high-speed hardware. The first thing we noticed about the MF60 is how compact it felt in our hand and in a pocket of our laptop bag. At 3.9 x 2.1 x 0.54 inches and 2.6 ounces, ZTE’s hotspot is both smaller and lighter than Novatel’s 3.9 x 2.4 x 0.72-inch, 2.9-ounce unit.
Sign up here with your email
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon