A Mom's Review of the ZTE MF 65
If you have four kids like I do who are heavy users of the Internet for school work, you'll understand what it means not to have Internet for the past 12 days. I subscribed to plan 1995 of PLDT's mydsl to get speeds of up to 3 mbps. But on July 22, exactly as Pnoy (President Aquino) was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA), our dsl line was cut off. PLDT explained that they're doing a nationwide speed enhancement. I complained that they should have warned their subscribers about it since they have previous knowledge that this will occur. It's not as if it's an emergency repair of some sort. As of this writing, our dsl line has not been restored.
Anyway, this is not about my PLDT complaint. It's finding an alternative to my dsl WiFi connection. As an emergency measure, I activated my broadband plug it stick but it requires my kids to take turns using it. With four kids who need to accomplish assignments and submit it online at edmodo.com and coordinate with classmates on Facebook for projects and group work, taking turns with the plug it is not feasible for long periods of time. So I found this great mobile WiFi device that suits our needs. If you're in a similar situation like us, this may be helpful to you.
So what did I look for in a mobile WiFi?
1. It should be unlocked.
REASON: If the mobile WiFi device is unlocked, you can use any broadband SIM of any network operator and choose the one with the better signal at your location. Even when you're in a different country, you can use the device by simply inserting any local broadband SIM.
2. The range of the device signal should reach at least 3 rooms in the same floor.
REASON: In our case, the master's bedroom, girls' room and boy's room is located in the same floor. We all do our work in our bedrooms so at the very least, the mobile WiFi signal must reach all of us. I was thinking of purchasing a Smart Pocket WiFi when the ZTE was out-of-stock in the first computer shop I asked, but the salesman informed me that the signal's range is for one room only.
3. I should be able to connect at least 6 devices.
REASON: Since we're six in the family, we must be able to connect at least one of our devices. Most mobile WiFi devices I found online can only connect 5 device so I had to do more research to find a WiFi device that can connect more than 5 devices.
4. I should be able to charge it in the car, aside from a wall socket and a laptop.
REASON: Although my initial purpose for finding a mobile WiFi device is as a temporary alternative to my disconnected DSL, if it can be charged in a car, it will increase its mobility and use.
ZTE MF 65 FEATURES I LIKED
1. It is unlocked.
2.The WiFi signal of the device reaches 2 floors of the house: the 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor, until the dining room and living room on the first floor.
3. The maximum number of devices you can connect is 10, and you can set the limits to lower than 10 by going into your device's IP address.
4. You can charge it in the car, the laptop and the wall socket because the cable included is a USB cable with a separate wall charger. To be able to charge it in the car, you have to buy a USB car charger.
5. The speed is fast enough for browsing. That's more of the broadband SIM issue than a device issue. The fastest I experienced is 3mbps in the mornings but the signal fluctuates. The lowest speed still allows reasonable browsing speed.
COMPLETE OFFICIAL SPECS (taken from villman.com)
Manufacturer : ZTE
Model : MF65
Unlocked : Fully unlocked. ready to use with global internet providers
Network Bands : 3G-4G HSPA+/HSUPA/HSDPA/UMTS (WCDMA) - Band IV 1700/1900/2100MHz
2G GSM / GPRS / EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz.
Wi-Fi Standards : 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n
Connectivity Interface : SIM-Card Slot
Data Speed : Download up to 21.6 Mbps, Upload up to 5.76 Mbps
Memory : Micro SD card slot up to 32GB.
Ports : Micro USB
Display : New screen with OLED Display.
Antenna : Internal Antenna. External antenna interface (antenna sold separately).
Security : Wi-Fi Security supported (see details below).
Battery : 1500mAh Li-ion battery. gives up to 100 hours standby
Dimensions : Size: 99.5 x 53.7 x 14mm Weight 75g.
Supported Systems : Windows XP (SP2 or later), Windows Vista, Windows 7/8, Mac OS (10.4 or later), Linux.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN BOX
1 device
1 usb cable
1 usb wall socket
manual
WHERE I BOUGHT IT
Citylight Computer Shop, SM Marikina Cyberzone
Price: P2990, with free Smart Bro SIM with100 pesos load and 1 year ZTE warranty